In North Carolina, drivers and pedestrians must share the roads and obey our state’s traffic laws. This includes laws regarding when pedestrians have the right of way. A motorist ticketed for failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians can face harsh penalties and long-term consequences. Our Charlotte traffic ticket lawyer explains more below.
When Must Motorists Yield to Pedestrians in North Carolina?
Pedestrians have the right of way when crossing the road in most circumstances. Here are some rules that must be followed:
- If there are no traffic signals, pedestrians have the right of way in marked and unmarked crosswalks.
- Both drivers and pedestrians must obey traffic signals.
- Pedestrians crossing a street on a green light have the right of way.
- If the light is turning from green to yellow or yellow to red and there is a pedestrian in the crosswalk, the driver must yield to him.
- Blind pedestrians always have the right of way.
- If an intersection is equipped with a “Walk” and “Do Not Walk” signal, the pedestrian has the right of way when they are crossing on a “Walk” signal even if they do not have a green light.
- Pedestrians have the right of way when a flashing red light is installed somewhere other than an intersection, and drivers must stop and yield to them when they are in the crosswalk.
- If there is a flashing yellow light somewhere other than an intersection, drivers must proceed with caution.