Is Jaywalking Illegal in Rhode Island? Rules and the $100 Fine (2026)

In Rhode Island, crossing outside a crosswalk is allowed only if you yield, and the scheduled fine for failing to do so is $100. Under R.I. Gen. Laws 31-18-5, a pedestrian crossing a roadway anywhere other than a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection must yield the right-of-way to all vehicles, and the state's violation schedule lists "Crossing other than at crosswalks" at $100 (R.I. Gen. Laws 31-41.1-4). Paying it administratively also means paying any technology surcharge the traffic tribunal applies, which may not exceed $25 (31-41.1-3; 8-15-11). Between adjacent intersections with operating traffic signals, a pedestrian may cross only in a marked crosswalk (31-18-7), and cities and towns may by ordinance bar crossing outside a crosswalk in a business district or on designated highways (31-18-2). To compare other states, see our guide to jaywalking laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-10. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Rhode Island state law: the pedestrian chapter, R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 31-18; the signal sections 31-13-6, 31-13-7 and 31-13-8; the definitions in 31-1-17 and 31-1-25; the traffic violation schedule and procedure in 31-41.1-3 to 31-41.1-6 and 31-41.1-10; the general penalty in 31-27-13; and the court technology surcharge in 8-15-11. It does not cover the text of any city's or town's ordinances (including Providence's or Newport's), driver license points, injury claims after a crash, or the law of other states.

Is jaywalking illegal in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island law does not use the word jaywalking. It sets a yield rule for crossing outside a crosswalk, a ban on crossing between signalized intersections except in a marked crosswalk, and a power for cities and towns to add more. The yield rule is R.I. Gen. Laws 31-18-5:

"Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway. Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4."

So crossing mid-block is a duty to let traffic pass first, not a statewide ban, unless 31-18-7 or a local ordinance applies where you cross. Section 31-18-7 provides:

"Between adjacent intersections at which traffic control signals are in operation, pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk."

Unlike some states' versions of this rule, 31-18-7 is not limited to urban or business districts; it applies wherever two adjacent intersections have working signals. It also requires a marked crosswalk.

Chapter 31-18 (sections 31-18-1 to 31-18-22) contains no rule on crossing an intersection diagonally and no provision limiting police stops of pedestrians.

Local rules in Rhode Island cities and towns

Section 31-18-2 gives cities and towns two powers:

"Local authorities are empowered by ordinance to require that pedestrians shall strictly comply with the directions of any official traffic control signal and may by ordinance prohibit pedestrians from crossing any roadway in a business district or any designated highways except in a crosswalk."

Where a city or town has used the second power, crossing outside a crosswalk in its business district, or on a highway it has designated, can be a violation even when no car is coming. Check your city or town code of ordinances and the signs at the crossing.

Crossing against the light

Section 31-18-1 ties pedestrians to the state signal rules:

"Pedestrians shall be subject to traffic control signals at intersections as provided in §§ 31-13-6 and 31-13-7, unless required by local ordinance to comply strictly with the signals, but at all other places pedestrians shall be accorded the privileges and shall be subject to the restrictions stated in this chapter."

For ordinary traffic lights, section 31-13-6 provides, each time "unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian signal or other traffic control device":

• Facing a circular green signal, pedestrians "are permitted to proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked associated crosswalk. The pedestrian shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles lawfully within the intersection or so close as to create an immediate hazard at the time that the green signal is first displayed."
• Facing a green arrow signal, pedestrians "shall not cross the roadway."
• Facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow, pedestrians "shall not start to cross the roadway."
• Facing a steady circular red or steady red arrow, pedestrians "shall not enter the roadway."

Where a signal stands at a place other than an intersection, "the provisions of § 31-13-6 shall be applicable except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application" (31-13-7).

Pedestrian signal heads are governed by section 31-13-8:

"(1) Walk. Pedestrians facing the signal may proceed across the roadway in the direction of the signal and shall be given the right-of-way by the drivers of all vehicles. (2) Wait or don’t walk. No pedestrian shall start to cross the roadway in the direction of the signal, but any pedestrian who has partially completed his or her crossing on the walk signal, shall proceed to a sidewalk or safety island while the “wait” or “don’t walk” signal is showing."

The violation is starting to cross. A pedestrian already in the street when the signal changes is told to keep going to a sidewalk or safety island. The pedestrian rules in 31-13-6 and 31-13-8 have no line on the violation schedule (its 31-13-6 line is "Eluding traffic light," a driver offense). Under the general penalty, unless another penalty is provided by chapters 1 to 27 or chapter 34 of title 31 or by the laws of the state, "every person convicted of a civil violation of the chapters shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500)" (31-27-13(b)).

Rhode Island's crosswalk definition

Section 31-1-25 defines "Crosswalk" as:

"(1) That part of a roadway at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the highway measured from the curbs, or in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the traversable roadway; or (2) Any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface."

Section 31-18-4(b) adds a presumption: "Whenever there are no markings to the contrary, there shall be a presumption that there is an unmarked crosswalk at any intersection." A "Pedestrian" is "any person afoot" (31-1-17).

