Tag: crosswalk

Posted on

Back-to-School Driving Reminders

I’ve been hearing from folks who, as the school year starts up again, have not so much a question as a common request: “Can you please remind people to drive safe, especially around schools?” Of course I can. As requested: “Hey drivers, be safe on the road, and watch out for the kids.” I’d also like to go a couple steps further by expanding our concept of “kids” and why this time of year is extra-risky for drivers. Continue reading “Back-to-School Driving Reminders”

Posted on

Why are there school zones without schools?

Q: Why do School zones exist in areas with no school nearby? I have noticed locations on Fraser Street and Orleans Street where it says school zones yet there are no schools nearby. In both of these locations the nearest public school is over a mile away and numerous roads exist closer to the school that aren’t designated school zones.

A: Not that I don’t trust you, but I drove out to the locations you described, and I couldn’t find any schools nearby either. At first I was as puzzled as you, so I reviewed RCW 46.61.440, the state law regarding school zones. I discovered that school zones come in two flavors. Most frequently, school zones are the 20 MPH areas found on roads that border a school. These zones extend up to 300 feet from the edge of the school property. As drivers, we all are (or should be) familiar with these school zones. Continue reading “Why are there school zones without schools?”

Posted on

Crosswalks – Part 2

Previously we answered the original question about when motorists are supposed to stop at crosswalks, but I want to go a few steps further and look at pedestrian duties, crosswalk enforcement and survival skills. Let’s begin with rules for pedestrians crossing the street; first in crosswalks and then at other locations. At crosswalks pedestrians really only have one rule: Don’t run out in front of a car, making it impossible for the driver to stop in time. Again, seems obvious. However, have you ever seen a pedestrian step into a crosswalk, right in front of a car, because sending a text message was higher priority than checking for traffic? Cars are required to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks, but that doesn’t relieve the pedestrian of the requirement to pay attention and have reasonable expectations about how much distance it takes a car to stop. Continue reading “Crosswalks – Part 2”

Posted on

Crosswalks – Part 1

Q: Crosswalks Part One: Can you please explain crosswalks, and when motorists are supposed to stop, including unmarked crosswalks?

A: Ah, yes, crosswalks. On the surface it seems so obvious; when a pedestrian is in a crosswalk, drivers should stop. But there’s more to it than that, including the question, “What is a crosswalk?” Until I read the definition of a crosswalk in the Revised Code of Washington years ago, I thought a crosswalk was the white paint on the road that pedestrians used to get across intersections. While that is a crosswalk, it is not the only kind. When you approach an intersection and see the stripes just beyond the stop line, you’re seeing a marked crosswalk. However, if you were to come to an intersection without the painted crossing markings, you’d still be approaching a crosswalk, but in this case it would be an unmarked crosswalk. Confused yet? Just remember that painted on the road or not, that ten foot wide strip between where you’re supposed to stop at an intersection and where the lanes of travel cross over each other is a crosswalk. Continue reading “Crosswalks – Part 1”