Like others, pedestrians should also follow some basic street or traffic rules. When they deny abiding by these street rules, they get the tag of a jaywalker.
So the question may arise – do pedestrians have the right of way when jaywalking. Let’s find the answer below in detail.
What is Jaywalking?
In most jurisdictions, jaywalking is defined as crossing a street or roadway outside of an authorized crosswalk, or in any other way that is illegal or in violation of traffic rules. This is a regular sight in particular. If you want to know more about jaywalking, click here
When do pedestrians have the right of way?
Pedestrians own the right of way when they walk through the roads without violating rules. In the same way, the drivers or the vehicle owners get the right of way when they abide by the rules.
In special cases like construction works on the roads, the scenario can be slightly different.
Is jaywalking a punishable act?
The perspective of looking at issues like jaywalking and the precautionary policies made by the policymakers to stop jaywalking varies. Whether the jaywalker will get punished or not depends on the traffic rules of that specific area.
There may be different perspectives in different parts of a country regarding jaywalking. It may exist in one part or may not in another region. According to general rules, a jaywalker can be punished or fined if they are seen doing anything like this.
This kind of action disrupts the smooth flow of traffic rules by creating unnecessary chaos in the street. However, the rules are not related to if the road is empty. As a pedestrian, keep the following three things in mind.
Crosswalk marks
You can find different colors of lights, white marks, divider signs, and other signs that can be vertical or horizontal. This means crossing the road out of the crosswalks is illegal.
As a pedestrian, never do “unmarked pedestrian crossing”. You owe the ” pedestrian in crosswalk right of way ” right when you use the crosswalk as a pedestrian following the traffic signal.
Signal
Whether you are a driver or a pedestrian, you must abide by all the traffic rules if you do not want unnecessary trouble in your life. Not abiding by these rules is also one kind of punishable crime.
Legal rules
When you use the road as a driver or a streetwalker, you must keep a clear idea about what is legal to do on the road. Doing anything illegal on roads may result in causing a huge accident or sudden death of numerous people.
Walking through the road is never illegal, but being a jaywalker only to flex something is never wise.
What is the aftermath of a jaywalker if he meets an accident on the road?
The aftermath of a jaywalker after meeting a road accident depends on so many factors. Such as:
- Who was responsible for the accident?
- Was the driver also accountable? Was he also breaking the traffic rules?
- The quantity of loss
- If the investigation was honest or not
- Did anybody die?
- Insurance background
These factors play a vital role in finalizing the outcome of such kinds of cases.
When a jaywalker meets an accident, three possible things can happen:
- The jaywalker will get injured. The injury can be deep or minor.
- The jaywalker will die.
- The jaywalker gets out of the accident safe, but the other vehicles or people may encounter a severe accident due to a hard break.
Among these three situations, the issues will get more complex if the jaywalker dies due to the accident. In this kind of case, the driver may get colossal punishment. S/he may need to provide a huge amount of money to compensate the jaywalker’s family if found guilty.
Final verdict
A man can’t do jaywalking if he keeps a good set of moral values and is concerned about what is right. Discouragement toward this kind of activity is the need for time.
FAQ
Do I have to wait for the pedestrian to cross the road in Alberta?
It has been clearly mentioned in the pedestrian law of Alberta that if you are a driver and a pedestrian is crossing the road, you must wait for him to complete the crossing.
Who has the right of way in Alberta?
Whether you are a driver or a pedestrian, the right of way depends on who is following the street rules correctly.
Do drivers have to stop at a pedestrian crossing?
Yes, the driver must stop if the traffic rules signal it.
What are the rules for a pedestrian?
Obeying traffic signals are the most important rules that pedestrians should abide by.
What happens if you hit a pedestrian jaywalking in Canada?
Though jaywalking is never supported, if you as a driver hit someone jaywalking in Canada, you may have to take responsibility for providing proper medical treatment for bodily harm to that pedestrian. You may also get punished if the investigation report goes against you.
