California injury laws
Vehicle Code § 21950: pedestrian right-of-way
Drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing within a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, with limited exceptions in the Vehicle Code. This rule is central to most pedestrian cases. Comparative fault can still reduce a recovery if the pedestrian did not use reasonable care, which is why scene evidence matters.
What the law says
Drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing within a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, with limited exceptions in the Vehicle Code.
Official text (excerpt)
The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
Read the full section on the official site
Why it matters in an injury claim
This rule is central to most pedestrian cases. Comparative fault can still reduce a recovery if the pedestrian did not use reasonable care, which is why scene evidence matters.
Related pages
- Pedestrian accidentsPeople on foot struck by vehicles.
- School zones, walking and bikingSchool-zone speed limits, crosswalks, crossing guards and helmets.
- Pedestrian and bicycle safety dataWalking and biking deaths, e-bikes and local safety plans.
- Crash explorerInteractive map and charts of every injury crash since 2016.
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