"Jaywalking" refers to a person, or more aptly a pedestrian, who knowingly or unknowingly violates traffic regulations when it comes to crossing a public street or roadway. Under California state law, a pedestrian generally has the legal right to cross a street anywhere along said street without jaywalking minus certain exceptions:
1. If the pedestrian is between two adjacent intersections that are BOTH controlled by any traffic control signal device [this means a traffic light or the like], then the pedestrian MUST cross at the intersection without being a "jaywalker."
2. Local government jurisdictions may enact harsher laws to prevent jaywalking - this is especially seen in high traffic business districts, etc.
3. Pedestrians generally must yield right-of-way to motorist [motor vehicles, etc.] which are near enough to constitue what is called an "immediate hazard," UNLESS the pedestrian is actually crossing at a marked or unmarked crosswalk. Remember a crosswalk does not have to be marked, and there can be "unmarked" cross walks!
4. As a general rule pedestrians must obey the instructions on any official traffic signal device UNLESS it is necessary to avoid a collision or other emergency.
There you have it - what jaywalking is and what you should know about it under California law. If you need anything else regarding any injury associated with a San Diego county jaywalking accident, please feel free to give me a call at (619) 813-7955.
