While some sadly choose to ignore this rule, most Kentucky drivers probably know that they have to yield to pedestrians who are in a marked crosswalk. Likewise, drivers probably realize that they need to obey traffic lights and signals.
Likewise, motorists in this state must at all times yield to a pedestrian who is obviously visually impaired. The tell-tale signs of visual impairment are when a person is carrying a white cane or using a service animal.
Pedestrians have rights in unmarked crosswalks as well
But what many motorists in the Somerset area might not realize is that pedestrians have the same rights in what the law calls unmarked crosswalks as well.
An unmarked crosswalk is basically any intersection where pedestrians are allowed to cross the street and have no other means, like a skywalk or tunnel, for doing so. Vehicles must yield to pedestrians under these circumstances as well.
Motorists always have to look out for pedestrians
There are other cases in which drivers of vehicles have the right-of-way over pedestrians. For instance, pedestrians are not supposed to be crossing a street where there is no intersection.
However, Kentucky’s law still requires motorists to take care to avoid hitting people while they drive, even if the driver legally has the right-of-way.
The law emphasizes this obligation in the case of children, people who are clearly not fully aware or their surroundings and those who are handicapped or may otherwise have a hard time getting out of traffic.
The reason Kentucky drivers always have to exercise caution around pedestrians is that pedestrians are especially vulnerable in a car accident. What might be a minor fender-bender between two vehicles can be a fatal outcome between a car and a person.
My law office is prepared to fight for injured pedestrians who are victims of a driver’s carelessness.
