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John Cletheroe's
USA and Canada Holiday Hints |
An intersection is a road junction.
A pedestrian crosswalk is a pedestrian crossing.
Regardless of what direction you are taking, you must not enter an intersection under either of the following conditions:
The two parallel white lines extending across the whole width of the road at many intersections form a crosswalk (pedestrian crossing). These lines are not always too clearly marked. Sometimes crosswalks have additional diagonal crosshatch lines to make them more obvious.
There may be a separate single white stop line extending over half the road, occasionally in a different place in each lane to allow for wide vehicles turning.
At intersections with no white lines, stop so as not interfere with crossing or turning traffic but close enough to the junction to be able to see in all directions.
Vehicles which are turning at a junction should yield not only to other traffic but also to pedestrians crossing by means of a crosswalk. Vehicles proceeding straight on do not yield to other traffic or pedestrians.
In practice turning vehicles very rarely yield to pedestrians, but this would be no defence especially if you caused a pedestrian an injury.
In a few towns there are also crosswalks which are not at intersections, where cars must yield to pedestrians crossing the road.
I'm informed that in the Province of Québec the law has recently changed regarding crosswalks and is now in line with most (possibly all) other Canadian provinces and American states. Therefore, both as a pedestrian and a motorist, you are advised to take special care with regard to crosswalks in this province, especially those between intersections.
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Most recently modified 26-Mar-06