Most states in the United States drivers are required to yield to pedestrians crossing in crosswalks. Most drivers don't understand what yield means

Interesting to compare that with the UK's equivalent.

Here the driving regulations and Highway Code on the subject are very similar to Georgia's (though we call them "pedestrian crossings"), but we also have marked No Parking areas on both sides of the crossing, each about two cars in length. It allows better visibility if the parking is allowed along the street otherwise.


We do have two main types of crossing.

One is similar to those in the photographs, with a slightly different pattern, but marked at both ends by black-and-white banded poles topped by a large, flashing orange lamps.. They are called 'Belisha Beacons' after the Minister of Transport who had them introduced some time in the mid-20C.

The other uses traffic-lights operated by a press-button on the lamp pole, and at a height reachable by a fairly young child, or someone on a wheelchair or mobility-scooter. The lights don't stop the traffic immediately but after a short delay set either by time or vehicle count.

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Some crossings here have a central refuge, effectively splitting it into two separate crossings. With those, the driver can proceed if behind the pedestrian who has already reached at least the refuge - provided no-one is trying to cross! So the motorist would be driving legally in the middle photo if there is an island between his car and the woman walking towards us.

Pedestrian crossings in town centres are often combined with important traffic-light controlled junctions. One such in my town has a large refuge fenced with staggered openings so you can't walk straight across and blunder into traffic legally crossing from the opposite direction.

It is not illegal as a pedestrian to use a light-controlled crossing without using the lights, IF safe to do so; but when driving it is very annoying to see someone press the button some distance away then cross immediately if still clear to do that, so he or she is safely clear yards away while you are held up needlessly. On the other hand, when I am a pedestrian, if there are only one or two vehicles approaching, I often let them pass then walk across despite my red light, so I am not delaying the drivers for the sake of a few seconds waiting by me. Sometimes it even saves me time too, thanks to the appreciable delay between button-pressing and lights changing.

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The one class of British road where pedestrians have no right-of-way at all is the Motorway, apart from using the hard shoulder where that has not been turned into an extra running lane, to reach an emergency telephone. The advice if you break down or fall ill at the wheel, is to pull off as far as possible, and for all occupants to exit the car and wait behind the road-side barrier. The motorway is also barred to cyclists, horses, agricultural and one or two other classes of vehicle. Those need use the other roads, almost all available to almost all legal road-users.

Drivers here have no clue what the word 'Yield' means. They think at a traffic circle it means, look left, and if there's enough room, don't even slow down or stop, just keep moving as fast as you can and zipper merge.

Driving today sucks. It sure as hell wasn't like this 28 years ago. Because people don't have patience anymore. Big ass hurry to get nowhere. Sorry but I'm doing 3mph over the speed limit. And if I'm not going fast enough, go around me because I am not speeding for anyone. But I'll make sure I've got the police on the phone and make a report like I've been doing.

With roads as wide as they are, it's no wonder drivers fly down the street at blistering speeds without scanning for anything smaller than a smart car. Fuck our infrastructure, man.

Thank you for spreading the word. I live in an area with lots of crosswalks and I feel like I'm going to die every time I go for a run.

Where I live if you yield to a pedestrian you’re getting passed 😆 I’ve seen so many close calls.

So sad that some walkers are so stupid. They have as much responsibility to be safe and avoid accidents as drivers do. At night, they wear dark clothing, nothing reflective, and do not carry a light. Of course, some of them are drunk or on drugs. In Florida, if they survive, they can be ticketed just like a driver. Not much of a penalty if they don't have a license to suspend or revoke, or a car to impound.
Even worse are the jaywalkers who cross in the middle of the block.

In Nevada, pedestrians have the right-of-way from sidewalk to sidewalk. Most drivers don't know nor acknowledge that, unfortunately.

and many pedestrians fail to understand physics...

trucks don't stop on a dime if their idiot ass walks out in front of one...

Most drivers don't wait for the pedestrian to cross the street. Most drivers go as soon as the pedestrian passes their vehicle most state yield to pedestrian laws says that drivers are to wait until the pedestrian is completely across the street unless the driver is turning right than the driver can turn once the pedestrian is in the opposite half of the roadway.

I believe most drivers do know that, and yield

Some ppl think they’re invincible and just stroll out without consideration ..
I got no problem with pedestrians but some ppl. You gotta pin their bus ticket to their sleeve.. if ya know what I mean 🇦🇺

I mean that law won't generate a magic force field that will keep a pedestrian from getting greased by a vehicle.

They should still watch out and be wary...

Every intersection has a crosswalk. Marked and unmarked crosswalks and drivers are to yield to pedestrians in both marked and unmarked crosswalks.

This is true in every state

They don’t listen

All states .

Then there’s New York.
(Although that may’ve changed)