BOSTON -- Astounded that the fine for jaywalking is $1 and convinced that cutting down on the behavior would increase pedestrian safety, Senate Majority Leader Harriette Chandler on Wednesday asked lawmakers to increase penalties for errant street-crossing.

"It's a bad habit we've all gotten into. And it's changing a bad habit. And the best way to change a bad habit is to penalize it in some fashion," Chandler told the News Service after testifying before the Transportation Committee.

Boston police confirmed that in the state's largest city the fine is $1 and citations are not issued or tracked.

The Worcester Democrat said she was motivated to act after pedestrian deaths in Main South in Worcester and was surprised to see how little the fine is for crossing the street illegally.

"If you're only fined a dollar people will keep doing it over and over again. I couldn't believe that jaywalking was a dollar fine," Chandler said.

Jaywalking is ubiquitous in much of the state and Chandler acknowledged she has done it herself.

"Did you know it was only a dollar for jaywalking?" Chandler asked Rep. William Straus, a Mattapoisett Democrat and House chairman of the Transportation Committee.

"I did not," Straus replied.

Chandler's bill (S 1813) would increase the jaywalking fine to $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense and $75 for subsequent offenses in a calendar year. Current law, which dates back to May 1962, notches up jaywalking fines to $2 for fourth and subsequent offenses committed in a calendar year.

Jaywalking is to blame for deaths that occurred in front of senior housing in Worcester, said Chandler, who said 80 percent of pedestrian deaths occurred outside intersections in 2010. Intersections often feature crosswalks where pedestrians are permitted to cross.

"Why were they getting killed? Because they were jaywalking," Chandler said. She said, "This is the stick approach. It's time to use the stick approach. I want those seniors to be alive in my district."

Chandler said she hoped with an increase in fines, police departments would post officers at intersections to enforce pedestrian rules.

"I've never seen it enforced, but why should it be enforced for a dollar?" Chandler asked.

After asking a News Service reporter if he ever jaywalks, Chandler said, "Everybody does, and you know you just might not see that car coming, or if you're handicapped you might just not get across the street fast enough and some driver might just be in such a hurry that they're whizzing by - they shouldn't be driving that fast - and it's just a danger."