Actually, that is not true. In Florida, at least, the law really is very clear: If the pedestrian is jay-walking, the pedestrian is at fault. On streets that have marked cross-walks, pedestrians are allowed to cross only in the marked cross-walks. On other streets, pedestrians are allowed to cross only at intersections.

On a sidewalk, or in a parking lot, the pedestrian does have the right of way. On a street, the pedestrian has the right-of-way only when he/she is crossing the road in a marked cross-walk, or at an unmarked intersection.

Of course, we all prefer to avoid hitting pedestrians. It damages the sheet metal and gets blood all over the place. ;-) And, we all especially watch out for kids. But in a collision on a road between a car and a pedestrian, it is usually because the pedestrian was jay-walking. And, it is usually the pedestrians fault.