Turning At Intersections With Pedestrians In The Crosswalk
Question about waiting for pedestrians: When a pedestrian is crossing, do you have to wait for them to cross all the way to the other side before you proceed?
Great question. It seems to me that different people have different opinions about this subject. There seems to be no solid answer from the motor vehicle act. So…I will share what I think, and how I taught students in driving lessons.
It’s good to be efficient, but not at the expense of safety
Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users. When a car and a pedestrian fight, the pedestrian never wins.
Cars can be replaced, but people can’t
It’s good to remember that pedestrian crossing isn’t just some inconvenience. It’s someone’s wife, husband, father, son, daughter, grandmother, friend, etc.,
Pedestrians can be unpredictable, especially children
Pedestrians in general, may change their minds, trip, and fall, drop something, stop and tie their shoelace, change speeds, or change directions.
Or they may even be drunk or under the influence of substances. We need that extra just in case space at all times.
Rear-End Collisions Are Real
Always keep in mind that you could be rear-ended at any moment. It sounds sinister, but it’s possible.
You don’t want to be so close to pedestrians that if you were rear-ended, the pedestrian would be the one to pay.
- Always try to consider the space cushion you have in front of you at all times and how it may affect those around you. Little details make big differences here
- Lastly, for a driver who turns close to a pedestrian, it is not scary, because they are the one with an entire vehicle around them, protecting them
- But for a pedestrian, a vehicle turning within inches of where they are walking can be quite terrifying, especially for the elderly
- Please be nice to pedestrians and think of things from their point of view, not just yours.
- Since there are many different types and sizes of intersections, there really is no yes or no answer to this question
So my official answer will be “It depends“
- On the intersection
- Which direction you are turning
- The direction the pedestrian is walking
- Speed of the pedestrian
- How quickly you are going to turn
A few common examples, please excuse my Photoshopping skills.
Waiting For Pedestrians On Left Turns
Let’s say the pedestrian is walking and you are about to turn left.
- I think, to be safe, the vehicle should remain completely stopped with the steering wheel completely straight until the pedestrian is at least on the other side of the yellow line
- Perhaps halfway between the yellow line and the edge of the roadway would be good enough
- I think it’s okay to turn at that point. Of course, shoulder check and scan the intersection for any additional pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles, road users, etc
- So basically when the pedestrian is almost off the roadway
Waiting For Pedestrians On Multiple Lane Roads
For this, I would suggest a similar rule.
The vehicle should remain completely stopped until the pedestrian has crossed past the yellow line. In addition, they should be at least roughly halfway between the yellow line and the edge of the road.
Waiting For Pedestrians When Turning Right
If there is only one pedestrian walking like this (away from you I guess I could call it)…
- It seems to me there is no need to stay stopped until they are completely off the crosswalk (especially a large intersection with many lanes)
- Drivers behind you may have a tendency to freak out if they feel you should turn instead of waiting the extra time for the pedestrian to cross a football-field-length crosswalk
- Of course, your decisions are never to be made by the driver behind you. It’s up to you to make your decisions. They can honk at you if they want, but your decisions are not their business. Amen.
I think you can turn after they are past the yellow line, as long as you:
- Shoulder check to make sure there are no more pedestrians approaching
- It is truly safe
- Mirror and right shoulder check before turning
Waiting For Pedestrians Walking Towards You
Here’s where you have to use your judgment a bit more. Different combinations will have different appropriate responses.
For example, with a larger intersection plus a very slow pedestrian, there may be ample time to turn if you arrive just as the light is freshly green and they are still all the way on the other side, slowly beginning their journey.
If it’s a jogger, then you’ll probably have to stay stopped and wait, to avoid cutting them off. So, use your judgment and err on the side of caution.
Lastly, this is probably obvious, but just in case.
- When they are walking towards you, don’t turn until they are truly and completely off the roadway
- Do not turn wide in order to speed up your turn. Wait patiently and then turn when they are off and it is safe
- Make sure to do another shoulder check directly before turning, because there’s always a chance that there are more pedestrians coming
I have heard some students speak of other driving instructors who have told them not to turn until the pedestrians are completely off the roadway, each and every turn.
I’m not sure such a blanket statement is exactly appropriate for all of the many different situations, sizes of intersections, and speeds of pedestrians. But that’s just my personal opinion.
Think about what makes sense to you, of course, without cutting off or scaring pedestrians, driving dangerously close to them, or putting them at risk in case you are rear-ended.
Another Opinion
Submitted by email by Paul
Good item in the Blog re: pedestrians. Ironically, just yesterday I was out with my son who is still on his L, and he was contemplating a right turn from East 15th Street into Lonsdale only there was this ancient old lady with a walker gradually approaching from the west side of Lonsdale – he asked if it was OK to turn in front of her as she was still two or three lane widths away from us, approaching the centre of the road. And very slowly, at that.
I found myself bringing up my ‘stock’ answer to the question: “Do you think, as a driver, that it’s your responsibility to compete with pedestrians – or to use your vehicle to protect them?”
One thing I can say, from my years spent as an ICBC Driver Examiner, is that any DE who thinks that their examinee may be prepared to cross the potential path of a pedestrian so that they can continue merrily on their way in their vehicle – even if it’s legal – is not going to be disposed to hold back on any marking of any categories; and will probably be silently delighted if the applicant commits enough errors (especially involving pedestrians) to fail themselves. Examiners are human, not robots …
Used to be, in the City of Vancouver, they would have special crosswalk signs near schools, perhaps marked with ‘Stop when Occupied’ or in some cases ‘Do not Pass’. But those seem to have disappeared in this symbolic age, or my eyesight is failing.
PAUL
I totally hear you there. If you wait, your vehicle protects the pedestrian. If you turn, the car behind you might assume that it’s good to go, and they might get too close.
Some intersections are very large; much larger than the ones in Lonsdale. Sometimes they are 7-10 lanes in length. Just something to ponder.
Conclusion
As drivers, we do need to protect pedestrians and keep them safe, not fight with them over the available space. Drivers should yield to pedestrians and pedestrians should not have to worry about vehicles turning too closely.
If you aren’t sure, simply wait. The longest you will wait is a few additional seconds. A few seconds are totally worth keeping someone’s loved one safe.
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