BY ALIX MARTICHOUX / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 16, 2024

Heads up, drivers. A handful of new laws take effect in California on Jan. 1, 2025, that impact the rules of the road. From insurance claims to car break-ins to parking tickets, here’s what’s changing for California drivers in the new year.

You can’t park there

Assembly Bill 413, more commonly known as a “Daylighting Law,” takes effect across California in 2025. It bans drivers from parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk to make intersections safer for pedestrians.

The law applies whether the crosswalk is marked or unmarked and regardless of if the curb is painted red. California cities have been working to put up signage and paint curbs to make it easier for drivers to navigate the new normal, but they acknowledge not all curbs will be painted red in time.

Don’t get angry at other drivers when they do this

If you’re parking facing a crosswalk, look for the red curb first. If it’s there, respect that distance. If there’s no red paint, leave a space of 20 feet (or a bit longer than a large SUV) between your parked car and the intersection.

Locked door loophole

Senate Bill 905 eliminates a loophole in California criminal code, which defined burglary to include “entering a vehicle when the doors are locked with the intent to commit grand or petit larceny or a felony.”

“The mere fact that a window was broken into is insufficient. Prosecutors must prove that the door was locked, which requires that victims must physically come out to court to testify as such,” said Sen. Scott Wiener, who authored the bill.

Now, car owners and prosecutors won’t have to prove a car was locked, just that “forcible entry” occurred.

No license required

Job postings can’t require that applicants have a valid driver’s license anymore, unless the employer believes you’ll actually need to drive as part of the job. The employer would also need to reasonably believe that you couldn’t execute the job duties using an alternate form of transportation.

Requiring a driver’s license for jobs that don’t involve driving is a form of employment discrimination, proponents said.

Better insurance coverage in an accident

Senate Bill 1107 increases minimum insurance liability limits for when someone is hurt or killed in a crash, or if they suffer property damage.

What does this mean? “Let’s say you got into a car accident and you were not at fault,” explains Omega Law Group. “If the person who hit you carries with them an insurance package with the minimum policy limit, the maximum compensation you’ll be able to receive for your injury will only be $15,000 regardless of how high your medical bills ended up being.”

Starting in January 2025, the amount you’d be entitled to receive doubles.

Before Jan. 1, 2025, the payout limits were:

  • $15,000 per person for bodily injury or death
  • $30,000 per accident for bodily injury or death
  • $5,000 for property damage

Starting in 2025, the limits will be:

  • $30,000 per person for bodily injury or death
  • $60,000 per accident for bodily injury or death
  • $15,000 for property damage