Jaywalking refers to a pedestrian who enters a roadway (usually to cross to the other side) in a place where there is no marked crosswalk or unmarked (but legally recognized) crosswalk. Jaywalking can be dangerous because vehicles may not have an obligation to yield to pedestrians where there is no crosswalk.

White painted lines generally designate a marked crosswalk where drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians. Pedestrians may also have the right of way at stop sign intersections and alleyway entrances where a sidewalk is interrupted, for example—even if there are no painted lines or crosswalk markings.

Although jaywalking tickets or citations are usually not as significant as traffic violations, there may be a fine attached to a ticket or citation—especially if the pedestrian does not accept the police officer’s admonishment about the dangers of jaywalking.

In Massachusetts, jaywalking is addressed under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, Section 18A. This statute indicates that pedestrians must use marked crosswalks when they are available and obey traffic signals. Pedestrians are prohibited from crossing an intersection diagonally unless authorized by traffic control devices. When there is no crosswalk, signal, or officer directing traffic, pedestrians must yield the right of way to vehicles. Failure to comply with these rules can result in a fine for jaywalking, which is typically a small amount but serves as a deterrent to unsafe crossing practices. While drivers are generally required to yield to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or at intersections with a stop sign or signals, outside of these areas, pedestrians should not assume vehicles will yield to them. The enforcement of jaywalking laws can vary, and while citations may not be as common as other traffic violations, they are still issued to promote pedestrian safety and reduce the risk of accidents.