What are the traffic rules for pedestrians to know in Texas City, TX?

 

A:

Section 552 of the Texas Transportation Code contains important rules relating to pedestrian rights and safety. But many pedestrians remain unaware of many of these rules. Section 552 governs pedestrian rights and obligations in relation to the Texas City roadways. Some of these important laws from the Texas Transportation Code you probably already know.

• A Texas City pedestrian can start to cross the road on a green or "walk" signal, but not on a yellow "wait" or red "stop" signal (or on a green right turn only arrow). A motor vehicle must yield you the right of way if you are properly crossing on a green or "walk" signal.
• A Texas City pedestrian shouldn't cross an intersection diagonally.
• Pedestrians in Texas City, TX should cross at intersections in marked or unmarked crosswalks. A motor vehicle must yield the right of way to a Texas City pedestrian crossing at a crosswalk if there's no traffic signal, the pedestrian is in the half of the roadway that the vehicle's traveling in, or the pedestrian is approaching from the other half of the road and is so near as to be in danger of injury or accident.
• Texas City pedestrians lose the right of way if they suddenly walk into the path of a vehicle approaching so closely that it's impossible for the driver to yield. The resulting vehicle accident becomes the pedestrian's fault.
• Pedestrians in Texas City, TX also lose the right of way if they cross the road at a place other than at an intersection's crosswalk areas (or at special pedestrian tunnels or overhead crossings).

But a few of the laws governing pedestrian conduct in Texas City, TX are less obvious, and you might not be aware of them.

• Texas City pedestrians should not walk in a road where an accessible sidewalk is available. Pedestrians lose their right of way if they walk in a road instead of on an available sidewalk.
• If no sidewalk exists, then pedestrians in Texas City, TX must walk on the left side of the road, or on the shoulder of the road that faces oncoming traffic.
• Vehicles approaching or exiting from an alley, building, private drive or private roadway must yield, and pedestrians in Texas City, TX have the right of way as they approach on sidewalks extending across these areas.

The Texas Transportation Code goes further in Section 552.008 to provide that in spite of all these laws, vehicle drivers in Texas City still must take due care for pedestrian safety and avoid striking them with their vehicles. The drivers should sound warnings with vehicle horns when necessary. And the drivers must take proper precautions when they observe a child or an obviously confused or incapacitated person in the Texas City roadways. In effect, this provision recognizes that children or physically or mentally incapacitated persons can't be held to the same standard as able adults with regard to the Texas traffic laws.

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