Don't forget to park 20 feet from crosswalks starting Jan. 1
Parking too close to a crosswalk will soon risk a $64 ticket — even if there's no red curb. There's a grace period until April 1.
Starting Wednesday, Jan. 1, drivers in Berkeley should park at least 20 feet from the approaching side of an intersection to help fellow motorists see pedestrians in crosswalks.
By removing the visual barrier of parked cars, drivers can better see pedestrians who enter the roadway — in both the crosswalk ahead of the driver and the crosswalk passed over on a right turn.
The state law, which took effect in 2024 ramping up to enforcement in 2025, aims to help drivers fulfill one of their primary responsibilities: yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks.
While yielding to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks has long been the law, these locations remain some of the most dangerous places to walk.
Read more about traffic safety in Berkeley.
More than a quarter of all pedestrian fatalities in the United States occur at intersections.
In Berkeley in 2022, more than 80% of severe and fatal pedestrian crashes occurred in or near crosswalks. Improving visibility at intersections has reduced pedestrian collisions elsewhere in California and New Jersey.
The law, AB 413, prohibits parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk on the approaching side — the right side of a two-way street and both sides of a one-way street.
The city of Berkeley will issue warnings to drivers who violate the law in the first three months of 2025.
Starting April 1, parking in that "daylighting" zone risks a $64 ticket — whether or not the curb is red.
On Cal Football gamedays, the fine will increase to $96.
Leave more than 1 car length before the corner
Twenty feet is 5-6 feet longer than a standard sedan.
A Toyota Prius is 15 feet long. A Ford F-150 truck can be closer to 19 feet.
Park at least one car length from the intersection to avoid a citation.
Berkeley disabled parking spots that are within 20 feet of a crosswalk will be relocated to comply with the daylighting law.
Drivers must yield to pedestrians at intersections
Generally speaking, pedestrians have the right-of-way at crosswalks and drivers have the right-of-way elsewhere in the roadway.
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.”
Visual cues help drivers prep for crosswalks
Various street markings, special signage and other infrastructure are designed to warn drivers that they may need to yield soon. These include:
- A row of white triangles, called "yield lines," on the pavement
- Paint spelling the word "yield"
- Yield signs posted on parking strips
- "Rectangular rapid flashing beacons" at the driver’s eye level at select crosswalks
- High-visibility crosswalks
- Curb extensions where a sidewalk juts out into the roadway to create shorter crossing distances for pedestrians
When you see those cues, be alert for pedestrians.
More red curbs are coming to Berkeley
In the coming weeks and months, city staff will continue to paint red curbs on the approach side of intersections as part of repaving projects, capital improvement projects and other traffic projects.
The city will prioritize painting red curbs near schools, senior centers, high-injury streets and historically underserved neighborhoods in Berkeley.
City of Berkeley links and resources
- Street parking restrictions
- Adoption of daylighting practices in California cities before statewide law
This post originally appeared on the city of Berkeley website and has been reprinted here with minor edits. Get more city of Berkeley alerts by subscribing online.
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