| Savannah-Chatham Metro Police are launching a Crosswalk Awareness and Enforcement Campaign. Police hope the campaign brings additional attention to the rights and responsibilities of both drivers and pedestrians when it comes to crosswalk safety.
Pedestrians are to obey the instruction of traffic control devices. They are also not allowed to “suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impractical for the driver to yield.” (GA law 40-6-91.b) Pedestrians must also yield the right-of-way to all vehicles in a roadway when they are crossing at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. Georgia law stipulates that between adjacent intersections at which traffic-control signals are in operation, pedestrians “shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.” (GA law 40-6-92.c)
Motorists, on the other hand, “shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross the roadway within a crosswalk …” (GA law 40-6-91.a). In addition, when a vehicle is stopped at a crosswalk to allow a pedestrian to cross, it is against the law for the driver of another vehicle to pass the stopped vehicle.”
The bottom line is this: both pedestrians and motorists have rights and responsibilities to ensure safe passage of pedestrians on our roadways. Police encourage pedestrians to make eye-contact with drivers before stepping off the curb.
Police are taking part an in awareness program this week and will be issuing warning tickets. Next week, the enforcement campaign will take place – which will focus on both pedestrians and drivers during daytime and nighttime hours. The targeted areas will include intersections along Bull Street, Bay Street and Broughton. Abercorn Street and Ogeechee Road are also targeted areas by police.
Fines for disobeying the laws range from $145 to $208.
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