Pedestrian crossings are wide white lines that go across a road (also known as zebra crossings). They indicate where pedestrians can cross the road safely, and vehicles are required to give way.
There will often be signs indicating a crossing up ahead with give way white diamonds and a limit line to show where to stop. There are also black and white poles with flashing orange lights on either side of the crossing.
Some crossings have raised islands in the middle creating a safe space for pedestrians to wait or stop, especially when crossing wide two-way or multi-lane roads.
When approaching a pedestrian crossing, you must:
- Slow down and be ready to stop for any pedestrians waiting or about to cross.
- Wait until the pedestrian has crossed fully and is clear of your vehicle before moving forward.
- Keep the pedestrian crossing clear if you are in a queue of traffic – do not move over the pedestrian crossing if there is no room on the other side.
- Only stop for pedestrians on your side of the road, if there is a raised island in the middle of the crossing.
These pedestrian crossings can also be used by schools to provide a safe place for children to cross. This generally happens before and after school times and ‘School Patrol Stop’ signs will be in use. These signs swing out into the road to stop traffic and allow children to cross safely.
There are also pedestrian crossings at traffic lights. These are not marked with wide white lines and pedestrians can only cross when the pedestrian light is green. Drivers turning left at traffic lights may have to wait for pedestrians to cross fully before being able to turn.