Understanding the Pedestrian’s Right of Way in North Carolina

RALEIGH, NC- Cbs17.com writes that roads are dangerous for pedestrians in North Carolina. Locals in Raleigh say at some intersections, such as the one at Pleasant Valley and Duraleigh there are marked crosswalks and pedestrian signals, but that does not mean cars will necessarily stop.*

Pedestrians say vehicles in the area drive aggressively and put people's lives at risk when they are trying to cross the street.

Police officers in Raleigh report responding to fatal crashes in the city. According to local law enforcement, the deadliest pedestrian crashes take place outside of downtown on the outskirts of the town. The reason crashes are deadlier outside of the city is often speed.

Another issue is that both drivers and pedestrians sometimes have trouble understanding who has the right of way. When a driver is turning right, they have to let pedestrians go first. Drivers are also supposed to allow pedestrians the right away when there are crosswalks and no lights or intersection. However, people walking in these locations say cars drive right past the crosswalks without even seeming to notice that someone is trying to cross the road. 

Pedestrians do not always have the right of way, though, and this is also important for people to understand. When a pedestrian tries to cross the street away from an intersection or crosswalk, vehicles have the right of way, and the pedestrian will have to wait. If a person is walking on a road with a sidewalk, the pedestrian is obligated to use that sidewalk.

Even is a pedestrian does have the right of way, they should always check for cars and make sure drivers are paying attention. Avoiding an accident is always a better option than working out who is at fault.

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Source:https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/pedestrians-vehicles-and-who-has-the-right-of-way/