A new California law seeking to improve pedestrian safety at intersections officially took effect this January.

Assembly Bill No. 413, also known as the “Daylighting to Save Lives” bill, requires parking to be at least 20 feet from marked and unmarked crosswalks to improve visibility for pedestrians and drivers. The law prohibits stopping, standing or parking a vehicle within an intersection, crosswalk or sidewalk, according to the California Legislative Information website.

Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris, interim dean of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, said the law aims to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. Her research found that eight out of 10 of the most dangerous crashes in Los Angeles occurred with bad visibility, she added.

Jacob Wasserman, a research program manager at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, said he believes the law would help with pedestrian safety.

“Daylighting is a term that is used to refer to clearing the area along the curb near intersections,” said Wasserman, the secretary of the North Westwood Neighborhood Council. “This would help with safety a lot. To be able to not have a car right by the intersection – drivers, pedestrians, bikers and people on scooters could see and cross more easily.”

Prior to AB 413, police could only issue warnings – not citations – for vehicles parked too close to intersections unless the violation occurred in an area marked using paint or a sign.

Wasserman said creating zones marked for scooters and bikes and bike-share drop-offs can enhance accessibility while maintaining clear sight lines in busy traffic areas. Santa Monica has already implemented these zones, allowing bikes and scooters to cross more easily, he added.

Loukaitou-Sideris said the bill also received strong support from urban planners and environmentalists since it expedites environmental sustainability efforts by discouraging reliance on cars.

However, she added that the rise of e-commerce and delivery services have contributed to competition for parking spaces, especially in urban areas, creating challenges for implementing daylighting. Improving visibility at these intersections is essential to address because they are where most crashes are happening, she said.

Lilianna Moreno-Angel, a second-year political science student at UC Riverside visiting UCLA for the quarter, said marked crosswalks, particularly at busy intersections, would make her feel safer in Westwood.

She added that it is important to prioritize areas with heavy foot traffic – such as college campuses – when implementing the law.

“Some suburban parts can get really packed,” she said.

Moreno-Angel added that while reduced parking spots could be inconvenient, the policy is a “step in the right direction.”

“If I have to walk a bit further, then that’s OK,” she said.

Improving street lighting and trimming vegetation near intersections, particularly for young drivers, can also improve safety on the road, Loukaitou-Sideris said.

“There are always people that may complain that you’re taking away parking spaces, but if you put everything into perspective, there is a good chance that some lives will be saved,” she said.