Jaywalking: The Invention of a CrimeHow manufacturers shifted blame to walkers

From the show

Iconic Names Explained

In the 1920s, the auto industry launched a massive PR campaign to redefine who owned the road. By weaponizing the slang term 'Jay,' companies successfully ridiculed pedestrians and shifted legal liability away from drivers. This history reveals how public perception was manipulated to criminalize walking and surrender city streets to cars.