Parked cars, blind corners, and ‘Darwin’s Crosswalk’

A new ” Darwin’s Crosswalk” law in effect this year could surprise drivers with a $64 parking ticket. California’s new “daylighting” law aims to improve pedestrian safety by prohibiting drivers from parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk. But not all off-limit spots will be marked.

A law with the kind of practical, no-nonsense thinking that usually comes along after someone’s had enough funerals is set to hit San Diego streets—and all of California—come Jan. 1.

They’re calling it “daylighting,” but don’t let the sunshine-friendly name fool you.

AB 413 is about seeing people before a car hits them. It bans parking within 20 feet of any crosswalk, marked or not, so drivers can actually spot what’s crossing in front of their bumper. Violators get a $65 ticket starting March 1, 2025, plus a $12.50 fee that sounds like it’s for someone’s coffee fund, bringing the total to $77.50.

Here’s the deal: If you’re parking near a crosswalk in California starting next year, you’d better have a tape measure or a decent eye for distance, because the state’s got rules now—rules that make sense but will still trip people up.

This new law isn’t just for corners with the neat white lines painted on. It’s for all intersections and those mysterious mid-block crosswalks that show up where you least expect them. No parking within 20 feet of a corner in the direction you’re driving. On a two-way street, that’s the right side. On a one-way street, don’t park near the corner at all—left or right.

And if the corner has one of those fancy sidewalk “bulb-outs” where the curb sticks into the street like it’s trying to shake hands with traffic, the restricted zone shrinks to 15 feet. Why? Maybe to keep things interesting. For perspective, that’s just about the length of a shiny new 2024 Toyota Prius, which might be parked illegally if you’re not careful.

The bottom line? California’s making it harder to stash your car but easier to see who’s coming. It’s inconvenient, sure. But a law that keeps someone out of the emergency room? That’s a hassle worth getting used to.

Do the math, and that means about one and a half parked cars’ worth of space cleared out at every intersection. A sensible fix, sure, but don’t expect your neighbors to remember it right away. “It may take some time,” said Bethany Bezak, who runs transportation for San Diego, trying to sound optimistic about a city that can barely park straight on a good day. Still, she’s betting this law will make roads safer, and she’s probably right.

There’s evidence to back her up. Studies—and not the kind you snooze through—say better visibility at crosswalks cuts down on the number of people who end up as grim statistics. And San Diego’s Vision Zero program, which ambitiously aims to erase traffic deaths like a bad chalk drawing, is all in on this one.

Forty-three other states already do some version of this, so California’s showing up late but at least dressed for the party. If you drive, you’ll grumble about losing parking spots. But if you walk—or if someone you love does—it might just mean one less siren in the night.

You’ve got cars parked right up to the corner, like they own the place

They sit there, blind as bats, blocking the view for anyone trying to make it across the intersection without becoming tomorrow’s headline. A driver coming down the street doesn’t stand a chance at seeing a pedestrian until it’s too late. Forget about the guy on the bike or the mom pushing a stroller—they might as well be invisible.

But there’s a fix for this, and it’s got a name: “daylighting.” Some traffic engineers came up with it, and it’s as simple as pulling cars back from the corner so people can actually see what’s coming. Places like San Francisco and Hoboken swear by it. Fewer crashes, fewer lives lost. Imagine that.

“This law is about clearing the line of sight,” says city spokesman Matthai Chakko, sounding almost hopeful in an email. “When you take the cars out of the way, drivers can actually see where the sidewalk ends and the danger begins. Sure, they’re supposed to stop for people in crosswalks—that’s been the law forever—but these corners? They’re still death traps for anyone on foot or in a wheelchair trying to cross.”