The rules around pedestrian crossings and why they are named…

Crossing the road should be a simple enough topic. You can use zebra crossings, wait at the lights or take a risk crossing elsewhere. But with most traffic-related issues, the rules and regulations are never that straight forward. There appears to be a number of grey areas when it comes to the rules and etiquette. When should a car stop, when should a pedestrian cross and what should cyclists do? And what does this veritable menagerie of crossings mean? Read more: ‘Significant spike’ in East Riding road crashes caused by ‘bad weather’ The confusion mounted further when new rule changes were introduced in 2021 which tells us pedestrians have priority when crossing junctions with no light system in place. That means cars turning in or coming out of a junction should give away to pedestrians. Although drivers are asked to give way more often, pedestrians still have a responsibility to cross safely. A new addition to Rule 8 makes it clear that pedestrians should ‘cross at a place where drivers can see you.’ Here, we look at the hard and fast rules, what it all means and why many of the crossings are named after birds. When should you start to move on a zebra crossing? Somewhat surprisingly, traffic does not have to stop until someone has moved onto the crossing. It is basically up to the pedestrian to wait until traffic stops. In a fight between a car and a pedestrian, there will only be one winner. You should give traffic plenty of time to see you and to stop before you start to cross. Remember, a driver or rider may not have seen you and could attempt to overtake a vehicle that has stopped, so stay vigilant. If there is an island then you have to wait and go through the process once more. They are effectively, separate crossings. What should drivers and riders do at a zebra crossing? Motorists should look out for pedestrians waiting to cross and be ready to slow down or stop to let them cross and they must give way when a pedestrian has moved onto a crossing. Do not wave or use your horn to invite pedestrians across as this could be dangerous if another vehicle is approaching. Pedestrians also need to be reasonable and not loiter on the crossings. Can cyclists ride across zebra crossings? We have all seen cyclists nonchalantly ride across a zebra cr
SEE FULL ARTICLE