As with many states throughout the United States, California deals with an extremely high number of traffic-related accidents that harm pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders, and others. For this reason, legislators have established a wide range of laws designed to protect these vulnerable road users. California's Daylighting Law is one of the most recent pieces of legislation created with the hope that it can prevent injuries and fatalities. Read on to learn more...
What Is Daylighting?
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, 1,108 pedestrians and 125 bicyclists died in 2021 in traffic accidents. In 2024, California roads became known as the third deadliest in the country. These statistics don't even address the tens of thousands of unprotected and vulnerable road users injured in these types of accidents.
One of the biggest reasons that these events occur is because people approaching and using crosswalks often don't see a vehicle until it's too late because of an obstructed view from vehicles parked, stopped or waiting too close to a crosswalk. This type of obstruction makes it especially difficult for children, small adults and people in wheelchairs to see dangers. Drivers approaching an intersection while in traffic experience these same visibility problems.
The word "daylighting" has many different meanings that range from bringing more sunlight indoors with architectural and interior design to exposing the inside of a tunnel in a specific way. In California and other U.S. states, and even around the world, the word in the legal context refers to that act of revealing or supplying visibility for road users, especially during the day. Essentially, it means that pedestrians, bicyclists and others who use crosswalks must have improved visibility and so must drivers in approaching traffic. For this to occur successfully (i.e., reduce injuries or fatalities), drivers must act more responsibly near crosswalks.
What Is the Daylighting Law?
In October 2023, the California Daylighting Law, known officially as Assembly Bill 413 (AB 413), became an amendment to existing laws. It created a new section, known as CVC 22500(n), in the California Vehicle Code chapter titled "Chapter 9. Stopping, Standing, and Parking [22500 - 22526]. It officially went into effect on January 1, 2025.
At the time of this writing, only 43 of 50 states, including California, have daylighting laws on record. These laws are part of the global Vision Zero plan to end all traffic-related injuries and deaths via better roadways and laws. California has been one of the few holdouts to establish a law about this topic, even though the original national vehicle codes formed after the creation of the first automobiles had parking restrictions specifically for intersections. Those codes restricted parking to 15 feet away from an intersection without a curb or 25 feet away from an intersection with one.
In California, the law outlines that all drivers and non-drivers have a responsibility to provide visibility of at least 20 feet (i.e., approximately one car length) near a crosswalk. It establishes that the marked or unmarked status of a crosswalk has no bearing on this consideration. A driver must not stop, temporarily stop for loading or unloading purposes (i.e., stand), or park their vehicle within the 20-foot distance on the right side of a two-way street or either side of a one-way street. If the curb has an extension, the law permits 15 feet. Any parking or traffic signs or paint otherwise establish the distance.
What Types of Exceptions Exist?
Of course, local laws often modify state laws. In addition, events take place that make it more difficult for drivers to always follow the Daylighting Law. Local governments have permission to allow exceptions in a wide range of scenarios.
For example, a police officer, firefighter or other first responder can order a driver to park temporarily near a crosswalk within the 15- to 20-foot distance to make way for emergency traffic. Local law might allow parking of non-motorized vehicles close to a crosswalk, such as a bicycle or electric scooter. A local authority might also use a sign or paint to establish a different distance for a specific crosswalk and intersection for any number of reasons.
A commercial vehicle driver might also receive permission to stand their vehicle near a crosswalk if the local authority previously marked the spot with paint or a sign for the specific purpose of loading and unloading objects or people. Lastly, nearby infrastructure and even road or sidewalk construction might force a driver to stop, stand or park briefly near a crosswalk.
That said, a driver must never make assumptions, even when driving on a road that they've traveled many times in the past. They should keep up to date about local restrictions and not assume that an exception currently exists or a previous exception still exists.
Some Cities Offer Temporary Reprieve
California legislators have permitted city governments and traffic agencies to pause citation issuance for 60 days to allow everyone to become used to this change. Most municipalities and transportation agencies won't start to issue official citations until March 1, 2025. Yet, to prepare, representatives actually started to issue warnings in the last quarter of 2024 and only cited violation incidents that involved a clearly marked street sign or paint.
That said, once this reprieve ends, any driver who violates the Daylighting Law can expect a stiff penalty. In San Francisco, for example, they might pay $40 for their first offense. In Los Angeles, they might pay as much as $77.50 for the fine and an administrative fee. As a result, drivers are reminded to pay closer attention than usual to their distance from a crosswalk in the future and park, stand and stop at least one car length from a marked or unmarked crosswalk.
