A 4-minute lesson from the Kentucky course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Pedestrians are hard to see, and their intentions are hard to read. Be ready to yield even when they're not in a crosswalk—and take extra care with children and with blind pedestrians, who rely on the sound of traffic to cross safely.
As a driver you must:
Always be prepared to yield to pedestrians, even outside a crosswalk
Yield to a pedestrian in any crosswalk, marked or unmarked, including marked mid-block crosswalks
Yield to all pedestrians in the intersection, even when your light is green
Be prepared to yield to pedestrians when turning right or left on red
Slow down beside parked or stopped vehicles; don't pass until sure no one is crossing in front
Check for pedestrians before backing, especially in parking lots
In playgrounds and residential areas, children may run out from between parked cars. Drive slower than the speed limit there and be ready to stop quickly.
In a school zone when lights are flashing or children are present, obey the slower speed limit. At a school crossing with a traffic patrol, stop and yield if signaled to.
Kentucky law requires you to yield to a blind pedestrian carrying a clearly visible white cane or accompanied by an assistance dog. Failing to yield can bring a fine of up to $250.
You're first at a red light, and a man with a white cane waits at the corner. Stop within 5 feet of the crosswalk so he can hear your car, don't call out directions or honk, and don't block the crosswalk. If he steps back and pulls in his cane, go.
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.
You must yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk:
Even if the crosswalk is unmarked
Only if the crosswalk is painted on the road
Only outside of business districts
Only if a crossing guard is present
Answer: Even if the crosswalk is unmarked
You must yield when a pedestrian is in a crosswalk, marked or unmarked, including mid-block crosswalks.
