© 2026 KGOU
News and Music for Oklahoma
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

How jaywalking laws changed America

Back in the early 1900s, Kansas City, Mo., became the first city in the U.S. to enforce jaywalking laws against pedestrians. It set off a nationwide trend that cities and states are now slowly repealing.

KCUR’s Mackenzie Martin, host of the “A People’s History of Kansas City” podcast, reports.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

More News
Support nonprofit, public service journalism you trust. Give now.