Residents and visitors in Redondo Beach often prefer walking or bicycling to driving. This means that there can be heavy pedestrian traffic all around the area. Despite this, there are many people who still do not fully understand or appreciate the rights that pedestrians have in California and how motorists are expected to operate around them.
Some people assume that pedestrians only have the right of way in a marked crosswalk, for instance. Or they believe that motor vehicles are allowed to cross over sidewalks without yielding to a pedestrian. However, not only are these and other assumptions wrong, they can also result in a serious and catastrophic accident.
California pedestrian laws are clear and generally assign the responsibility of sharing the road equally to both pedestrians and motorists. Basically, pedestrians are expected to use crosswalks and sidewalks appropriately, and motorists should exercise caution whenever there are pedestrians in or near the roadway.
For example, let’s look at the examples we mentioned above. We know motorists should yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, but they are also expected to yield when pedestrians are outside of a crosswalk at an intersection. Similarly, pedestrians are expected not to walk or run out in front of a car and pose a hazard.
Additionally, when a car is pulling onto or over a sidewalk, for example to enter a driveway or parking lot, the law requires that he or she must yield to any pedestrians on the sidewalk. It is not the other way around.
These may seem like fairly reasonable and obvious rules of the road, but the fact is that people fail to comply with them all too often. The result of violating these and other pedestrian laws is often a tragic collision that can seriously injure a pedestrian. In the event that you or a loved one has been hurt in a pedestrian accident, it may be a good idea to consult an attorney to determine if there may be grounds to take legal action against a negligent or reckless motorist.