Jaywalking is now legal in New York City, but it is no less dangerous

CNN
—

Eating a slice of New York pizza, taking a walk in Central Park and strolling the busy sidewalks of Manhattan are all elements of life in New York City that many tourists dream of. For many locals, jaywalking – crossing the street without regard to traffic lights – has also long been considered a rite of passage.

With recent legal changes, jaywalking is now officially allowed, but travelers should still look both ways before meeting locals on the streets.

In September, the city council passed legislation allowing pedestrians to cross the street at any time without obeying traffic lights. Last weekend, the bill became law after Mayor Eric Adams failed to sign or veto the bill within a 30-day period.

Jaywalking, which was previously illegal in New York since 1958, carried a fine of up to $250.

And it can be risky. Over the past five years, 200 people have died while crossing the street in the middle of the street or against traffic lights, accounting for about 34% of all pedestrian fatalities, according to testimony from the New York City Department of Transportation.

Supporters of the bill, including one of its sponsors, Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse, believe this legislation is a step toward improving racial justice. New York police officers have faced criticism in the past for targeting people of color with jaywalking tickets.

“In 2023, more than 92% of jaywalking citations went to Black and Latino New Yorkers,” she said in an emailed statement.

Now that the law has been passed, Narcisse believes officers can focus on real community issues.

“Police officers have told me they would rather focus on real public safety efforts, not on issuing tickets for crossing the street.”

The law allowing jaywalking will officially take effect in February, but does not eliminate the risks associated with the long-standing practice.

Liz Garcia, a spokesperson for the mayor, emphasized the dangers of jaywalking in a statement, noting that the bill makes clear that crossing against the light and center block is highly risky behavior.

“All road users are safer when everyone obeys the traffic rules,” she said, adding that pedestrians should “take advantage of safety mechanisms” at intersections and cross “at a pedestrian crossing with a walking signal.”

While residents may be comfortable with jaywalking, the practice poses risks to the millions of people who visit New York City. According to the newspaper, 62.2 million people visited the city in 2023 Office of the New York State Comptrollermaking it one of the top 10 travel destinations in the world.

People from most countries and cultures will be relatively safe, largely because they may be more likely to wait for a safe moment to cross or follow crowds, predicts David C. Schwebel, a professor of psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who studies youth studies. safety.

In other countries where jaywalking is practiced differently and frequently, it may be a different story.

“For example, in some Asian countries, jaywalking is very common and usually involves crossing one lane at a time while pedestrians wait in the middle of the road to cross the next lane,” Schwebel said via email. “That would be unusual in New York and create risks for motorists unfamiliar with pedestrians engaging in this practice.”

Whether you are jaywalking or not, it is essential that you are aware of your surroundings. The best approach is to stick to designated intersections and scan both directions for approaching vehicles before heading out onto the street. Avoid distractions, such as staring at your cell phone.

Make eye contact with drivers to ensure they see you, especially at night and in low-light situations such as fog or rainy weather.