New Law Changes Parking Around Crosswalks & Intersections

Starting January 1, 2025, drivers throughout California should park at least 20 feet from the approaching side of an intersection to help fellow motorists see and yield to pedestrians at crosswalks. This means, motorists should start leaving at least 20 feet (or the length of one large car) between your car and a marked/unmarked crosswalk. 

Parking Near Crosswalks 

Per California Assembly Bill (AB) 413, the new Intersection Daylighting Law prohibits parking within 20 feet of the approach of any marked or unmarked crosswalk, even if there are no signs or curb markings. Specifically, it prohibits stopping, standing, or parking within 20 feet of the vehicle approach side of any marked or unmarked crosswalk or within 15 feet where a curb extension is present. AB 413 was passed in 2023 and is codified in California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 22500(n)(1)(A). 

 NO PARKING before a crosswalk/intersection:  

• On two-way streets, there is NO PARKING before the crosswalk or intersection as you approach it.  

• On one-way streets, there is NO PARKING on both sides of the street immediately before the crosswalk or intersection.  

• The “No Parking” buffer is 20 feet before the crosswalk (about one regular parking space size).  

• This applies at every intersection, even if the crosswalk is unmarked (e.g., without a painted crosswalk).  All intersection corners are considered crosswalks.  

• This applies at every crosswalk/intersection, even if the curb is not painted red or if there is no other signage that restricts parking.  

Enforcement Grace Period in Lafayette 

California's citation enforcement started on January 1, 2025, however, a grace period in Lafayette means that fines are not currently being issued while we educate the community about this change in State law and work to remove impacted parking spaces in the downtown area. Reminder: This new State law applies to ALL of California, and other cities may begin citing for illegal parking before a crosswalk, even if there is no red curb or sign present. 

In Lafayette, red curbs will be added before some crosswalks/intersections over time. We are prioritizing the removal of parking in the downtown area as well other locations with high pedestrian traffic, such as near schools. Citywide, additional marking or signs may be installed over time as part of repaving projects, capital improvement projects, or other traffic maintenance projects. However, according to State law, the parking restriction is in effect whether or not there are signs or markings. 

Intersection Daylighting Enhances Pedestrian Safety 

More than a quarter of all pedestrian fatalities in the United States occur at intersections. The Intersection Daylighting Law aims to enhance safety by improving visibility at intersections: 

• Parked vehicles near crosswalks limit pedestrian visibility, increasing the risk of severe injury or fatal collisions. 

• By removing the visual barrier of those parked cars, drivers can better see the transition point where people walk onto pavement and pedestrians can better see oncoming cars without stepping into the intersection. 

• Twenty feet is slightly longer than the length of a car. A Toyota Prius sedan car is 15 feet long. A Ford F-150 is 17.5 to 19 feet long.  

As a reminder, drivers must yield to pedestrians at all intersections: 

• Generally speaking, pedestrians have the right-of-way at crosswalks and vehicles have the right-of-way on roadway at points other than crosswalks.  

• California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.”  

• California Vehicle Code Section 21954 states: “Every pedestrian upon a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway so near as to constitute an immediate hazard.” 

Lafayette’s Commitment to Safer Streets for All 

Traffic safety continues to be a top priority in the City of Lafayette, with the goal of reducing injuries to drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other users of the road system. The city is following the Vision Zero approach, which is based on a shared responsibility across safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe road users, safe road designs, and post-crash care. Our goals are to reduce the number of collisions and, if a collision does happen, reduce the severity of injury that may occur. Lafayette’s traffic engineers, public works staff, parking officers, and police are all working together to continue making Lafayette safer. 

For more safe driving tips and ways the City is committed to improving traffic safety for all road users, visit our Slow Down Lafayette webpage.