Whenever you read an article about changes the City of Rochester wants to make to improve traffic safety, you inevitably see comments about the real problem being all the jaywalkers. But is jaywalking really the rampant problem many drivers in our city say it is? And if so, is the cause simply that in our effort to make streets better for driving, we have made it worse for crossing streets by foot? Less crosswalks, less safe passageways?

The city most famous for jaywalking is, of course, New York City. There are a lot of pedestrians there and jaywalking is part of the culture, for various reasons. But reducing jaywalking is even a small part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s multi-faceted Vision Zero approach to eliminate traffic fatalities.

But Rochester has no where the number of pedestrians as New York City, nor does it offer the walkability. So the car versus pedestrian struggle isn’t nearly as noticeable here. Although Rochester is making strides to make our city more walkable and the streets safer for all who traverse them, it is undeniable that the car still rules here. Yet in every discussion about any modifications or efforts to improve traffic safety on city streets, drivers complain about jaywalking being the problem.

In the event of a crash, pedestrians are ten times more likely to die in a traffic accident than an occupant of a vehicle. Whether crossing in a crosswalk or jaywalking, the consequences for pedestrians are more dire. A New York City study found that over 70% of the traffic fatalities there were pedestrians, cyclist and motor cyclists (what they call “vulnerable road users”). Pedestrians made up the largest portion of that group — 52% of all traffic fatalities and 33% of severe injuries. Speed is the factor that has the most impact on the severity of a crash, which is why many cities have been lowering default speed limits on their streets. And changes that make streets safer for the most vulnerable street users actually make them safer for people riding/driving in cars, as well — bike lanes, pedestrian islands, lower speed limits, traffic calming, etc.

Yet many drivers in Rochester are resistant to any talk of making changes to make streets safer for all who use them. And quick to point to jaywalking as the safety issue. Yes, there are people who jaywalk boldly and mindlessly, putting themselves and the drivers around them at risk. Just like there are reckless drivers who speed down city streets paying no mind to their surroundings. But they are not the norm. A large portion of jaywalking occurs on our city streets due to the lack of safe places to cross, forcing many to find calmer places to cross. You shouldn’t have to walk half a mile along a city street to find a marked place to cross, for example.

So is jaywalking really the problem?
If we are going to examine the jaywalking issue, then we need to simultaneously examine the other practices that lead to less safe streets. We all contribute to the safety of our streets, regardless of how we traverse them. And we can’t ignore the fact that our city streets are still, by in large, designed for cars and not people.