In an unexpected turn of events, New Yorkers now have the liberty to traverse streets as they wish without risk of penalty. This alteration to the previous ordinance has sparked a wave of unease among some, stirring worries that pedestrian fatalities might rise. The activity of jaywalking, often a habitual practice among New York City inhabitants, has been relieved from its criminal status. Notwithstanding the possibility of a $300 fine, residents frequently disregarded this rule.
The conception of this pedestrian policy dates back almost seventy years, when authorities in New York City initiated awareness campaigns, cautioning individuals about the perils associated with jaywalking. An endearing catchphrase from that time, ‘Cross at the green, not in between’, however, didn’t seem to resonate with the people. Tackling the inclination of New Yorkers—recognized for their scarcity of patience and a fast-paced lifestyle—toward mid-block street crossing proved challenging, the fine being insufficient of a deterrent.
Consistently, the traffic violation led to hundreds of inhabitants receiving tickets annually. Still, with years passing by and authorities generally adopting an overlook approach towards the offense, official steps have been recently taken to decriminalize the act of jaywalking. This includes crossing when the traffic signal disallows or wandering outside the designated crosswalks.
The change in policy arrived after the City Council approved a bill, conferring upon pedestrians the freedom to cross streets wherever they deem suitable. The law took effect this past weekend. Mercedes Narcisse, a City Council representative from Brooklyn and the bill’s proponent, remarked, ‘Let’s keep things real, every New Yorker jaywalks.’ She emphasized that residents are merely endeavoring to reach their desired destinations.
Historically, enforcements of jaywalking in New York City have disproportionately focused attention on Black and Latino residents. This fundamentally made the Council’s bill a measure in the realm of racial justice. Last year’s records indicate about 92 percent of the 463 people penalized for crossing a street against a signal identified as Black or Latino.
The unveiling of the new regulation arrives amidst ferment in city streets, coinciding with the upsurge in traffic-related deaths. Issues around evolving street usage including electric bikes, open-air eateries, and congestion pricing also affect the climate. A plan to mitigate traffic influx and gather funds for a public transportation system was overturned by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
In the past half-decade, around two hundred casualties have been reported while people crossed streets mid-block or against the signal—accounting for approximately 34 percent of all pedestrian fatalities, as per city transportation authorities. The law is to be implemented within the scope of next 120 days.
Emphasizing the importance of safety regulations, Liz Garcia, a spokesperson for the mayor, remarked, ‘All road users are safer when everyone abides by traffic rules.’ Garcia encouraged pedestrians to utilize safety measures at intersections and advised they cross at the allotted crosswalk coinciding with the pedestrian signal.
Since 1958, jaywalking has been considered unlawful in New York City. Funding its way into the law books at a time when pedestrians once commanded the streets, the law’s implementation signaled a shift in priorities as the 20th century witnessed an ever-increasing dominance of vehicles. A historian traced the evolution, saying people used to cross streets without heeding intersections in an urge to reach their destinations as swiftly as possible, but cars fundamentally altered this dynamic.
However, this decision of allowing jaywalking has brewed concerns among some City Council Members, particularly about the potential increase in vehicle-pedestrian collisions. The Republican minority leader depicted this as a broadening trend of decriminalization. Among those dissenting was also Vickie Paladino, a councilwoman from Queens, who warned that this change might ‘instigate disorder and make streets considerably more dangerous.’
Contrarily, the council member who introduced the bill defended it by suggesting it was unproductive for law enforcement officials to expend their time penalizing jaywalkers. She stated that, ‘By canceling these penalties, we enable our officers to concentrate on issues of real consequence.’
The Legal Aid Society and Transportation Alternatives, groups representing low-income residents of New York and promoting street safety respectively, endorsed the bill. The former contended that the legislation was long overdue and urged the City Council to ‘continue to eradicate outdated laws serving no public safety purpose and only ensnaring people in the legal criminal system.’
Under the bill, it’s clearly stated that crossing the street against a traffic signal or outside a typical crosswalk is no longer a contravention of city’s administrative code and thus cannot be a subject of police action. The law also tasks the city’s Transportation Department to undertake a public education initiative concerning traffic safety. While granting freedom of movement, it simultaneously reminds pedestrians that they do not get the right of way if they cross outside the crosswalks. The responses from New Yorkers vary greatly to such a far-reaching change, some welcome it as a peculiar urban culture while others would rather wait for the pedestrian light.