Question

Difficulty: MediumPedestrians and Crosswalk Safety

When a pedestrian steps into the street to cross mid-block outside of a marked or unmarked crosswalk, approaching drivers are legally relieved of any obligation to yield or slow down because the pedestrian is crossing illegally.

Answer: Answer

Answer

False. Drivers must always exercise due care to avoid colliding with pedestrians, regardless of whether the pedestrian is crossing in a designated crosswalk or jaywalking mid-block.
The statement is false because traffic laws require drivers to exercise due care at all times to avoid colliding with pedestrians, even if the pedestrian is crossing outside of a marked or unmarked crosswalk.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the driver's legal duty of care regarding pedestrians on public roadways.
Vehicle codes mandate that drivers must exercise due care to avoid striking pedestrians under all circumstances.
Traffic safety law prioritizes human life and collision prevention over strict right-of-way entitlement.
2
Analyze how right-of-way rules apply when a pedestrian crosses mid-block outside of a crosswalk.
While the pedestrian is legally required to yield to approaching traffic, a driver who observes the pedestrian must still reduce speed or stop to prevent an accident.
A pedestrian's failure to yield does not grant drivers legal permission to proceed without taking corrective action to prevent a crash.

Key Concept

Driver Duty of Due Care for Pedestrians
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