Many of us may have heard the term “reckless crossing” while, on the other hand, many of us may not have heard of it. Well, Jaywalking is a term used to describe carelessly walking down a street, as well as crossing a street when it is illegal to do so.
In several countries, as well as from province to province, or from state to state, it is illegal to participate in reckless crossing and if a pedestrian is caught in the act, they can be fined. Therefore, to prevent pedestrians from crossing the main and secondary roads carelessly, designated points are marked for pedestrians to use to cross the road safely. So to this end, there are crosswalks at many intersections.
Disadvantages and advantages of intersection junctions
I have heard many people say that they prefer not to use the designated crossing at intersections because they find them very dangerous. As strange as this sounds, it is not strange at all. In fact, in recent times, children and adults have been hit by a vehicle while crossing at an intersection, which includes those at intersections.
Red lights, turning vehicles, and rapidly changing crossing signals are some of the reasons given for how dangerous it is to cross at an intersection. While all of these reasons may be valid, accidents can be reduced by keeping an eye on traffic before stepping onto the street and when crossing it.
On the other hand, an intersection crossing gives the assurance that we will be able to cross the road without having to “fight” with a constant flow of traffic. This is very important, especially when you come across children. Also, if for any reason you are struck by a vehicle while walking through the intersection and charges are filed against the driver, you have the advantage because it is assumed that you were using the road responsibly. On the other hand, Jaywalking does not offer these guarantees.
However, in many countries your government has been working to make the streets safer for both drivers and pedestrians. One such resentful project is the pedestrian struggle in Toronto.
So, legal or not, it is always wise to be careful when using the roads.