Drivers in Coronado and all throughout California are getting ticketed for parking within 20 feet of an approach to a crosswalk, whether or not the curb is painted red.
Known as the daylighting law, or more officially as Assembly Bill 413, the mandate aims to increase pedestrian and driver safety. And, while it’s a norm in 43 other states, the requirement is new for California drivers already challenged by parking frustrations.
Coronado residents long-accustomed to traffic woes have made their concerns known on local Facebook groups – some expressing annoyance, some supporting the change, and others questioning, “Why not paint the curbs red to avoid confusion?”
The daylighting law went into effect on Jan. 1, with warnings issued to violators in the first month. Coronado added a 60-day grace period and did not officially begin giving fines until March 1, according to Kaylee Ricci, the city’s communications and engagement officer.
The law does not require local governments to mark off restricted areas with red curbs; it is the responsibility of the drivers to comply.
Before the new law rolled out, Ricci said city staff identified 13 locations where t-boxes, diagonal parking lines, blue zones, or other markings were in “daylighting” zones. Signage and curb markings that would cause confusion or conflict with the new law have been removed.
No additional measures, such as painting the curbs red, have been implemented since that review, she said.
Residents and visitors who choose to park within the newly banned zone face a ticket that carries a $47.50 fine.
Enforcement is primarily complaint driven, Ricci said. Since March, there have been a total of 369 citations for daylighting in Coronado. It is unclear how many of those tickets were for cars parked in the red versus unmarked curbs, but Ricci said the city handles enforcement in the same manner as it does other laws – based on public safety and available resources.
Some cities, including San Francisco, have set a policy that they will not issue a ticket unless the curb is painted red. Coronado should do the same by either painting the curbs red in daylighting zones and losing valuable parking spaces, or the city should stop issuing tickets to unsuspecting drivers. This would avoid unnecessary confusion and public resentment toward police and the city.
Plus, when tickets are issued to cars in non-red zones, it’s hard not to see the situation as a money-grabbing ploy. Fines collected by the city – a total of $2,372.08 from March through September – go into the city’s general fund.
And a message to drivers? Avoid parking within a car-and-a-half length before an approach to a crosswalk. You may very well find yourself paying the price.
