Supporters are called “Daylights,” named after the increased visibility that occurs when parked cars reduce crowd intersections.
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The new law aims to make American streets safer, but pretends to have more tickets and fewer parking spaces.
States and cities that seek to maximize parking in busy areas have a long history of loose enforcement of laws that usually require a pulking zone of about 20 feet around crosswalks.
Now, the effort to crack down on the issue is to acquire steam. Supporters are called “daylights,” named after the increased vision that occurs when there are few crossings of parked cars.
“If you have a car parked right next to a crosswalk, you often create a huge blind zone just in front of the crosswalk,” said Angie Schmidt, founder of a planning company that focuses on pedestrian safety. “And because cities are really dangerous.”
In Sacramento, drivers parked within 25 feet of a crosswalk, or 15 feet if there is a pedestrian extension or bump-out on the curb, could be fined $25, regardless of whether there is a sign or other indication that prohibits parking.
California is usually after joining more than 40 states that have laws that require parking a certain distance from the intersection, usually about 20 feet, according to a study by the California State Library’s Bureau of Research. The law there came into effect on January 1st, but many jurisdictions initially chose to issue warnings rather than citations.
In New York City, the city council is considering a bill to end the city’s long-standing sunlight exemption. Hard infrastructure must be installed at 1,000 intersections each year, touting Mayor Eric Adams’ pledge to bolster daylight efforts.
It’s a controversial move. City Department of Transport officials have questioned safety benefits and said the city could lose 300,000 parking spaces and billions of dollars if all intersections face increased parking restrictions.
Old law, old problems
Daylights are a safety measure that prohibits parking near sidewalks and provides better visibility for pedestrians, drivers and bikers. Some cities have installed physical barriers such as planters, bike racks and other obstacles to ensure compliance.
This concept is not new, but over time, a mix of loose enforcement, low investment and legal exceptions has led to a patchwork of law that prioritizes parking over visibility.
San Francisco city transport has pointed to daytime lighting laws decades ago, as many states have based their first vehicle codes on the US unified vehicle code. This is the latest version that prohibits parking within 20 feet of the intersection crossing.
For example, Maryland and Connecticut have daylight savings time laws, but according to a study compiled by the California Department of Research at the California State Library, it does not apply to Baltimore and New Haven.
Safety advocates, including New York-based transport alternative spokesman Alexa Sledge, have been sought for change over the years, citing success in nearby cities such as Hoboken, New Jersey. The city celebrated seven years in 2024 without traffic-related deaths after local leaders implemented many systematic safety improvements.
It all started in daylight, according to Ryan Sharp, the city’s former director of traffic and parking.
“If Hoboken can start small with something like that and build with something significantly bigger in terms of investment in improving safety and improving infrastructure, then the community can do that, right?” Sharp said.
Sledge said he hopes that the measure of sunlight in New York believes it could save lives given the bipartisan support it has enjoyed.
Parking tickets, braces with little space
Lockmiller, a California-based traffic and civil engineer, said drivers should know that they will not park certain locations (like near or in front of a fire hydrant) regardless of whether there is a painted curb or other signs that it is illegal.
The problem is particularly serious, he said. Not only urban areas, but beach parking is upscale, and many people in inland towns seeking relief from the brutal heat, trying to park as close to the water as possible.
He pointed out Newport Beach, California as an example. “I’m struggling,” he said.
Miller said the research shows “there are potential benefits,” but in California, at least in California, he “can see all sorts of issues with the way it’s being deployed.”
“The police don’t want to write many tickets that will be appealed. The town doesn’t have to draw every intersection.”
