New York City is one step closer to officially legalizing jaywalking — a common, if technically illegal, practice.
On Thursday, the Department of Transportation (DOT) held a 10 a.m. public hearing, marking the final administrative step to align city rules with a law passed by the City Council in September 2024. Although the rule change isn’t yet in effect, the hearing allowed public input. The DOT will respond later, and the change will take effect 30 days after publication in the official city record.
Key Points:
• The September 2024 law decriminalized jaywalking, and Mayor Eric Adams let it become law without his signature.
• Fines of up to $250 were possible under previous rules, though enforcement was rare — only about 300 citations were issued citywide in 2024.
• The updated rules clarify that while jaywalking is no longer a punishable offense, pedestrians must still yield to vehicles when crossing outside crosswalks.
• The DOT states pedestrians can cross any road except highways, but they do not have the right of way outside marked or unmarked crosswalks.
Councilwoman Mercedes Narcisse, who represents parts of southern Brooklyn, led the push to change the law. She cited racial disparities in enforcement, noting that 90% of tickets in 2023 were issued to Black and Latino individuals.
Why It’s Called Jaywalking
• “Jay” was an insult:
In the early 1900s, “jay” was a derogatory term used to describe someone naïve, foolish, or unsophisticated, particularly in urban areas (like a country bumpkin visiting the city).
• “Jaywalker” meant someone ignorant of city traffic rules:
The term “jaywalker” emerged to describe people who crossed streets carelessly or against traffic signals, suggesting they didn’t know how to behave in the big city.
• Pushed by the auto industry:
Pedestrian deaths soared as cars became more common in the 1910s and 1920s. Car companies and pro-automobile groups started campaigns to shift the blame from drivers to pedestrians, encouraging people to stay out of the street unless they used designated crosswalks.
• Part of a PR effort:
The term “jaywalking” was popularized by automobile lobbies, traffic safety advocates, and newspapers to stigmatize people walking “wrongly” and normalize car dominance of city streets.
First Recorded Use
• The word “jaywalker” began appearing around 1915, and laws were passed shortly after to penalize pedestrians who didn’t follow new traffic rules.
