Road-rule mix: Pedestrians and sidewalks

At a marked crosswalk with no operating traffic signal or pedestrian overpass or tunnel, someone is already crossing the roadway. How should you respond?

Correct answer: Yield, slowing or stopping as necessary.

The crosswalk provision requires a driver to yield, slowing or stopping if necessary, when traffic-control signals are not operating. It does not make a crossing guard a prerequisite. This scenario excludes the separately stated tunnel or overhead-crossing condition.

Source: 23 V.S.A. §1051, (a), Pedestrians’ right of way in crosswalks; §1052(b), tunnel/overhead-crossing condition; Vermont Statutes Online body read October 1, 2026. Publisher compilation includes the 2025 session; later 2026 amendments not independently reconciled. ↗

A car ahead is stopped at an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to let a pedestrian cross. May you overtake and pass that car while the pedestrian crosses?

Correct answer: No. The no-passing rule also covers an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

A driver approaching from behind may not overtake and pass a vehicle stopped to permit a pedestrian to cross at either a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

Source: 23 V.S.A. §1051, (c), vehicle stopped to permit a pedestrian crossing; Vermont Statutes Online body read October 1, 2026. Publisher compilation includes the 2025 session; later 2026 amendments not independently reconciled. ↗

A pedestrian is attempting to cross while carrying a white cane extended in front of them. What must an approaching driver do?

Correct answer: Fully stop before the crossing place and take necessary precautions to avoid injury before proceeding.

The provision requires a full stop before the intersection or crossing place for a person crossing or attempting to cross with a raised or extended white cane, including one tipped with red, or guided by a guide dog. Necessary injury-avoidance precautions are required before proceeding.

Source: 23 V.S.A. §1057, (a), Duty toward persons who are blind; Vermont Statutes Online body read October 1, 2026. Publisher compilation includes the 2025 session; later 2026 amendments not independently reconciled. ↗

A person with a severe visual disability is crossing without a white cane or guide dog. Does the lack of those aids remove the person's ordinary rights as a pedestrian?

Correct answer: No. The person retains the rights and privileges the law gives pedestrians.

The provision expressly preserves pedestrian rights for a person with a qualifying visual disability who is not using a cane or guide dog. Drivers must not treat the absence of an aid as removing those rights.

Source: 23 V.S.A. §1057, (c), preservation of pedestrian rights without a cane or dog; Vermont Statutes Online body read October 1, 2026. Publisher compilation includes the 2025 session; later 2026 amendments not independently reconciled. ↗

Traffic is queued beside a designated safety zone. May you drive through that zone to get around the queue?

Correct answer: No. Vehicles must not be driven through or within a safety zone.

Section 1059 prohibits driving a vehicle through or within a safety zone. An empty-looking zone or a slow queue does not create permission to use it as a traffic lane.

Source: 23 V.S.A. §1059, Driving through safety zone, complete operative sentence; Vermont Statutes Online body read October 1, 2026. Publisher compilation includes the 2025 session; later 2026 amendments not independently reconciled. ↗

You are leaving a driveway across a sidewalk. A pedestrian is approaching along the sidewalk. What must you do before driving across it?

Correct answer: Stop immediately before the sidewalk area and yield as necessary to avoid contact with the pedestrian.

The driveway-emergence rule requires a stop immediately before driving onto the sidewalk or its continuation across the driveway, and yielding to a pedestrian as needed to avoid contact. The separate duty toward roadway vehicles also remains when entering the road.

Source: 23 V.S.A. §1074, Vehicle entering roadway, sidewalk stopping and pedestrian-yield clauses; Vermont Statutes Online body read October 1, 2026. Publisher compilation includes the 2025 session; later 2026 amendments not independently reconciled. ↗