In cities like New York, pedestrian traffic can be as heavy as roadway traffic. The streets and sidewalks of the city can clog with individuals walking and jogging to their destinations, often while talking on their phones, listening to music, or otherwise distracting themselves from their surroundings. This combination of elements can create dangerous situations for both drivers and pedestrians when they cross paths.
New York has strict crosswalk laws. When a crosswalk is controlled by a signal, pedestrians must abide by that signal to safely and legally cross the road. However, where there is no controlling signal or when the signal is not working, drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and allow them to safely get to the other side of the street.
A dangerous situation can occur when a driver decides to pass the car in front of them when they are stopped at a crosswalk. The danger in this situation arises from the fact that the passing driver may not see a person in the crosswalk and can hit them.
Because of the dangers inherent in this activity, the state of New York has penalized passing other cars at crosswalks. Individuals who are charged with doing so may face traffic violations and points on their driving records. Depending upon what happens, they may face other charges if anyone is hurt or killed. Attorneys can help New York drivers with crosswalk-based traffic violations to understand their charges and the potential consequences they may face if they are found guilty.