Circulate San Diego submitted a letter supporting AB 1238, which would legalize safe street crossings outside of a crosswalk or against a traffic light. Jaywalking laws prevent pedestrians from making safe and logical choices about crossing the street. In addition, they prioritize vehicle traffic over pedestrian traffic, reinforcing a car-centric mindset that results in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. This bill will reprioritize pedestrian movement on California streets, encouraging non-car modes of transportation.
Many pedestrians already safely cross streets outside of crosswalks in California but are at risk of receiving a traffic ticket if they do so. Given that people of color can be disproportionately targeted for traffic stops, legalizing jaywalking also removes a potential for bias in traffic enforcement. Read the full letter here [pdf].