Walking along the road and other pedestrian rules

Section 31-18-10 provides: "Where sidewalks are provided it shall be unlawful for any pedestrian to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway. Where sidewalks are provided it shall be lawful for a person to run or jog along and upon an adjacent roadway, and if the person shall begin to walk he or she shall walk upon an available sidewalk."

Where there are no sidewalks, section 31-18-11(a) applies:

"Where sidewalks are not provided any person walking, jogging, or running along and upon a highway shall, when practicable, walk, jog or run only on the left side of the roadway or its shoulder facing traffic which may approach from the opposite direction. Under no circumstances shall anyone walk, run, or jog on any interstate highway within this state."

Section 31-18-11(b) adds that "Any person jogging or running during the time from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, shall, in addition, wear reflective material which is visible by low beam headlamps from a distance of at least five hundred feet (500′)." A citation for lacking reflective material is voided if the person presents proof of purchase of reflectorized clothing or material to the issuing police department within 10 days (31-18-11(c)).

A violation of 31-18-11 is fined $15, and $25 for each subsequent conviction; the fine "shall be paid by mail and paid to the traffic tribunal and shall not be recorded on the driving record of the violator" (31-18-11(c), (d)).

Other rules in chapter 31-18:

• "No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield" (31-18-3(a)).
• "Pedestrians shall move, whenever practicable, upon the right half of crosswalks" (31-18-9).
• "No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose of soliciting a ride from the driver of any vehicle" (31-18-12); the scheduled fine for hitchhiking is $100 (31-41.1-4).
• "Any pedestrian who shall cross any freeway as defined by § 24-10-1, except in an emergency or to render assistance in case of an accident or unforeseen cause, shall be deemed to be guilty of a civil violation" (31-18-17).
• "It is unlawful for any person, unless totally or partially blind, while on any public street or highway, to carry in a raised or extended position a cane or walking stick which is white in color or white tipped with red" (31-18-13); a violation is fined not more than $250 (31-18-16).
• "Every person operating a wheelchair upon a sidewalk or roadway shall be granted all the rights and shall be subject to all the duties applicable to a pedestrian" (31-18-20(a)). "Where sidewalks with curb-cuts and at least thirty-two (32) inches of unobstructed clear width are provided it shall be unlawful for any user of a manual or motorized wheelchair to wheel along and upon an adjacent roadway" (31-18-20.2).

What drivers owe pedestrians in Rhode Island

• Crosswalks without working signals. When signals are not in place or not in operation, the driver "shall yield the right of way, slowing down or stopping if need be to so yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling, or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger" (31-18-3(a)). "This provision shall not apply under the conditions stated in § 31-18-6," that is, where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead crossing is provided. The schedule lists $100 for a first and for a second or subsequent violation, and "in addition to any other penalty provided by law, a judge or magistrate shall impose a mandatory fine of one hundred dollars ($100) for a second or any subsequent violation of this section" (31-18-3(b); 31-41.1-4).
• No passing a stopped car. When a vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to let a pedestrian cross, "the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass the stopped vehicle" (31-18-4(a)).
• Green lights and turns. Vehicles facing a circular green, "including vehicles turning right or left or making a U-turn movement, shall yield the right-of-way to: (I) Pedestrians lawfully within an associated crosswalk" (31-13-6). A right turn on red is permitted after stopping, unless prohibited, and is "subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a stop sign" (31-13-6(3)(i)(A)).
• WALK signal. A pedestrian facing WALK "shall be given the right-of-way by the drivers of all vehicles" (31-13-8(1)).
• Due care. "Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter or the provisions of any local ordinance, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian or any person propelling a human-powered vehicle upon any roadway, shall give an audible signal when necessary, and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused, intoxicated, or incapacitated person" (31-18-8). The scheduled fine is $100 (31-41.1-4).
• Blind pedestrians. When a pedestrian with a guide or signal dog or a white cane is attempting to cross, the driver of every approaching vehicle "shall bring his or her vehicle to a full stop before arriving at the intersection or place of crossing, and before proceeding shall take any precautions that may be necessary to avoid injuring the pedestrian" (31-18-14). A violation is fined not more than $250 (31-18-16). A driver who runs a red light at an intersection where such a pedestrian is crossing or attempting to cross "shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000)" (31-18-16.1). A blind, visually impaired or deaf pedestrian who is not carrying a cane or guided by a dog keeps the rights of a pedestrian, and that failure is not contributory negligence (31-18-15).
• Sidewalks. "The driver of a vehicle crossing a sidewalk shall yield the right-of-way to all traffic proceeding along and upon the sidewalk" (31-18-18); the scheduled fine is $100 (31-41.1-4).

Jaywalking fine and penalty in Rhode Island

The schedule of violations in R.I. Gen. Laws 31-41.1-4 lists violations that "may be handled administratively," under a column headed "Total Fine." Its pedestrian-related lines, together with the fine set in section 31-18-11, are:

The scheduled amount is not always the whole payment. Paying administratively means sending "a check or money order in the amount indicated by the fine schedule on the form in addition to any technology surcharge applied by the traffic tribunal assessed in accordance with § 8-15-11" (31-41.1-3), and that surcharge may not exceed $25 (8-15-11(a)). Otherwise, "Except for a technology surcharge assessed in accordance with § 8-15-11, any person charged with a violation who pays the fine administratively pursuant to this chapter shall not be subject to any additional costs or assessments" (31-41.1-4(c)).

