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Is Jaywalking Illegal in Los Angeles?

In Los Angeles, jaywalking remains banned. However, under the Freedom to Walk Act, police cannot stop pedestrians unless they pose a hazard.

The practice of crossing a street outside of a marked crosswalk, or “jaywalking,” has long been controversial. Similar to many other cities, Los Angeles used to have tough regulations against jaywalking, and anyone who disobeyed them faced fines and tickets.

The Freedom to Walk Act was passed in September 2022 and formally went into effect on January 1, 2023, in response to complaints about the growing number of instances of excessive enforcement of jaywalking charges. As long as they can do so without posing a risk, this new law gives pedestrians more latitude to cross streets safely, even when there aren’t any designated crosswalks.

In theory, jaywalking is still prohibited in Los Angeles, but only in certain situations. However, when someone is jaywalking, police are not allowed to issue penalties unless there is an imminent risk of collision.

A wider understanding of pedestrian rights and the need for safer, more walkable communities is reflected in this change in enforcement priorities.

Is Jaywalking Now Legal In Los Angeles?

Thanks to the Freedom to Walk Act approved by California Governor Gavin Newsom, jaywalking is no longer generally penalized in Los Angeles and throughout California. You are now allowed to jaywalk as long as it’s safe to do so.

Although jaywalking is no longer illegal under the new law, it is only allowed when there is no immediate danger to other drivers. If your actions clearly endanger your safety or the safety of others, you may still receive a jaywalking citation.

The term “jaywalking” also describes the following actions that may result in a pedestrian collision or traffic hazard:

  • Avoiding a nearby crosswalk in favor of crossing a street in the center of the block
  • Disregarding “Don’t Walk” signs or red traffic signals
  • Not waiting for the appropriate signal before crossing a junction diagonally
  • Crossing without a crosswalk at an intersection

California’s Vehicle Code adds that at some locations, especially between nearby crossroads that are supervised by traffic control signals or patrolled by police, pedestrians are nevertheless expected to use the crosswalk. Jaywalking was originally prohibited because it raises the risk of pedestrian accidents. The city’s continuous efforts to maintain pedestrian safety in the face of increasing traffic problems are reflected in the long-standing implementation of these ordinances. However, Los Angeles is starting to change its strategy after jaywalking was just decriminalized.

The History Of Jaywalking In Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles is widely recognized as the global center of entertainment. Expensive retail therapy and classic glamor may be found throughout Los Angeles, from Sunset Boulevard to Beverly Hills. In the meantime, the legacy of more than 2,700 people who are pavement stars strewn down a 15-block avenue is immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In addition, the county is among the biggest and most culturally varied areas in the Americas. Popular tourist locations include Chinatown, Historic Filipinotown, Little Tokyo, and Via Italia in San Pedro, which are cultural enclaves.

Tourists come thousands of kilometers to enjoy the county’s beauties, which is not surprising. Every day, thousands of them and Angelenos stroll the streets to discover what the famous city has to offer.

The idea of jaywalking did not exist in the early 1900s. Pedestrians were allowed to move throughout the streets whenever, however, and however they liked.

In the first few decades, a startling number of individuals were killed in pedestrian accidents as a result of this unbridled freedom. The phrase “jaywalking” became widely used as a disparaging slur in Los Angeles and other places where the automobile industry started to flourish.

The term “jaywalker” originated from “jay driver,” was used to describe careless drivers who drove on the wrong side of the road in violation of traffic laws. The word “jay,” which denotes an uninformed or inexperienced person, is the root of both phrases.

To discourage people from crossing the streets outside of approved crosswalks, auto clubs made fun of “jaywalkers.” The Automobile Club of Southern California convinced the Los Angeles police to issue a sidewalk-only order in 1923.

After that, the club went ahead and put up signs along Broadway alerting people to the fact that “Jaywalking is Prohibited by Order Police Department.”

In 1924, a news service that was launched by the trade associations of the motor industry started stigmatizing pedestrians. Newspapers carried articles accusing pedestrians of being responsible for traffic accident fatalities and injuries. Walking was first marginalized in car-centric cities across the world as a result of this propaganda.

Paul G. Hoffman, a Studebaker salesman in Los Angeles, helped the city pass a traffic law that gave priority to cars over people on the streets. A $5 fine was appropriate for the first arrest made under this jaywalking law The 1925 traffic law, which enforced pedestrian limitations and rules across the country, was the result of this effort.

In 2022, over a century later, California decriminalized jaywalking with the passage of the Freedom to Walk Act. Its traffic laws underwent a historic shift as a result. In California and, consequently, Los Angeles, the drastic change has spurred continuous conversations about safety, justice, and urban mobility.

Why Did Los Angeles Change Its Jaywalking Laws?

In order to safeguard pedestrians from traffic accidents, Los Angeles officials have historically strictly enforced the city’s jaywalking laws However, outdated regulations against jaywalking were often criticized for arbitrarily singling out particular groups.

Disparities in law enforcement, according to critics, resulted in needless runins with the police, frequently affecting African Americans. This pattern of racially motivated behavior is revealed by data gathered by the California Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA).

Black Californians were four times more likely than non-Black people to be given a jaywalking ticket between 2018 and 2020. Additionally, community leaders said that jaywalker fines cause needless suffering.

They pointed out that neighborhoods with high rates of poverty lack the resources and resources to install additional crosswalks. The California Sheriff’s Association, meanwhile, is adamantly against the proposed law, claiming that it will exacerbate already-existing traffic issues by weakening enforcement of the law against jaywalking.

California has formally allowed jaywalking in some situations with the Freedom to Walk Act amendments. Jaywalking is legal as long as it doesn’t immediately endanger other drivers. As long as they do it carefully, pedestrians can now cross roadways outside of crosswalks without getting a ticket.

The goal of this change is to address the disproportionate number of jaywalking citations that are issued in low-income and communities of color. The law’s supporters claim that this modification lowers the expense of legal representation for infractions that don’t pose a safety danger.

What Does “Due Care” Mean?

As was already established, jaywalking is now legal as long as pedestrians use “due care.” Legally speaking, this conduct is the degree of discretion that a reasonable person would use to prevent hurting other people.

It entails acting to stop harm, thinking through possible hazards, and taking the necessary safeguards. Depending on the situation, the standard of care may change.

For instance, in order to prevent traffic accidents, a motorist must be cautious and pay attention to the road. A pedestrian should refrain from crossing the street if they witness an automobile swerving or acting erratically.

Jaywalking may result in an accident caused by rain because it is a reasonable assumption that cars have less traction on the road when it is raining. Pedestrians must exercise caution before crossing the street when jaywalking.

This entails looking for any current threats that can endanger themselves or others, such as unpredictable cars or hazardous road conditions. Someone may be deemed negligent if they act carelessly and cause harm as a result.

If Under the California Civil Code, everyone has a need to use caution when using their rights. Even your favorite Hollywood celebrities must make sure their choices or behaviors don’t endanger other people’s safety.

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