Jaywalking officially legalized in New York City. Here's what it means for pedestrians.
NEW YORK -- Your average New Yorker is no stranger to jaywalking, which has been illegal since 1958. That's about to change.
Starting in February, New Yorkers will no longer be breaking the law when crossing the street in between traffic, and will no longer receive a fine for jaywalking.
The City Council has been working to decriminalize jaywalking, which is something nearly every New Yorker does.
What is jaywalking?
Jaywalking is crossing the street in a way that contravenes traffic laws, typically outside of crosswalks, despite oncoming traffic.
The new law permits pedestrians to cross a roadway at any point, including outside of a crosswalk and against traffic signals. But the law also warns that pedestrians crossing outside of a crosswalk do not have the right of way.
The City Council approved the legislation last month, and the bill became law after Mayor Eric Adams ran out of time to either veto or sign the legislation last weekend. That means 120 days later, February of next year, the law goes into effect.
"Everyone does it, and I do it, too"
"In 2023, over 92% of jaywalking citations went to Black and Latino New Yorkers, highlighting an unacceptable disparity. The bill changes that by removing criminal penalties, ensuring everyone is treated fairly, regardless of race or backgroud," said Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse, who sponsored the legislation. "Police officers have shared with me they prefer to focus on true public safety efforts, not issuing tickets for crossing the street."
Narcisse said the law doesn't overlook safety, adding it ensures public safety measures are fair and equitable. Pedestrian, drivers and cyclists remain responsible for using the streets safely.
The Legal Aid Society said the new law is a big positive for New Yorkers.
"We are also hoping that the long-term consequences of this will be is that it will no longer be a pretext to stop, question and search New Yorkers," Legal Aid Society attorney Natalie Peeples said.
"I think jaywalking is very dangerous. I do it once in a while," Hell's Kitchen resident Sandy Miller said.
"I don't even think about it because everyone does it, and I do it, too. So I don't think the new law is gonna change anything," Desmond Chu said.
"It's good that it's legalized. The way the city is constructed, sometimes, you have to do it. It's just what happens," Brooklyn resident Christine Obiamalu said.
