Once the snow finally melts and the temperature starts to rise, many people enjoy getting some exercise and enjoying the sights by walking.
As people traverse the busy streets, the risk of an incident happening rises. With pedestrian deaths on the rise, it serves as an ideal time to revisit the walkway laws.
Minnesota’s roadway and crosswalk rules
Minnesota Statue 169.21 clearly defines the rules of the road for pedestrians. Like motorists, a pedestrian must follow any traffic signals when crossing an intersection. When an intersection has a signal, that also means the pedestrian must cross there. If the location has no signal, pedestrians have the right of way. By law, drivers must yield to any person in a crosswalk. When crossing the street at any other location than a crosswalk, drivers have the right of way. In the event of having to walk on the street due to no sidewalk, people need to walk on the left side to give way to approaching traffic.
Accident victims rights
Even when people know and follow the rules, accidents happen. Unfortunately, a pedestrian getting hit by a car often results in substantially more severe injuries than other incidents. In a no-fault state, both the driver and the pedestrian must file a claim regardless of fault. Similar to a vehicle-on-vehicle accident, compensation will require proof of evidence.
To help minimize the risk of getting struck by a vehicle, people should avoid walking while distracted, ensure visibility to drivers and wear reflective or bright-colored clothing at night.
