According to the St. Gallen canton police, there is often a lack of clarity as to what rights and obligations pedestrians have in traffic. They provide clarity in a recently published guide.
Where do pedestrians have right of way?
People who are on foot in road traffic have right of way on pedestrian crossings, sidewalks, and footpaths that are marked with a blue mandatory sign. Every child knows: "I have right of way on the pedestrian crossing!" But suddenly crossing the street on a pedestrian crossing without waiting for an approaching vehicle to stop is not only inconsiderate but also dangerous. And it is also important for pedestrians to wear reflective vests in the night or dark time.
In meeting zones, pedestrians always have right of way over rolling traffic. This also applies when crossing the street. This looks different with 30 zones. "Pedestrians are generally allowed to cross the street anywhere, but they must give way to the vehicles on the street," says the guide.
Behavior at the pedestrian crossing and light signals
According to the police, abruptly entering the pedestrian crossing without taking into account the rolling traffic can also be viewed from a legal point of view as "enforcing the right of way", which is a violation of road traffic legislation. If the lane is crossed next to the pedestrian crossing, this could be punished with a fine of ten francs. This rule applies up to 50 meters before and after the pedestrian crossing. The same rules apply to pedestrian crossings and underpasses.
According to the police, it happens again and again that people in their motor vehicles are distracted while driving. "If someone enters the pedestrian crossing at this point, dangerous situations or even accidents can occur," says the guide. Entering the road, for example behind a bus stopping or parked vehicles, is similarly dangerous.
Traffic lights also apply to pedestrians, at least those that are intended for such. Entering the lane when it is red and ignoring the light signal can be punished with a fine of 20 francs. "So it is not only worth waiting for the green phase of a light signal for safety reasons," said the police.
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