On Jan. 1, the “daylighting” law went into effect in the city of San Diego and elsewhere across California.
The law, which prevents people from parking within 20 feet of any marked or unmarked crosswalk, is intended to provide more visibility for drivers and pedestrians near crosswalks, and to prevent collisions.
Still, not everyone has clarity on the law.
“It would be helpful if the city were to put up signs like they do for street sweeping and corners, and they put, you know, ‘Please do not block due to daylighting laws. Please do not block this area. You cannot park within 20 feet of this curb,’ or simply paint it red,” Amy Cousland said.
There is a crosswalk in the middle of the block where Cousland lives in Normal Heights. One side of the crosswalk is painted red, the other side has a small sliver painted but people are being ticketed near the crosswalk even where it is not painted red, according to Cousland.
“It’s basically that no one can park within 20 feet of an unmarked or marked crosswalk on the approach side of the crosswalk,” said Erin Longen, who’s a parking enforcement supervisor for San Diego.
The law is causing some confusion among some San Diegans.
Some San Diegans aren’t aware of the law, and for some who are aware, they’re not sure when it applies or the precise distance if the curb isn’t painted.
At the beginning of the year, the city of San Diego instituted a 60-day grace period so San Diegans and tourists could become accustomed to the new rule. And then, on March 1, the city’s 55 or so parking enforcement officers began putting teeth into the law.
In May, a city of San Diego parking enforcement supervisor told NBC 7 around 4,200 tickets were issued for breaking the daylighting law at that point. If the ticketing remains at the pace, the city will generate around $3 million in revenue.
The tickets made up around 10% of the overall tickets issued in the city of San Diego, according to parking enforcement.