NYC Officials to Legalize Jaywalking After Years of Minimal Enforcement

By: Hal C Clarke

The New York Post originally reported that a new rule drafted by New York City officials will officially legalize jaywalking across all five boroughs starting next month. This comes after years of minimal enforcement and a recent City Council decision to decriminalize the practice.

According to The NY Post, the change will eliminate the $250 fine for crossing against traffic signals or outside of crosswalks. But even before the shift, jaywalking was rarely punished. NYPD data cited by The Post shows just 398 summonses were issued citywide in 2023 — barely more than one per day.

The NY Post originally reported that the City Council passed the measure in a decisive 40-8 vote last September, arguing that jaywalking laws were disproportionately enforced against minorities. The legislation was sponsored by Brooklyn Councilwoman Mercedes Narcisse and faced little opposition on its way to becoming law. Mayor Eric Adams neither signed nor vetoed the bill, allowing it to pass by default, the Post noted.

As The NY Post reported, the Department of Transportation’s revised rules, expected to take effect after an April 17 hearing, will remove language that previously prohibited pedestrians from entering the street mid-block or crossing against signals. The new wording emphasizes that pedestrians will no longer face violations simply for failing to yield to other traffic.

Despite this shift, city officials and safety advocates remain cautious. The NY Post reported that DOT First Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione testified last year that legalizing jaywalking could have deadly consequences. Over the past five years, she said, 200 people died while crossing streets mid-block or against the light — accounting for about 34% of pedestrian fatalities.

Still, the NYPD stated it rarely issued tickets for jaywalking outside of areas with high pedestrian injury rates, the Post originally reported. According to police, enforcement was concentrated in places where pedestrian crashes and deaths were most frequent.

A City Hall spokesperson told The NY Post that while jaywalking may no longer be a crime, officials still urge New Yorkers to use designated crossings and obey traffic signals. “All road users are safer when everyone follows traffic rules,” said Allison Maser. She also encouraged use of safety features like pedestrian islands, daylighting, and walk signals.

Importantly, as The NY Post noted, while criminal penalties are disappearing, jaywalkers could still be held liable in civil court if they cause or contribute to accidents. So even though the law is changing, crossing carelessly could still have legal and financial consequences.

The NYPD also emphasized that pedestrian safety remains a top priority. “The NYPD will continue, along with the NYC Department of Transportation, to work tirelessly to increase traffic safety and prevent collisions, especially those that result in injury or death,” an NYPD spokesperson told The Post.

The New York Post also pointed out that jaywalking enforcement has been controversial for decades. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani famously cracked down on the practice during his time in office, a move he defended as necessary for public safety — though critics accused him of using it as a tool for aggressive policing.

With the new rule poised to take effect soon, jaywalking in New York City may soon be fully legal — not just ignored. As The NY Post originally reported, it’s a significant shift in how the city handles pedestrian behavior, reflecting both changing norms and ongoing debates about fairness, enforcement, and safety.