Emerging From A Lane, Driveway, Or Parking Lot

Emerging from a lane, driveway, or parking lot

Question : Hi, I am not sure if I understand this information regarding emerging from a lane, driveway, or parking lot.

So I must stop always when crossing the sidewalk? Even when coming to a parking lot from a main road? It just does not feel right.
Annonmymous

No, you don’t need to stop before turning into a parking lot if there are no pedestrians anywhere to be seen for miles. ICBC nor any person in their right mind would expect you to do this either.

However, when exiting a parking lot/lane it is written in the motor vehicle act that vehicles must stop

This is probably because when you turn into a parking lot you are turning right/left and you have somewhat decent visibility of where you’re about to go in terms of pedestrian traffic.

However, when coming out of parking lots you have often very poor visibility of the immediate area. For example, on sidewalks or areas, there may be pedestrians and cyclists before vehicles.

Your car is about to cross. Especially important if there are shrubs/trees/bushes/ or anything else that blocks your visibility (fences, brick walls,..):

Motor Vehicle Act on Emerging From A Lane, Parking Lot, or Driveway

176 (1) The driver of a vehicle in a business or residence district and emerging from an alley, driveway, building or private road must stop the vehicle immediately before driving onto the sidewalk or the sidewalk area extending across an alleyway or private driveway, and must yield the right of way to a pedestrian on the sidewalk or sidewalk area. The driver of a vehicle about to enter or cross a highway from an alley, lane, driveway, building or private road must yield the right of way to traffic approaching on the highway so closely that it constitutes an immediate hazard.