If you've ever been to New York City, you might think every resident there has a death wish. Every second of every day, someone's hauling it across a street with ongoing traffic just to reach another sidewalk.

Hundreds of people jaywalking in Tokyo
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The process of walking across a road outside of a crosswalk, otherwise known as Jaywalking, is an incredibly popular practice across major American cities, but its legality has always been up in the air.

Is Jaywalking Legal in Arizona?

Surprisingly, Jaywalking is legal here in the great state of Arizona, but there are plenty of strings attached. The Arizona government does recommend crossing a designated crosswalks, but lays no law against crossing wherever you'd like.

A "no pedestrians allowed" sign
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Regardless of where you cross, the pedestrian is expected to yield the right of way to vehicles on the road, unless the crosswalk is marked with a timer. You must also be cautious, as it's illegal to cross an intersection with traffic lights anywhere other than a marked crosswalk.

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What Happens if You're Hit While Jaywalking

Obviously, if you choose to jaywalk in Arizona, you're accepting the risk of walking through an operational roadway. So, what happens if you get unlucky?

A man looking at his phone while driving almost hits a young girl
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It really depends on the situation. In cities where jaywalking has been made illegal, the pedestrian will be found at fault, and in cities where you can legally jaywalk, you may still be found for negligence.

So remember, if you do choose to save a few seconds on your walk, make sure to do it safely, and watch out for any and all cars in your line of sight.

[Arizona Legislation][The Law Office of Zayed Al-Sayyed]

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