Question

Difficulty: MediumPedestrians and Crosswalk Safety

When driving on a multi-lane roadway divided by a raised physical median barrier, a driver is legally required to stop and yield to a pedestrian who is crossing in a marked crosswalk on the opposite side of the median barrier, even before the pedestrian enters the driver's side of the roadway.

Answer: Answer

Answer

False. Drivers on a roadway separated by a physical median barrier are not legally required to yield to a pedestrian crossing on the opposite side of the median until the pedestrian enters or is about to enter their half of the roadway.
The statement is false. Standard traffic laws require drivers to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing within a marked or unmarked crosswalk only when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling, or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the median that they would be in danger. When a roadway is divided by a physical raised median barrier, pedestrians on the opposite side of the median are considered to be on a separate roadway section, so opposing traffic is not required to stop until the pedestrian steps onto or prepares to cross the driver's side of the median.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the physical configuration of the roadway in the scenario.
The roadway features multiple lanes separated by a physical raised median barrier between opposing travel directions.
Physical median barriers legally and physically separate opposing traffic corridors.
2
Apply right-of-way rules regarding pedestrian safety on divided highways.
A driver must yield to a pedestrian within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on the driver's half of the road or approaching so closely from the median as to be in danger.
Because the pedestrian is on the opposite side of a physical barrier, they are not on the driver's half of the roadway and do not create an immediate collision conflict.

Key Concept

Pedestrian Yielding Rules on Highways Divided by Physical Medians
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