Drivers will soon be ticketed for parking too close to crosswalks.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law last October, effective this year, that bans parking within 20 feet of either side of a crosswalk, regardless of the curb’s color.
The law mandates a 20-foot no-parking zone around crosswalks, even in the absence of red curbs or road signs indicating the restriction.
The state will observe a grace period until the end of this year, issuing warnings to violators but will begin issuing tickets starting next year. The primary objective of this law is to drastically lower pedestrian fatalities, with a target of near-zero incidents this year.
This law is designed to enhance driver visibility, making it easier to spot pedestrians crossing the street.
“Pedestrians will no longer need to peer around parked cars to spot oncoming traffic before crossing.,” said the California Highway Patrol (CHP). “The increased space of crosswalks and on-street parking will reduce the risk of traffic accidents when crossing the street.”
CHP specifically highlighted the benefits for children, who often struggle to see oncoming vehicles while in crosswalks due to their height.
BY NICOLE CHANG, HOONSIK WOO [chang.nicole@koreadaily.com]
