Jaywalking is dangerous and illegal because it can catch drivers off guard and interfere with the flow of traffic. ... “Between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices or by police officers, pedestrians shall not cross the roadway at any place except in a crosswalk.”

Why jaywalking is a crime?

Even though it occurs without a vehicle, crossing the street in a non-designated area violates traffic laws. In extreme cases, jaywalking offenses can include other citations like reckless endangerment or disorderly conduct when it creates the potential of harm to others.

How did jaywalking become illegal?

Anti-jaywalking laws were adopted in many cities in the late 1920s, and became the norm by the 1930s. In the decades that followed, the cultural ascendancy of the car was secured as the auto industry promoted "America's love affair with the automobile".