SFMTA continues to issue warnings instead of tickets in implementing the newly-effective Daylighting Law

SAN FRANCISCO — The newly-effective California Daylighting Law (AB 413) prohibits parking within 20 feet of any approach side of a crosswalk. San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) announced the delay of issuing citations on violations of the new law for parking illegally at unmarked (gray) curbs. The agency would issue warnings instead.

Under the new program, warnings—not fines—will continue to be issued to vehicles parked at unmarked curbs within 20 feet of crosswalk approaches until the curbs are painted red, according to Julie Kirschbaum, Director of the SFMTA, who announced the enforcement plan related to AB 413 also on a video posted online.

While curbs close to crosswalks have long been painted in red in San Francisco for decades to prohibit parking and stopping, many curbs across the city are still unmarked with no color paint. Kirschbaum said the SFMTA would paint the required curbs red throughout the city within 18 months.

The SFMTA would first start painting with daylighting at school zones, because drivers entering an intersection often could not see children entering a crosswalk if they were hidden by a parked car. Families with children, people who use wheelchairs, and people shorter than the height of a car would benefit the most from improving visibility at intersections.

Once the curbs are painted red anytime from now on, the Daylighting Law is immediately in effect at those intersections in San Francisco. Standard red-curb rules and fine, which is currently $108, will apply. 

The SFMTA said the new plan to delay citations on unmarked scrubs would enhance clarity for residents and visitors by ensuring all daylighting has visible markings, so drivers know where parking is allowed.

“Our highest priority is keeping people safe—not issuing citations,” said Kirschbaum. “Since I became the Acting Director of Transportation at the SFMTA, I have made it a priority to listen to community members, and I have heard repeated concerns about how we planned to implement the state’s Daylighting Law. Daylighting is an incredibly important tool for street safety, but I want to make sure when we roll it out citywide, we do it fairly."

AB 413 was introduced by Chinese American Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San Jose) in February 2023 and became effective on January 1, 2025.

Lee said the legislation was to improve public safety by increasing the visibility of pedestrians and bicyclists for drivers at crosswalks and intersections.

AB 413 which was sponsored by the transportation advocacy organization prohibits vehicles from being stopped, left or parked within 20 feet of a marked crosswalk or intersection. It is a pedestrian safety measure known as “daylighting."

“Daylighting is a proven way we can make our streets safer for everyone, and 43 other states have already implemented some version of daylighting,” said Lee when he introduced the bill in 2023. “By making it easier for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists to see each other at intersections, we can take a simple and important step to help us all safely share the road.”

The law says daylighting makes it easier for people using all modes of transportation to see one another to make all streets safer. Without vehicles blocking sight lines near intersections, drivers can more clearly see if a pedestrian is waiting to cross the street and, likewise, pedestrians can better spot approaching vehicles without having to step into the street for a clear view of oncoming traffic.

California’s pedestrian fatality rate is more than 25% higher than the national average, and no other state has more pedestrian deaths on its roadways, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety.

In 2021, pedestrian deaths in the U.S. reached a four-decade high, with California topping the list with 958, according to a report by the Governors Highway Safety Association.

26% of cyclist fatalities occur at intersections, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA).

The SFMTA says the Daylight Law has been a proven safety measure to prevent crashes and save lives. Studies show this simple change can reduce collisions by 30%. The mandate brings California in line with over 40 other states where this is standard regulation.

In addition to cities across the nation, daylighting measures have been implemented in some cities in California for some time, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Alameda.