Avon Police Advise Crosswalk Safety

The Avon Police Dept. shared crosswalk safety advice on their Facebook page:

Apparently this topic is being debated / argued on another FB page. We put this out in the spring, but I guess we forgot how this works already.

The flashing yellow cross-walk lights are NOT traffic control devices that compel a driver to stop; HOWEVER they act as a warning to driver’s that a pedestrian is preparing to cross within a marked crosswalk. Bottom-line, if you are in a vehicle approaching one of these lit signs, it would be best to slow your vehicle and prepare to stop for a pedestrian. Once the pedestrian establishes themselves within the cross-walk you (the motorist) are required to stop.

On the flip side, pedestrians cannot just leave the curb and hop into a cross-walk whenever they want. They also have to make sure it is clear and safe to do so. You (pedestrian) may be in the right, but you will always lose if you get hit by a car.

It takes both the pedestrian and motorist to work together for everyone’s safety.