Austin, TX Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)
Key Facts
- State statute
- TX Transp. Code Sec. 552.005
- Pedestrian duty
- Yield outside crosswalks
- Local ordinance
- None separate from state
- Enforcement focus
- Vision Zero corridors
- Typical fine
- $20 to $200
Summary
Texas Transportation Code Section 552.005 requires pedestrians crossing outside marked crosswalks or intersections to yield right-of-way to vehicles; Austin enforces this state statute selectively, with no separate municipal jaywalking ordinance and growing pressure to decriminalize.
Sec. 552.005. CROSSING AT POINT OTHER THAN CROSSWALK. (a) A pedestrian shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle on the highway if crossing a roadway at a place: (1) other than in a marked crosswalk or in an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection; or (2) where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided. (b) Between adjacent intersections at which traffic control signals are in operation, a pedestrian may cross only in a marked crosswalk. (c) A pedestrian may cross a roadway intersection diagonally only if and in the manner authorized by a traffic control device.
Full Breakdown
Texas Transportation Code Section 552.005 governs pedestrian crossings statewide. Pedestrians may cross between intersections only after yielding to all vehicles in the roadway, and must use marked crosswalks where adjacent intersections are signalized. Austin has no separate jaywalking ordinance. Austin Police generally focus on safety-priority corridors rather than discretionary stops, and Austin's Vision Zero plan emphasizes engineering and signal timing over pedestrian citations. Recent advocacy has pressed Texas legislators to decriminalize crossing, citing racial-disparity studies, but the state statute remains in force. Pedestrian fatalities are a top traffic-safety issue along South Lamar, North Lamar, Riverside, and East Cesar Chavez corridors, where APD targets enforcement against motorist failure-to-yield more often than pedestrians.
Violations & Fines
Jaywalking is a class C misdemeanor under Texas Transportation Code Section 542.401, fines typically $20-$200 plus court costs. APD reports few citations annually, and Austin Municipal Court often dismisses on first offense. Failure to appear converts to a warrant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to cross mid-block in Austin?
Does APD actually ticket jaywalkers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Austin
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Austin to another location·View the Texas public conduct overview
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