A 3-minute lesson from the Georgia course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Pedestrians have no protection in a crash. According to GDOT they account for almost 15% of motor vehicle deaths, and Georgia saw a 15% rise in pedestrian deaths in 2016. Georgia law spells out exactly when you must stop and stay stopped for them.
Stop and stay stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk:
When they're on your half of the road, or within one lane of it
When you're making a left or right turn at any intersection
At stop signs, after your complete stop and before going on
At traffic signals, even on green, if pedestrians are still in the crosswalk
When entering a street or highway from an alley, driveway or private road
For a blind person crossing with a white cane or a guide dog
The part of the pavement where the sidewalk would extend across the street. Crosswalks exist on all four corners of intersections even when unmarked; mid-block ones exist if marked.
Before turning right on red, stop fully before the crosswalk. Look left for a gap in traffic, then look to your passenger side for a pedestrian crossing in front of you.
Use extreme caution passing stopped cars on multi-lane roads; a pedestrian you can't see may be crossing. This is a frequent cause of serious and fatal pedestrian injuries.
When exiting or entering a driveway, alley or parking garage, stop before the sidewalk and go only after pedestrians pass. Turning left into a driveway, also wait for pedestrians on the sidewalk.
You're first at a red light on a four-lane road when a pedestrian starts across. Stop at least 10 feet before the crosswalk so drivers in the next lane can see the pedestrian too.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
When must a driver stop and remain stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk?
Only when the pedestrian is directly in front of you
When on your half of the road or within one lane of it
Only at intersections with a traffic signal
Only after the pedestrian reaches the center line
Answer: When on your half of the road or within one lane of it
Drivers must stop for a pedestrian on their half of the roadway, or approaching and within one lane of it.
