3 Points To Argue When You Fight A Jaywalking Ticket

Of all the traffic-related tickets that you can get, it's easy to make the argument that being ticketed for jaywalking is perhaps the most frustrating. While you can understand that speeding and running a stop sign are wrong, you may feel as though jaywalking isn't really causing any trouble or putting anyone at risk. If you've recently received a jaywalking ticket and you're so upset about it that you've decided to hire a traffic attorney and attempt to get the ticket dismissed, here are some points to discuss about the incident with your traffic law attorney.

1. Confusion About Where To Cross

One effective argument that your attorney may be able to pursue on your behalf is that you didn't know where you should cross. At most intersections, there's a designated crosswalk area that pedestrians are supposed to use. However, there can be extenuating circumstances that make you confused about where to walk. For example, crosswalks can sometimes be blocked off by road maintenance crews for any number of reasons, and an alternative route for pedestrians isn't always clearly marked. You may have needed to cross the road at the time of your jaywalking stop but had no idea where to do so.

2. A Threat Near The Crosswalk

Another scenario that pedestrians can sometimes face, thus prompting them to jaywalk, is a threat around the crosswalk. For example, in a busy urban area, there may be an aggressive panhandler sitting near the entrance to a crosswalk and harassing people for money. Perhaps you saw this person and were nervous about getting too close, especially if you have been previously harassed by the same person and felt as though your safety was at risk. You may have felt that crossing the road between the designated crosswalks was the best choice for staying safe.

3. A Time-Related Concern

There can be instances in which you choose to jaywalk because of time constraints. Many people are hustling for different reasons throughout the day and choose to jaywalk as a means of saving time. This is especially the case if they'd have to walk perhaps a minute or two down to an intersection, perhaps wait another minute for the light to change, and then take another one or two minutes to walk down the street. Instead, you may be tempted to simply cross the street where you stand in a few seconds. If you're taking this argument, make sure that it's a good one. For example, perhaps you were running late for an important job interview, or you had food poisoning and needed to make it to a bathroom.