Pedestrians Practice Questions

Answer: If there is any danger of a collision

Where a pedestrian crossing is marked, the driver must concede right of way to the pedestrian, and a vehicle turning left or right must give way to any pedestrian within the crossing. It does not matter which side they come from. Give way whenever there is any danger of a collision with someone on the crossing.

Answer: Slow down and be ready to make a safe stop

Reduce speed as you approach a pedestrian crossing. In the picture the blue car is nearing a marked crossing with nobody on it, but a pedestrian may step out from either side. Slow down and be ready to make a safe stop. You need not stop when nobody is there, and you must never speed up to beat a pedestrian.

Answer: Wait extra time to allow them to cross safely

Be patient with old people and children on the road; they have a special problem in negotiating traffic and take longer to cross. Once they are on the crossing they have right of way, so you wait the extra time they need. Driving round them or sounding your horn to hurry them is dangerous.

Answer: Must not overtake the stopped vehicle

You must not overtake another vehicle that has slowed down or stopped to let pedestrians pass, and never at a pedestrian crossing. In the picture the blue car has stopped at the crossing and the yellow car is behind it; a pedestrian it cannot see may be crossing. The yellow car stays behind and must not overtake.

Answer: Slow down, and be ready to make a safe stop

The Highway Code tells you to reduce speed wherever you may meet children, and to look out for them near schools. A child can run into the road without warning, so slow down and be ready to stop safely. Sounding the horn or driving round them at the same speed leaves you no time if one steps out.

Answer: You may carefully drive through the crossing, if there is no risk of colliding with pedestrians

A flashing amber is neither a red nor a green: it hands the decision back to you, and at a crossing the pedestrian still comes first. Look at the crossing. If nobody is on it and nobody is stepping onto it, drive through slowly. If anyone is still crossing, wait until they are clear.

Answer: Stop, wait for pedestrians to cross and for the green light to come on

A red light means stop, and at a crossing with lights the Code says to give the pedestrian a chance to cross safely. So you stop at the line, wait for everyone on the crossing to reach the other side, and move off only when the green light comes on. Going as soon as the crossing is empty is jumping the red.

Answer: Give way to the person if there is any danger of colliding

The man in the blue cap is standing on the raised island in the middle of the road, by the yellow railing with the red and yellow chevron sign. The Code says the driver has a special duty to the unprotected pedestrian. If he steps into your lane and there is any danger of hitting him, you give way.

Answer: You must give way to pedestrians if there is any danger of hitting them

The Code says the driver of a motor vehicle has a special responsibility to the comparatively unprotected pedestrian, and it tells you to stop and give precedence at crossings and to look out for people everywhere else. So wherever there is any danger of hitting a pedestrian you give way, not only at a marked crossing.

Answer: Watch out for pedestrians, who may hurry and take risks

The Code says reduce speed in rain and be particularly careful in bad weather. Pedestrians in the rain want to get out of it, so they hurry, cross without looking and take risks they would not take on a dry day. Watch for them and be ready to stop. You do not drive down the middle of the road or walk people across.