Hawaiʻi Appleseed is advocating for Freedom to Walk legislation to remove legal penalties for pedestrians who cross streets outside of designated crosswalks or against traffic signals. This effort seeks to reduce traffic violence and over-policing.

Talking Points

1. Jaywalking laws are ineffective at producing safety results and instead create places which are hostile to walking. Nationally, pedestrian fatalities reached over 7,500 in 2022.

2. Jaywalking leads to the over-policing of Black and Brown communities. A 2019 study found that 90% of jaywalking tickets in New York City were given to Black and Hispanic people, although they only make up 55% of the city’s population. A 2017 investigation by ProPublica and the Florida Times-Union found that Black people in Jacksonville are three times as likely to be stopped and cited for jaywalking as white people.

3. The structure of jaywalking fines is not equitable. Fines for jaywalking range between $100 and $150 (plus fees), depending on the county, and the type of jaywalking violation. These fines are less than some other driving-related traffic violations, such as speeding, which is a key contributor to traffic injuries and fatalities.

4. Our public resources should go towards building safe and accessible pedestrian infrastructure, not regulating pedestrians. High Pedestrian Injury Corridors comprise only 2% of Honolulu city roadway mileage, yet they account for 60% of pedestrian fatalities and 42% of injuries.