Pedestrians could face $51.50 ticket for jaywalking

Newark Police are stepping up patrols against jaywalking as part of a  state pedestrian safety program.

A university student died after being hit by a car in November 2007, Lt. Brian Henry of the Newark Police Department said. The student was jaywalking.

That same year, 13 other people were injured due to jaywalking. In 2008, 25 people suffered this same fate, Henry said.

At the beginning of each school year, pedestrian traffic increases in Newark. The way to promote safety for both drivers and pedestrians is to make sure jaywalking is hardly an issue, he said.

"Jaywalking, in its simplest form, is crossing out of the crosswalk, and crossing against the signal," Henry said.

Since the 2007 incident, the state has provided a grant each year to enforce pedestrian and traffic safety. The grant cycle begins on Oct. 1 and ends on Sept. 30 of each year, Henry said.

The officers patrolling the active intersections are off-duty, officers being paid overtime by this state fund, he said.

Within the last cycle, 57 jaywalking tickets were given out, but 44 of them were given on Sept. 23 in a three-hour block of time. All vilolators were university students.

The prime intersections on campus for jaywalking are Delaware Avenue and South College, Main Street and North College, and Cleveland Avenue and North College, Henry said. Jaywalking at any intersection being patrolled will result in a ticket for $51.50.

Senior Erik Mussoni was one of the students to receive a jaywalking ticket. He said he saw irony in the issuance of his particular ticket.

"There were two cops," Mussoni said. "I jaywalked, and then one of them jaywalked behind me to give me my jaywalking ticket! I jaywalked because there were no cars around and everyone does it."

Junior Erin Grace also received a jaywalking ticket at the intersection of North College and Main Street.

"From now on I'll definitely be more careful about jaywalking, just because it has directly affected me," Grace said.

Henry said the state is trying to make residents and students see jaywalking as an important issue. So far this year, 10 people have been hurt in the city of Newark in jaywalking incidents.

In order to reach out to students more effectively, the city is now sending officers to DelaWorld to talk to the students about the importance of traffic safety, he said.

Public Safety is also taking part in the safety campaign in Newark.

"UDPD officers were in place at the intersections of Main  and North College Streets, and Elkton Road and Amstel Avenue during class change periods for the first two weeks of classes," Maj. Joel Ivory said. "It was an effort to educate the pedestrians on using the crosswalk signals."

If issuing tickets for jaywalking makes students start obeying the law, then it is a successful effort by the police, Ivory said.

Junior Sarah Marx said she does not think receiving a ticket will deter students from still jaywalking.

"Giving out tickets is going to make people upset and mad at the cops, and maybe a little more cautious if a cop car is around," Marx said, "but it's definitely not going to stop jaywalking."

She said she thought the only way jaywalking could be solved on campus is by building pedestrian bridges over the main roads, such as Delaware Avenue, Main Street and College Avenue.

 The issue is that jaywalking is sometimes more convenient, therefore, if a police vehicle is not in sight, chances of students regularly following pedestrian traffic laws are not high,  Henry said.

"Jaywalking hasn't been strictly enforced in the past," Henry said. "It's the quickest way from A to B."

Marx said she realizes it is easier to jaywalk but also sees jaywalking as a double standard.

"When I'm driving, I hate when people jaywalk," she said. "It drives me crazy. But if I'm walking, I love it. It's the most convenient way to get around.

Grace said she does not think jaywalking is a big problem because everyone does it and most people can judge for themselves, knowing only to cross if there are not a lot of cars.

"In some places, jaywalking is definitely a problem," Mussoni said. "But in Newark, it's not a big deal."

Newark police think otherwise. The next scheduled jaywalking stakeout will take place Wednesday, Henry said.