Section 31-18-7, the marked-crosswalk rule between signalized intersections, and the pedestrian signal rules in 31-13-6 and 31-13-8 have no line on the schedule. Under the general penalty, a civil violation of chapters 1 to 27 for which no other penalty is provided "shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500)" (31-27-13(b)).

How the ticket is handled:

• Paying. A person who does not pay the fine administratively under 31-41.1-3 "shall have waived his or her right to dispose of the offense without personal appearance" and must appear before the traffic tribunal or municipal court on the date on the summons; if the person fails to appear, "a judge or magistrate may enter default judgment" (31-41.1-5(a)).
• Contesting. "The burden of proof shall be upon the state, city, or town and no charge may be established except by clear and convincing evidence" (31-41.1-6(a)).
• Civil, not criminal. An order entered on an admission or a finding "shall be civil in nature, and shall be treated as an adjudication that a violation has been committed," and "no penalty for it shall include imprisonment" (31-41.1-6(c)).
• Record. "All violations within this title which are in the jurisdiction of the traffic tribunal or of a municipal court shall by operation of law, after three (3) years, following adjudication of the violation and after expiration of any mandatory state or federal record-retention period, be expunged" from the tribunal's or court's records and the division of motor vehicles' records (31-41.1-10).

If a pedestrian is hit by a car

Whether a pedestrian was crossing lawfully can come up after a collision, alongside the driver's duty of due care in 31-18-8. For children, section 31-18-19 provides: "A violation of any provision of this chapter by a child under the age of fourteen (14) shall not constitute negligence per se although a violation may be considered as evidence of negligence." For how fault and insurance work after a crash, see Rhode Island car accident laws. Electric scooter riders follow their own rules, covered in Rhode Island e-scooter laws.

Related pages

• Jaywalking laws by state
• Rhode Island car accident laws
• Rhode Island e-scooter laws
• Massachusetts jaywalking laws
• Connecticut jaywalking laws

This article provides general legal information about Rhode Island law, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Rhode Island or the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal.

Last updated: 2026-10-10.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is jaywalking illegal in Rhode Island?

Crossing outside a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection is allowed only if you yield the right-of-way to all vehicles (R.I. Gen. Laws 31-18-5). Between adjacent signalized intersections you may cross only in a marked crosswalk (31-18-7), and a city or town may bar crossing outside a crosswalk in a business district or on designated highways (31-18-2).

What is the fine for jaywalking in Rhode Island?

The violation schedule lists Crossing other than at crosswalks (31-18-5) at $100 (R.I. Gen. Laws 31-41.1-4); paying administratively adds any technology surcharge applied by the traffic tribunal, which may not exceed $25 (31-41.1-3; 8-15-11). Crossing between signalized intersections outside a marked crosswalk (31-18-7) has no schedule line; unless another penalty is provided, a civil violation of chapters 1 to 27 is punished by a fine of not more than $500 (31-27-13). Walking on the wrong side of the road or on an interstate under 31-18-11 is fined $15, or $25 for each later conviction.

Is a jaywalking ticket a crime in Rhode Island?

A violation handled by the traffic tribunal is civil in nature and treated as an adjudication that a violation was committed; no penalty may include imprisonment, and the state must prove the charge by clear and convincing evidence (R.I. Gen. Laws 31-41.1-6). Violations in the traffic tribunal's or a municipal court's jurisdiction are expunged by operation of law three years after adjudication, after any mandatory record-retention period (31-41.1-10).

Can I cross against a DON'T WALK signal in Rhode Island?

No. On a WAIT or DON'T WALK signal, no pedestrian shall start to cross; a pedestrian who partly crossed on WALK must proceed to a sidewalk or safety island (R.I. Gen. Laws 31-13-8). Pedestrians also may not start on a steady yellow or enter on a steady red unless a pedestrian signal directs otherwise (31-13-6).

Can I cross in the middle of the block in Rhode Island?

Yes, if you yield to all vehicles (31-18-5), unless the block lies between two adjacent intersections with operating signals, where you must use a marked crosswalk (31-18-7), or a local ordinance bars it in a business district or on a designated highway (31-18-2).

Do drivers have to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk in Rhode Island?

Where signals are not in place or not operating, drivers must yield, slowing down or stopping if need be, to a pedestrian in a crosswalk on their half of the roadway or approaching so closely from the other half as to be in danger (R.I. Gen. Laws 31-18-3). This does not apply where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead crossing is provided (31-18-6). The scheduled fine is $100, with a mandatory added $100 fine for a second or subsequent violation.

Which side of the road should I walk on in Rhode Island?

Where there are no sidewalks, walk, jog or run when practicable only on the left side of the roadway or its shoulder, facing traffic; walking on any interstate highway is barred (R.I. Gen. Laws 31-18-11). Where sidewalks exist, walking on the adjacent roadway is unlawful, though running or jogging there is allowed (31-18-10).