Pedestrians need to follow simple rules for crossing roadways
Submitted by admin on Thu, 09/26/2013 - 10:42am
WHUMP! followed by the sound of tires screeching and broken glass. That is what I expected to hear when I watched the pedestrian cross against the red light and walk into the travel lanes as traffic approached.
What made this worse was the fact that it was at night and the man was wearing dark clothing which made him all but invisible to oncoming vehicles. The truck ahead of me did not see this individual and, at the last moment, the man jumped out of the way to avoid being struck.
Crosswalks are designed to provide you a safe path to move from one side of the roadway to the other. Combined with traffic signals, they even give you time to cross. So why do so many people cross where they should not or take the risk of being hit by a vehicle when they run out at the last minute to cross?
It is true that vehicles must yield the right of way to pedestrians crossing the roadway in marked crosswalks however; a pedestrian shall not walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.
When a pedestrian is in a crosswalk, the driver must yield when the individual is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or, is approaching closely from the opposite half of the roadway so as to be in danger.
The best practice is to wait until the pedestrian has crossed the roadway completely so as to avoid unexpected movements. For example, a child may be in a crosswalk when they suddenly turn and head back in the opposite direction thereby causing a driver to take action to avoid striking the child with the vehicle.
Just as a driver is expected to be aware of their surroundings, a pedestrian must do the same. Putting ones self at risk by not following the simple rules put into place can lead to injury and even death.
Take the time to prepare yourself, wear clothing which can be seen at night, don’t take chances when crossing the road. Texting and walking, not a great idea, your attention should be on the path ahead so that you reach your destination safely.
