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Legal Mid-Block Crossing for Pedestrians in Maryland

Letter to Nadji Kirby, Safe Routes to School Coordinator

March 23, 2013

This morning I read the item in the Upcounty Today newsletter about the pedestrian safety quiz at the Montgomery County Public Schools Junior Councils’ General Assembly in February.

I was glad to see the reminder that both pedestrians and drivers should follow safety rules (i.e., laws).

I'm concerned about the answer to question #5, however. The “correct answer” for this question includes the explanation, “Breaking the law by not using a crosswalk can cost you a $50 ticket or much worse -- an injury or even your life.”

This explanation includes an error. In general, not using a crosswalk is not, in fact, breaking the law. It is legal in Maryland for pedestrians to cross outside of a crosswalk, unless both adjacent intersections have a traffic signal. See Maryland Transportation Code Section 21-503 “Crossing at other than crosswalks.”

Section 21-503(a) says, “In general.- If a pedestrian crosses a roadway at any point other than in a marked crosswalk or in an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, the pedestrian shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching on the roadway.”

Section 21-503(c) says, “Between adjacent intersections.- Between adjacent intersections at which a traffic control signal is in operation, a pedestrian may cross a roadway only in a marked crosswalk.”

I hope that you will correct this error.


Sincerely,

Miriam Schoenbaum
Action Committee for Transit, Upcounty Coordinator