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Do Manchester drivers stop at crosswalks?

This topic was suggested by JoAnn Okey.

Last week a Manchester resident posted on Facebook “My husband and I moved to Manchester in November. Here my question: do drivers stop at the designated crosswalks in town?” 

The answer is, “sometimes.” 

But that raises a second question, “Are drivers required by law to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk?” 

And that answer is, “it depends.”

According to the State of Michigan Uniform Traffic Code for Cities, Townships, and Villages: bR 28.1702 Rule 702 – “the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be to so yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on the half of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.”

This means vehicles are required to yield if a pedestrian has stepped off the curb into the crosswalk on the same side of the street as the vehicle but are not required to yield if the pedestrian is waiting on the curb, or in the street in the crosswalk on the opposite side. Vehicles also don’t have to stop but can just slow down to give the pedestrian the space to cross. Additionally, vehicles do not have to yield to pedestrians waiting in the street to cross anywhere other than a crosswalk. 

Vehicles ARE required by law to stop for school crossing guards anywhere in a crosswalk, if they are holding a stop sign in an upright position.

The Michigan Secretary of State, in their Pedestrian and Bicycle safety tips, recommends drivers interact more cautiously with pedestrians in crosswalks, recommending drivers should “look out for and always yield the right-of-way to people walking, jogging, biking, etc.” Additionally, they recommend drivers “stop fully before turning at intersections to make sure you do not cut off pedestrians with right of way; yield to anyone crossing the street when turning; and do not pass vehicles stopped at crosswalks, as they may be allowing a pedestrian to cross the street.”

Last year in Michigan there were 2,317 pedestrians involved in 2,203 motor vehicle crashes. Of the 2,317 pedestrians involved in crashes 145 (6.3%) were killed and 1,820 (78.5%) were injured. Of all pedestrian actions prior to a crash, “crossing not at an intersection” was the most deadly, accounting for 35 (24.1%) of the pedestrian fatalities.

Municipalities can enact local laws on crosswalks stricter than the state laws. The Village of Manchester has not, but Ann Arbor has. Since 2010 Ann Arbor has had a law requiring drivers to stop for pedestrians on the curb waiting to step into the crosswalk.

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments reminds pedestrians to look left-right-left before crossing a street, watch for turning vehicles, and never assume drivers see you — wait for them to stop and make eye contact before crossing a street. They also recommend not to walk (or drive) distracted!

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and a founder of the Manchester Mirror.