Chapter 8: Sharing the Road

Public roadways are a shared space used by a diverse mix of vehicles and pedestrians, each with different capabilities and vulnerabilities. Safe driving is not just about controlling your own vehicle, but about understanding, respecting, and safely interacting with everyone else on the road. A driver’s ability to share the road safely with pedestrians, bicyclists, large trucks, and emergency vehicles is a critical measure of their skill and a key component of public safety.

Pedestrians and Bicyclists

Vulnerable road users, like pedestrians and bicyclists, lack the protection of a motor vehicle and require a driver’s heightened awareness and caution.

Responsibilities to Pedestrians

Drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in nearly all situations.

• Crosswalks: A driver must yield to a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk. At an intersection without painted lines, the space between the sidewalks is considered an unmarked crosswalk, and drivers must still yield.
• Blind Pedestrians: A driver must take every precaution to avoid injuring a pedestrian who is blind. If a pedestrian is using a guide dog or carrying a white cane (with or without a red tip), a driver must come to a complete stop if necessary to ensure their safety.
• General Caution: Always be watchful for pedestrians, especially children, who may enter the street unexpectedly from between parked cars.