WASHINGTON — People are talking online about when pedestrians have the right of way in Washington D.C. and when they need to stay out of the road. Some are sharing their stories about being hit or nearly hit by cars.
THE QUESTION
Do pedestrians have the right of way in local crosswalks?
THE SOURCES
District of Columbia
ANSWER
Pedestrians have right of way in crosswalks, but Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia have slight variations in their respective laws.
WHAT WE FOUND
In the District of Columbia and both states, drivers are required to stop for pedestrians in both marked and unmarked crosswalks.
The biggest difference between the three jurisdictions is how far away the pedestrian must be before the driver has to stop.
In Washington D.C., drivers have to stop when the pedestrian is in the car’s lane or within one lane on either side.
The Virginia municipalities we looked at all follow state law, which only specifies that drivers must yield until the pedestrian leaves the car’s lane.
Prince George’s and Montgomery counties both follow Maryland state law. It says drivers must stop while pedestrians are on the same half of the road as the car or approaching from an adjacent lane on the other half of the road.
But no matter where you are, signage matters. If a traffic signal or sign tells pedestrians to stop, they have to wait their turn, and if a law enforcement officer or school crossing guard is directing traffic, drivers and pedestrians should obey their commands.