Being a pedestrian in New York can be dangerous. You may encounter aggressive drivers with no regard for you or distracted/drunk ones who may fail to notice you. Consequently, New York makes several efforts to guarantee pedestrian safety, including giving you the right of way in crosswalks.
Here is what you need to know about crosswalks in New York:
What is a crosswalk?
A crosswalk is any area on a road specifically indicated for pedestrian crossing using lines or other pavement markings.
Any part of a road at an intersection between the curbs on opposite sides of a roadway or edges of the road, if there are no curbs, is also considered a crosswalk. Such areas are typically marked with lines or other markings, but, at times, they are unmarked.
A pedestrian has the right of way in distinct crosswalks and marked and unmarked crosswalks at intersections.
A driver should stop until you have finished crossing to the side of the road onto which you are turning. It’s illegal for them to turn behind or in front of you or bully you into hurrying. Further, a driver should stop behind a crosswalk, not on it.
Who has the right of way when traffic-control signals are absent?
Despite having the right of way in crosswalks, pedestrians should observe the traffic-control signals, which are a steady WALK or walking person and DON’T WALK or an upraised hand. When pedestrian traffic-control signals are absent, pedestrians crossing within a crosswalk on a roadway have the right of way.
Many pedestrians in New York are injured or killed yearly due to errors made by drivers. If a driver violated your rights as a pedestrian, injuring you, get adequate details about your experience to be fairly compensated.