Crosswalk Laws: A Driver’s Guide

This segment of The Law and You features personal injury trial lawyer Don Corson bringing awareness on Oregon’s crosswalk laws and how they keep pedestrians safe from injury. For more information on Oregon’s crosswalk laws, visit: Oregon Crosswalk Laws. If you have a case that you would like legal advice on, please contact us.

TRANSCRIPT

JOEL: This is Joel Block for The Law and You with Eugene attorney Don Corson. Don, you’ve handled many cases related to pedestrians being injured in crosswalks. What laws are in place to prevent these accidents?

DON: Joel, in Oregon, a quarter of pedestrians who are struck by vehicles are hit while they are in crosswalks. Some of our cases involved pedestrians who were killed, or required multiple surgeries. These losses could have been avoided if traffic laws had been obeyed. From a safety standpoint, drivers should always look out for pedestrians, even if they cross in the middle of the street. From a legal standpoint, when someone steps off the curb into a crosswalk at an ordinary intersection, drivers are obligated to stop. Remain stopped until the pedestrian has cleared your lane and the next lane. Remember, every intersection is a crosswalk, whether it is marked or not. It is also against the law to pass another vehicle that is stopped at a crosswalk.

JOEL: Thanks, Don. To learn more about cases they have handled, visit CorsonJohnsonLaw.com. The Law and You is a part of Corson & Johnson’s work to Make Communities Safer.

The Corson & Johnson Law Firm, a Eugene, Oregon personal injury trial law firm, produced and distributed The Law and You as a public service to help families and consumers answer questions about our legal system and how it works for them. The Law and You spots were aired on KKNU, KMGE, KEUG, and KODZ in Eugene, Oregon. If you have legal questions or topics you would like addressed on our website, please contact us.