Arizona Crosswalk Law: When Drivers Must Yield to Pedestrians (A.R.S. § 28-792)

Under Arizona law, a driver must give way to a pedestrian crossing within a crosswalk where traffic signals are not in place or not operating, and must not pass another vehicle that has stopped to let a pedestrian cross. Those two duties come from A.R.S. § 28-792. Pedestrians have duties too, set out in A.R.S. § 28-793, and the two statutes are meant to be read together.

When a driver must give way

Subsection A of § 28-792 applies where traffic control signals are absent or not working. In that situation, a driver must give way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on the driver's half of the road, or is approaching from the other half closely enough to be in danger. Giving way can mean slowing down or stopping completely.

The passing rule below applies at both marked crosswalks and unmarked crosswalks at intersections.

Do not pass a car that has stopped

Subsection B addresses a common and dangerous situation on multi-lane roads. When a vehicle has stopped at a marked crosswalk, or at an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, to let a pedestrian cross, a driver approaching from behind may not pass that stopped vehicle.

The reason is visibility. The stopped car can block your view of the person in the crosswalk, and a driver in the next lane may not see them until it is too late. If the lane beside you is stopped for no obvious reason near a crosswalk, treat that as a signal to stop too.

What pedestrians must do

Section 28-792 also places a duty on people on foot: a pedestrian may not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk into the path of a vehicle that is so close it cannot reasonably yield.

Under § 28-793, a pedestrian crossing outside a marked crosswalk, or outside an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, must give way to all vehicles on the roadway. The same duty applies where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead crossing is provided. Between adjacent intersections that have operating traffic signals, pedestrians may cross only in a marked crosswalk.

Habits that keep everyone safer

• Approach crosswalks at a speed that lets you stop, especially near schools, bus stops and parking lots.
• Look past the vehicle beside you before changing lanes or accelerating near a crosswalk.
• As a pedestrian, make eye contact and wait until a driver has actually stopped before stepping off the curb.
• Use the signal at signalized crossings. Other rules apply there, and this article covers only the unsignalized rule.

Where intersections fit in

Crosswalks sit at intersections, and intersections are where metro Phoenix crashes concentrate. For the broader picture, see what two years of ADOT data show about intersection crashes. Another driver duty tied to protecting people outside their vehicles is covered in Arizona's school-bus stop-arm law.

This article is general information about Arizona traffic law, not legal advice. Statute descriptions are based on the Arizona Legislature's published A.R.S. §§ 28-792 and 28-793 at azleg.gov. Statutes can be amended; check the current text for your situation.