For the first time ever, broad data from jaywalking police stops across the state of Washington is showing conclusively what many people have understood for years: jaywalking enforcement has disproportionate impacts on Black and unhoused community members. Black pedestrians are stopped by police across Washington for jaywalking at an average rate approximately four times that of their share of the population, and unhoused residents represent nearly half of those impacted by jaywalking stops in Washington.

While national data has shown similar impacts in every jurisdiction for which we have data, this is the first comprehensive analysis of major counties across Washington State. This research, which involved careful analysis of a representative sample of thousands of jaywalking-related police stops from 2017-2022, also highlights that dozens of jaywalking stops across Washington have led to the use of physical force by an officer, including instances in which the person stopped lost consciousness as a result of that force. Police in Washington appear to use these high-discretion stops primarily to detain people who are walking in low-income and/or high-crime areas and check for open warrants, which computer-aided dispatch logs indicate occurs during approximately three-quarters of all jaywalking stops. Statewide records show that the majority of stops occur at least a four-minute walk, round-trip, from the nearest marked crosswalk, demonstrating how jaywalking laws criminalize a rational, inevitable response to inadequate pedestrian infrastructure.

This analysis is the result of a partnership between Transportation Choices and researcher Ethan C. Campbell to better understand how jaywalking has been enforced in Washington. These findings have shaped the Free to Walk WA campaign messaging and policy development, and, most importantly, has helped affirm the experiences of those who have been needlessly harassed for crossing the street where and when it is safe and convenient for them. We anticipate releasing a full and formal report later this spring.


Preliminary research findings on jaywalking enforcement in Washington

Note from Ethan Campbell, Transportation Choices’ research partner: The following are preliminary research findings that are subject to change pending the release of Transportation Choices Coalition’s formal report on jaywalking enforcement across Washington. That said, I have confidence that these statistics are accurate for the parts of Washington listed below. Please feel free to share the information below with legislators, media, and others in the public, provided that its preliminary nature is noted.

Methodology: The following information and statistics are based on public records obtained from law enforcement and dispatch agencies across Washington, including computer-aided dispatch (CAD) logs, citations, and incident reports. They represent an incomplete but representative sample of thousands of jaywalking-related police stops from 2017-2022 in over half of Washington’s counties, with a particular focus on the state’s five most populous counties – King, Pierce, Snohomish, Clark, and Spokane – as well as the cities of Kennewick and Yakima. Please stay tuned for Transportation Choices Coalition’s release of a final research report with more complete statistics, graphics, and methodological notes. For questions, contact Ethan Campbell at ethanchenbell@gmail.com.

Impacts of jaywalking enforcement:

  • Black pedestrians are stopped by police across Washington for jaywalking at a rate approximately four times that of their share of the population, as calculated by compositing the demographics of cities, towns, and unincorporated areas where stops occurred in which race was reported by an officer.
  • Unhoused residents represent nearly half of those impacted by jaywalking stops in Washington, as determined by the home address listed in police reports (which may be noted as “homeless,” “transient,” or the address of a shelter or service provider) or clear indications in an officer’s narrative report.
  • Dozens of police reports show jaywalking stops across Washington leading to the use of physical force by an officer (two instances of which resulted in individuals losing consciousness), foot pursuits, or otherwise explosive confrontations.

Stop outcomes:

  • CAD reports of jaywalking-related police contacts indicate that around 60-80% of stops result in a verbal warning and 10-30% lead to a citation being issued.
  • Jaywalking violations listed in the RCW incur a civil, non-traffic infraction of $68, not including court fees or late penalties. Violations of local pedestrian interference statutes, such as Spokane Municipal Code 10.10.025, are criminal offenses with penalties as high as $500.

Street environment:

  • Across Washington, police stops for jaywalking predominantly occur on large arterial roadways and state highways characterized by pedestrian-hostile infrastructure.
  • The majority of mid-block crossings leading to a stop happen 500 or more feet from the nearest marked crosswalk or signalized intersection, as identified by referencing stops with well-defined locations to satellite and Google Street View imagery. This distance represents at least a four-minute round-trip detour on foot, not including the wait time for long signals that frequently prioritize vehicular traffic over pedestrians.
  • Three-quarters of crossing-related violations leading to a police contact occur on roads with five or more lanes. Additionally, most violations related to walking on the roadway occur on roads with no sidewalks or a sidewalk only on one side.
  • Police records contain unambiguous examples of illegitimate stops of pedestrians who were lawfully crossing using an unmarked crosswalk, which in Washington exist at every intersection except those between two signals.

Purpose of jaywalking enforcement:

  • It appears that police in Washington use jaywalking stops not primarily for safety education, but rather to arbitrarily stop people who are walking in low-income and/or high-crime areas in order to check for open warrants.
  • CAD records show police conducting warrant checks during approximately three-quarters of all jaywalking stops, taking advantage of the opportunity to run an individual’s name, birth date, and/or ID through national and state criminal databases. Police reports show that jaywalking enforcement is often a component of so-called “street crimes” or “predictive policing” emphasis patrols.
  • Despite this targeted stop-and-frisk-style approach, only about 5% of jaywalking stops result in arrests, many of which are for interaction-related offenses such as obstruction or giving a false name rather than an outstanding warrant.
  • Less than 5% of jaywalking stops in Washington are of pedestrians noted by police to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
This groundbreaking data only strengthens the case for repealing jaywalking laws. To learn more about the campaign to repeal jaywalking laws in Washington State, visit the Free to Walk Washington website: https://freetowalkwa.org/.
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