Jaywalking—that time-honored practice of crossing the street outside of the crosswalk or against the traffic light—is now legal in New York City. Legislation passed by the City Council last month officially became law over the weekend after Mayor Eric Adams declined to take action—either by signing or vetoing it—after 30 days, the AP reports. Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, a Brooklyn Democrat who sponsored the legislation, said Tuesday that the new law ends racial disparities in enforcement, noting that more than 90% of the jaywalking tickets issued last year went to Black and Latino people.
"Let's be real, every New Yorker jaywalks. People are simply trying to get where they need to go," she said in an emailed statement. "Laws that penalize common behaviors for everyday movement shouldn't exist, especially when they unfairly impact communities of color." The new law permits pedestrians to cross a roadway at any point, including outside of a crosswalk. It also allows for crossing against traffic signals and specifically states that doing so is no longer a violation of the city's administrative code. But the new law also warns that pedestrians crossing outside of a crosswalk do not have the right of way and that they should yield to other traffic that has the right of way, and a spokesperson for Adams warns jaywalkers may still be civilly liable if their actions cause an accident.
Other cities and states, from Denver and Kansas City, Missouri, to California, Nevada, and Virginia have decriminalized jaywalking in recent years, according to America Walks, a Seattle-based group that's been tracking the proposals. In New York City, where struggles between pedestrians and motorists are constant, the jaywalking law had been on the books since 1958 and carried a penalty of up to $250. The Legal Aid Society, meanwhile, called the legislation long overdue. The non-profit organization, which provides free legal representation to New Yorkers that cannot afford a lawyer, said police for decades have used the violation as a pretext to stop, question, and frisk residents—especially those of color.
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