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Right-of-way rules help people drive safely. These rules go along with courtesy and common sense. Bicycle, moped riders and
pedestrians must follow these rules, too.
Never insist on taking the right-of-way. If another driver does not yield to you when he or she should, forget it. Let the other driver go first. You will help prevent accidents and make driving more pleasant.
However, do not always insist on others going ahead of you. If another vehicle expects you to take your legal turn, you may delay traffic by stopping or slowing unnecessarily to allow another vehicle to go ahead of you.
At a green light, you must first let all vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians remaining in the intersection get through before entering the intersection. Make a left turn only if you have enough space to complete the turn before any oncoming vehicle, bicycle or pedestrians becomes a hazard.
Before turning a corner, watch for people who are about to cross the street. Remember, if you have a green light, the light is also green for them.
Responsibilities of Pedestrians
When crossing or walking on a roadway at places, which are not intersections or marked crosswalks, yield the right-of-way to vehicles. Making eye contact with the driver does not mean that the driver will see you or yield the right-of-way. You can make yourself more visible at night by wearing white clothing and retro-reflective materials, or carrying a flashlight. Wearing only white clothing at night does not always guarantee your safety. If you must "jaywalk" across a street between intersections, where no pedestrian crosswalks are provided, you must yield the right-of-way to all vehicles.
You must not suddenly leave a curb or other safe place and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is close enough to be a danger to you. This is true even though you are in a crosswalk. The law says that any driver must take care for the safety of any pedestrian, but if the driver can't stop in time, the law won't help you.
You must always obey traffic signals. Many intersections have signals that show the words "WALK" or "DON'T WALK", or the upraised hand or walker signs. Whether it has these signals or the usual traffic lights, you must obey the pedestrian rules.
When a signal first changes to green or "WALK" for you, look left, right and then left again, and yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection before the signal changed.
If the signal begins blinking or changes to "DON'T WALK," or to an upraised hand after you have gone part way across a divided street, you may continue across the street.
At an intersection where traffic is not controlled by signals, drivers are required to yield the right-of-way to you within any
crosswalk, marked or unmarked. However, you must give the driver a chance to yield to you.
Do not stop or delay traffic unnecessarily while crossing a street.
You are not permitted on any toll bridge or highway crossing unless there is a sidewalk more than three feet wide, with signs telling you that pedestrians are permitted to use it.
If there is no sidewalk, you must face oncoming traffic. Don't walk or jog on any freeway where signs tell you that pedestrians are not allowed.
Pedestrians
A pedestrian is a person on foot or using a conveyance propelled by human power (roller skates, skateboards, etc.) other than a bicycle.
The definition of pedestrian includes persons who are disabled and use powered devices such as self-propelled wheelchairs, tricycles or quadricycles because they are not able to move about as a pedestrian. These individuals must be given the same
rights as any other pedestrian.
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Always stop for any pedestrian crossing at corners or other crosswalks. Do not pass a car from behind that has stopped at a crosswalk. A pedestrian you can't see may be crossing.
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You must stop for any person using a guide dog or a white cane with or without a red tip. Only blind or nearly blind persons are allowed to use these canes or guide dogs and they must be given the right-of-way at all times whether in or out of a crosswalk.
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Remember - just because you make eye contact with a pedestrian doesn't mean that the pedestrian will yield the right-of-way to you.
Disabled persons using self-propelled wheelchairs, tricycles or quadricycles are not able to move about as easily as pedestrians. These persons should be given the same rights as any other pedestrian.
Pedestrian and bicycle accidents are the leading cause of death for ages 8 through 14.
Pedestrian safety is a serous issue. One in six traffic fatalities is a pedestrian.
Children under the age of 15 account for about 29% of pedestrian victims and about 28% of bicycle victims.
When walking on the side of the roadway, you should use the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, you may walk on the roadway, but must face oncoming traffic and as far to your left as possible.
You are not permitted on any toll bridge or highway crossing, or in any tunnel unless there is a sidewalk more than three feet
wide, with signs telling you that pedestrians are permitted to use it.
Joggers, runners, rollerbladers and skateboarders must also obey all pedestrian rules. Rollerbladers and skateboarders may be prohibited from using sidewalks by local authority, but must otherwise obey all pedestrian rules.
It is illegal to stand in a roadway for soliciting a ride from the driver of any vehicle (hitchhiking). Pedestrians are not allowed to walk, jog, or run in bicycle lanes when there are sidewalks.
Pedestrians may only cross roadways at intersections using crosswalks. The crosswalk is that part of the pavement where the sidewalk lines would extend across the street and are set aside for people to cross the street. Every street where streets and sidewalks meet "at about right angles" has a crosswalk for pedestrians to cross the street even though there may be no painted lines.
At an intersection where traffic is not controlled by signals or signs, drivers are required to yield the right-of-way to you within any crosswalk, marked or unmarked. However, you must give the driver a chance to yield to you, not just step off the curb when oncoming, or passing vehicles are nearby.
Crossing a roadway between intersections when a crosswalk is not present is called "jaywalking."
Other Vehicles
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At an intersection without STOP or YIELD signs, slow down and be ready to stop. Yield to vehicles already in the intersection or just entering it. Oncoming traffic that is turning right, also has the right of way over traffic turning in front of them. Also, yield to the car that arrives first or to the car on your right if it reaches the intersection at the same time as your car. At a "T" intersection, vehicles on the through road have the right-of-way.
- When there are STOP signs at all corners, stop first; then follow the above rules.
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When you turn left, give the right-of-way to all vehicles on the same road coming from the opposite direction close enough to be dangerous. Turn only when you can see that it is safe. Look for motorcyclists and bicyclists.On divided highways, or highways with several lanes, watch out for cars coming in any lane you must cross.
Whenever you have parked off the road, before you enter the road again, you must yield to traffic.
On a One Lane Mountain Road
When two vehicles meet on a steep road where neither can pass, the vehicle facing downhill must back up until the vehicle going uphill can pass. (The driver going downhill has the greater amount of control when backing.)
Never insist on taking the right-of-way
 NOTE: When there are stop signs at all corners, stop first; then follow the above rules. Also, vehicles on the through road have the right-of-way "T" intersections. Many DMV Drive test route will include a "T" intersection that beginners must negotiate safely to pass their test
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