The term originated with jay-drivers (the word jay meaning 'a greenhorn, or rube'), people who drove horse-drawn carriages and automobiles on the wrong side of the road, before taking its current meaning. Jaywalking laws vary widely by jurisdiction.

What is considered jaywalking?

In California, jaywalking refers to a Traffic offense where a pedestrian crosses a street that has no marked crosswalk or intersection. This offense is illegal under the California Vehicle Code 21955. Unfortunately, many pedestrians have lost their lives due to getting hit by vehicles.

Is jaywalking actually illegal?

Jaywalking is illegal in California per Vehicle Code 21955 VC. This law states that: if there is an adjoining intersection controlled by a traffic signal device, then. a pedestrian shall not cross the road at a place except within a crosswalk.