The ultra-petty new California law that's tricking confused drivers into paying huge fines
California 's new 'daylighting' law is blindsiding drivers with steep fines for seemingly minor parking violations.
The state-wide law, Assembly Bill 413, which went into effect March 1, bans parking within 20 feet of any crosswalk - marked or unmarked - to improve pedestrian visibility.
But, many curbs aren't painted red up to the full 20 feet, creating confusion and costly tickets of nearly $120 for unsuspecting drivers.
The new rules are so unclear that authorities in San Francisco said they would not fine drivers in violation.
Meanwhile, officials in San Diego have written thousands of tickets to motorists.
'It's all about pedestrian safety,' Erin Longen, Parking Enforcement Supervisor with the San Diego Police Department, told Fox 5. 'It's basically that no one can park within 20 feet of an unmarked or marked crosswalk on the approach side of the crosswalk.'
To raise awareness ahead of its enforcement, the SDPD began public outreach and issued warnings starting January 1.
'We handed out 1,500 warnings for two months - it was a little blue slip we would leave on cars we saw in violation,' Longen said. 'This helped get the word out ahead of the ticketing and enforcement.'
Since enforcement began, more than 4,200 tickets have been issued, totaling nearly $500,000 in fines.
'We've written over 4,200 tickets, which sounds like a high number, but it's less than 10 percent of the tickets we're writing as an agency,' Longen added.
In San Diego, most 'daylighting' tickets are being handed out in high-trafficked areas and popular neighborhoods like La Jolla, North Park, Hillcrest, Normal Heights, University Heights, Ocean Beach, and Pacific Beach.
'We're ticketing it citywide, and, obviously, the more impacted areas are going to be where more people live, right?' Longen said.
Although the law is meant to reduce pedestrian accidents by improving sightlines at intersections, its rollout has been rocky. Drivers continue to be fined even when curbs aren't painted red to clearly mark the 20-foot zone.
Cities like San Francisco have declined to enforce the law due to these challenges, while San Diego has forged ahead.
Officials say over 1,000 intersections have been reviewed, with red curbs added at more than 200 and 97 parking meters removed.
'To make it easier for drivers to follow this new law, [San Diego] City teams have evaluated more than 1,000 of the busiest intersections in the densest areas of San Diego,' City of San Diego spokesperson Anthony Santacroce told SFGate.
'Nationwide, 43 states already have daylighting laws, and most prohibit parking within 20 feet of an intersection,' Santacroce added.
'The average length of an automobile in the United States is approximately 14 feet. To help estimate 20 feet, it may be helpful to envision about one car length and a half's worth of distance.
Despite these efforts, many curbs remain unmarked, putting drivers at risk of violating the law.
The $117 fine is nearly triple the previous $40 penalty, after a decision by the city of San Diego to raise all ticket prices in a search for revenue to help plug a $258 million shortfall in the next fiscal year, NBCSanDiego reported.
It is projected to generate up to $3 million for the city by year's end.
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