Many serious traffic accidents occur in the area of pedestrian crossings. In some situations, the fault belongs to the drivers, who press too hard on the accelerator pedal, in other cases it belongs to the pedestrians, who do not take care. Here’s how fast you should be at a crosswalk and when to give priority to crosswalkers.
Most serious traffic accidents that occur in our country have two main causes.
Either pedestrians, who cross irregularly or who don’t take care, or drivers, who drive too fast or are careless.
What speed do you have to be at the pedestrian crossing?
In order to prevent road accidents, Romanian legislation requires speed limits near a pedestrian crossing.
„The driver of the vehicle is obliged to travel at a speed not exceeding 30 km/h in towns or 50 km/h outside towns, (…) at pedestrian crossings without traffic lights, signaled by signs and markings, when the public road has at most one lane in each direction, and pedestrians on the sidewalk, in close proximity to the carriageway, intend to engage in crossing“, establishes Art. 123 (h) of Law 195/2002.
Therefore, drivers are obliged to reduce their speed to 30-50 km/h in the area of pedestrian crossings. But only if there are people waiting to cross near them. Or that could cross.
However, the law also imposes obligations on pedestrians, not just on drivers.
When giving way to pedestrians crossing
There are several situations in which drivers must give priority to pedestrians:
- when the traffic light for pedestrians is green and the traffic light for vehicles is flashing red or yellow;
- when meeting a pedestrian crossing;
- when meeting a green-flashing traffic light, which allows a turn to be made after giving way to all other traffic participants.
Pedestrians can also cross at the corner of the street, if there is no crosswalk in the area. But in this situation, drivers have priority, and pedestrians can only cross after the cars have passed.
„is contravention and is sanctioned with the fine provided for in the III-th class of sanctions and with the application of the complementary contravention sanction of suspending the right to drive for a period of 60 days (…) failure to give priority of passage to pedestrians engaged in the regular crossing of the public road through the specially arranged and signposted places, located in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle, agricultural or forestry tractor or tram“, establishes Art. 101 (3-e) of the road law.
So, if the pedestrian starts crossing from the opposite direction of traffic, drivers do not have to stop. But when they approach the middle of the road or initiate the crossing on the side you’re driving on, drivers are required to give them priority.
Also, on one-way streets, drivers must stop regardless of whether the pedestrian is crossing from the right or the left.
In which situations is it prohibited to cross, even at the pedestrian crossing
There are several situations in which crossing the road, even at the pedestrian crossing, is prohibited.
According to the law, by Art. 167 pedestrians are prohibited from:
- to engage in crossing the public road when a vehicle with a priority traffic regime is approaching that has the special light and sound warning signals in operation;
- to cross the roadway in front of or behind the vehicle stopped at the stations of the means of public transport of people, except in cases where there are properly signalized pedestrian crossings;
- to extend the time of crossing the public road, to stop or turn at pedestrian crossings that are not equipped with traffic lights;
- to cross the public road in places other than those permitted;
- to occupy the roadway in order to prevent traffic.
„Crossing the public road by pedestrians is done (…) only after they have made sure that they can do it without danger for themselves and for other traffic participants“, it is stated in Art. 72 (3) of GEO no. 195/2002.
Therefore, pedestrians are obliged, in turn, to ensure themselves before crossing the street, even at the crossing.
The traffic law also establishes that people who are injured due to crossing through unauthorized places or failing to comply with other obligations established by road rules, bear the full responsibility for their injury.
Source: www.promotor.ro
