Mickelle Bisbee – Staff Writer
When it comes to crosswalks, safety for both parties, pedestrians and drivers, is critical.
“I think we do a pretty good job across the board in managing crosswalks,” said Laramie Chief of Police Dale Stalder.
For the past 10 years, Stalder said schools across Laramie have been investing in many crosswalk signs and signaling methods for their crosswalks to make them more visible to drivers as to where they are.
Stalder said these installments have shown to be a positive thing because while pedestrian-vehicle accidents do happen, they do not happen very often. In fact, there had only been 6 reported pedestrian fatalities in Wyoming as a whole in 2018, according to the Wyoming Department of Transportation crash statistics.
On Monday, Aug. 26, a 19-year-old Colorado State University student was hit by an oncoming vehicle at a crosswalk by another CSU student.
Despite the infrequency of these specific incidents in Wyoming, understanding the rights of drivers and pedestrians using a crosswalk can be helpful.
At a crosswalk, the right-of-way goes to the pedestrian almost always when entering a crosswalk. The driver must yield or stop at the crosswalk and other drivers are prohibited from passing the yielding vehicle. The pedestrian does not have to be physically in the crosswalk for a driver to yield.
However, in the event that a car has driven too close to a crosswalk before a pedestrian has entered, the pedestrian must yield as to not cause an immediate hazard to themselves or the driver, all according to the 2013 Wyoming Statutes, Title 31, Chapter 5, Article 6.
To ensure their safety, Stalder said that pedestrians should always make sure that drivers, are in fact, yielding to the crosswalk. The pedestrian should be at the curve of the sidewalk where the crosswalk begins and then signal that they are wanting to cross.
Not all drivers do as they are supposed to, so it is important for the pedestrian to look at the actions of the driver and before making their move.
Bicycles are also considered a vehicle when they are on the road and must abide by the laws of vehicles, including crosswalks. Because these vehicles are smaller, they may be harder to see, so it is up to the pedestrian to look closely at the road before crossing to ensure their safety.
Students with questions about their safety at crosswalks may look at the 2013 Wyoming statutes at https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/2013/title-31/chapter-5/article-6/. Students may also contact the Laramie Police Station or the UW Police Station regarding their rights.
