Do you have to stop for a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk in New Jersey?
A pedestrian is crossing in a marked crosswalk in front of your car. In New Jersey, what must you do?
The answer
Yes. Stop and stay stopped to let the pedestrian cross. Yielding or slowing down is not enough at a marked crosswalk.
New Jersey law says a driver must stop and remain stopped for a pedestrian crossing in a marked crosswalk when the pedestrian is in your half of the roadway or within one lane of it. That includes a crosswalk you are turning into.
At an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection the duty is different: you must yield the right of way to the pedestrian.
If another vehicle has stopped to let a pedestrian cross, do not pass it. Overtaking a stopped vehicle is a separate violation.
Exceptions
- Where traffic signals or a police officer are directing traffic, you follow the signal or the officer instead.
- Where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead crossing has been provided, the rule does not apply.
- Pedestrians may not step off a curb into the path of a vehicle that is too close to stop. The law still expects you to use due care for pedestrians on the road.
Penalty
The MVC points schedule lists 2 points for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk or passing a vehicle that is yielding to one. The court sets any fine.
Why this rule matters for safety
A driver in the next lane often cannot see a pedestrian hidden behind a stopped vehicle. Passing a stopped car is how crosswalk crashes happen.
Stopping completely gives the pedestrian time to cross and gives you a clear view of the whole crosswalk before you move.
Official sources
- N.J.S.A. 39:4-36(a), as enacted by P.L.2009, c.319 · New Jersey LegislatureSubsection (a): stop and remain stopped in a marked crosswalk; yield at an unmarked crosswalk; do not pass a stopped vehicle
- Motor vehicle points schedule · New Jersey Motor Vehicle CommissionN.J.S.A. 39:4-36: failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk; passing a yielding vehicle
- Pedestrian safety responsibilities · New Jersey Department of TransportationDriver and pedestrian responsibilities (page updated Oct 20, 2023)
Rules checked against these sources on . Laws change. Confirm with the New Jersey agency before you rely on this for a legal matter.
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