Far-left City Council Democrats are pushing to legalize jaywalking – a move critics ripped as yet another step in the wrong direction for the crime-plagued Big Apple.
Councilwoman Mercedes Narcisse, a Democrat representing Canarsie and other parts of southeastern Brooklyn, sponsored legislation last week that would greenlight pedestrians to freely cross streets outside the crosswalk or against the light.
The bill is already being cheered by cop-hating Democratic Socialist Councilwoman Tiffany Caban (D-Queens) and fellow far-lefty Shahana Hanif (D-Brooklyn) who’ve joined as co-sponsors.
Proponents say it’s necessary to end what they believe has long been biased enforcement by cops against blacks and Latinos of a law nearly every New Yorker breaks.
However, allowing New Yorkers to cavalierly cross wherever and whenever they want is in direct conflict with the mass installation of red-light and speed cameras and other traffic-calming measures the city has made the past decade through its Vision Zero initiative to help lower traffic fatalities, critics said.
And NYPD supporters say it would take another tool away from cops, who can use enforcement of minor violations like jaywalking or fare-beating to find offenders wanted for major crimes.
A fare-evasion stop last month at a subway station, for example, led to the arrest of a murder suspect.
“I think this bill is ridiculous,” said Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens).
“How can anyone imagine this is a good idea considering the [amount] of pedestrian deaths we continue to have each year? It would only put more pedestrians in danger.”
Council Majority Leader Joseph Borelli (R-Staten Island) said legalizing jaywalking might send the wrong message.
“‘Rules shmooles’ is the mantra of many [lefty] Council members, but I just hope this doesn’t have the same golden results as our repeal of pissing-in-public laws,” he said.
There were 260 pedestrian traffic deaths citywide in 2022 — a 5.5% decrease from 275 the previous year, marking the first time the Big Apple had experienced a decrease in traffic deaths since 2018, records show.
The city is on pace to have a less deadly year in 2023, with 112 pedestrian deaths reported through June 30.
There were 50,757 pedestrian injuries last year, a slight uptick from the previous year’s 50,738 but a vast improvement from 2019, when there were 60,571.
Some contend that jaywalking is perfectly safe.
“I really don’t think there’s stats that show jaywalking is dangerous,” said Eric McClure, executive director of the safe-roads group StreetsPAC.
McClure said he typically “finds its easier” to cross in the middle of a block without having to worry about vehicles making fast, unexpected turns at an intersection.
In 2019, the NYPD issued 361 jaywalking tickets, but enforcement was all but nonexistent throughout the pandemic.
Last year, cops handed out 117 tickets, but they’re on pace to shatter that total this year with111 tickets issued through March 30, records show.
This is not the first time city pols have considered legalizing jaywalking.
In January 2020, then-Council Speaker Corey Johnson demanded it in response to reports showing blacks and Latinos received nearly 90% of jaywalking tickets.
Efforts to legislate such a rule change have gone nowhere until now.
Narcisse declined comment.
Spokespersons for the NYPD and Mayor Eric Adams, who’s made crime-fighting and traffic safety major components of his administration, said their offices need more time to review the legislation.
WALKING DEAD
Hundreds of NYC pedestrians are killed every year, while jaywalking is rarely enforced:
Pedestrian injuries and fatalities
Year/Injuries/Fatalities
2013/55,540/299
2014/51,477/259
2015/53,588/234
2016/60,155/232
2017/59,182/224
2018/60,796/206
2019/60,571/220
2020/43,853/242
2021/50,738/275
2022/50,757/260
2023/24,364/112*
Jaywalking summonses
2019: 361
2020: 90
2021: 33
2022: 117
2023: 111**
*As of June 30.
** As of March 30
Sources: NYPD, NYC