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What You Probably Don't Know About Florida Pedestrian Crosswalks

As a Florida Pedestrian Injury Lawyer, I know Florida is a dangerous place for pedestrians, especially when crossing our busy roads and highways. Serious personal injury or death of too many pedestrians have resulted from drivers and pedestrians not knowing Florida's traffic laws, particularly at pedestrian crosswalks.

Pedestrian crosswalks may be marked or unmarked. An unmarked crosswalk is that part of a roadway, at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalks ,on opposite sides of the roadway, measured from the curbs, if no curbs, from the edges of the traversible roadway.

The rules involving marked crosswalks at an intersection with a traffic control signal or a marked crosswalk with signage are the same.

They are: cars are required to stop before entering the crosswalk and remained stopped to allow a pedestrian, with a permitted signal, or where signage indicates, to cross the roadway when: a. the pedestrian is in a crosswalk or steps into the crosswalk and is on the half of the roadway in which a car is traveling or, b. when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway to put them in danger.

When traffic control signals are not in place or operating, and there is no signage indicating otherwise, the driver of a vehicle should yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be to yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk, when the pedestrian is on the half of roadway the car is traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway that they could be in danger.

No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a car, so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.

When a car is stopped at a marked crosswalk or at an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of a car approaching from the rear must not overtake and pass the car.

Every pedestrian crossing a roadway, at a point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, must yield right-of-way to all vehicles on the roadway.

Between adjacent intersections at which traffic control signals are in operation, pedestrians can not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.

Regardless of any other traffic law, every driver of a car shall exercise due care to avoid a collision with a pedestrian and to give a warning when necessary and exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused or incapacitated person.

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Attorney James W. Dodson is a Clearwater, Florida personal injury trial lawyer with over 20 years experience representing clients in all types of injury claims including vehicle accidents, fall cases and wrongful death. He is the author of three books offered FREE to consumers as a guide to dealing with accidents and insurance. Visit his website at JWDodsonLaw.com for FREE copies of these books, other articles, videos, news and commentary.