If you live in an area with a lot of marked crosswalks, you’ve probably encountered a lot of confusion -- from both the driver and the person crossing the road.
In its most basic form, the meat of the law on crosswalks and vehicles in Michigan is: “The vehicular traffic shall yield the right of way to pedestrians and bicyclists lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.”
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When a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle, more than 80 percent of the time the pedestrian is killed or seriously injured. In Michigan, more than 100 pedestrians die each year, according to the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. Most of these deaths occur between 6 p.m. and midnight, with many fatalities occurring when pedestrians cross the roadway somewhere other than at an intersection or when a driver fails to yield.
Here’s what the state says pedestrians and drivers should and must do when it comes to crosswalks, sidewalks and intersections:
Pedestrians must:
• Use sidewalks whenever available.
• Obey traffic signals, signs, and markings.
• Cross streets at a corner, using traffic signals and crosswalks whenever possible.
• Face traffic and stay as far to the left as possible if traveling on the roadway.
Pedestrians should:
• Always stop at the edge of a parked car, curb, or vehicle before walking out into traffic.
• Look left-right-left before crossing a street and continue looking while crossing.
• Make eye contact with drivers prior to crossing roadways.
• Be visible: wear reflective clothing and lights at night and wear bright colors during the day.
• Never allow children under the age of 10 to cross the streets alone. Young children do not have the skills to accurately judge traffic risks.
Drivers must:
• Stop before entering the marked crosswalk limit line.
• Stop before entering the intersection if there is no crosswalk or limit line.
• Obey traffic signals, signs, and markings.
• Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, intersections, and all traffic-controlled areas.
• Obey the posted speed limit.
Drivers should:
• Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. There may be people crossing who cannot be seen.
• Avoid distractions.
• Stay alert and take extra caution at intersections, especially when making turns.
• Make eye contact with pedestrians waiting to cross roadways.
• Be extremely careful when backing up, checking for pedestrians who may move into the path of the vehicle.