Complaints lead to DPS reminding residents of crosswalk ordinances

SIKESTON — Sikeston DPS Director Williams is reminding all local drivers and pedestrians to exercise caution when driving or walking near crosswalks.

DPS officers have recently received complaints of drivers failing to allow pedestrians the right away at marked crosswalks. DPS also wants to remind pedestrians to follow these same ordinances and use caution when walking along roadways. Pedestrians should always use sidewalks when available and cross the roadway within the crosswalk or traffic control device.

DPS officers will be monitoring the crosswalks and enforce the city’s ordinances already in effect. Those ordinances are:

Section 345.020 Pedestrians’ Right-Of-Way in Crosswalks

A. When traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be to so yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling, or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.

B. No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.

C. Subsection (A) shall not apply under the conditions stated in Subsection (B) of Section 345.050. (Attached below)

D. Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or at any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle.

Section 345.050 When Pedestrian Shall Yield.

A. Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

B. Any pedestrian crossing a roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

C. The foregoing rules in this Section have no application under the conditions stated in Section 345.060 when pedestrians are prohibited from crossing at certain designated places.

Section 345.060 Prohibited Crossing.

A. Between adjacent intersections at which traffic control signals are in operation, pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a crosswalk.

B. No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than in a crosswalk in any business district.

C. No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than in a crosswalk upon any street designated by ordinance.

D. No pedestrian shall cross a roadway intersection diagonally unless authorized by official traffic control devices and, when authorized to cross diagonally, pedestrians shall cross only in accordance with the official traffic control devices pertaining to such crossing movements.