10.1 Vulnerable Road Users, Pedestrians & the White Cane Law
Key Takeaways
Massachusetts requires drivers to leave at least four feet when passing a vulnerable road user, and allows crossing the center line to do so when safe.
Vulnerable road users include pedestrians, roadside workers, bicyclists, horse riders, and people using wheelchairs, mopeds, scooters, skateboards or roller skates.
Under the White Cane Law, drivers must come to a full stop for a blind pedestrian using a white cane or guide dog; violations carry a $100 to $500 fine.
At a marked crosswalk without working signals, yield to a pedestrian on your half of the road or within 10 feet of it, and never pass a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian.
Pedestrians walking where there is no sidewalk should use the shoulder facing traffic.
One in four motor vehicle deaths involves a pedestrian, and we are all pedestrians at some point. The permit exam specifically covers sharing the road with pedestrians, bicyclists and people who are visually impaired, so this section is high-yield.
The Vulnerable Road Users Law
Massachusetts defines vulnerable road users as:
- Pedestrians
- Roadside workers
- Bicyclists
- People riding horses or in horse-drawn carriages
- People using wheelchairs, personal mobility devices, motorized bicycles (mopeds), motorized scooters, non-motorized scooters, skateboards or roller skates
When you pass a vulnerable road user:
- Leave at least four feet between your vehicle and the person.
- If it is safe, you may use all or part of the next lane, and you may cross the center line if necessary.
- You must obey the speed limit while passing.
Signs announcing the law are posted on roads without bike lanes or separated paths.
Pedestrians Who Need Extra Care
Distraction, fatigue or drifting out of your lane for even a few seconds can kill a pedestrian. Be especially careful with:
| Group | Why |
|---|---|
| Children | Unpredictable and hard to see. Slow down near school zones, parks, bus stops and playgrounds. |
| Joggers and skaters | They do not always obey signals and crosswalk rules. |
| People behind you when backing | Mirrors and sensors miss blind spots. Check behind the car before getting in, and turn your head to look before backing. |
| Blind or visually impaired people | See the White Cane Law below. |
| Deaf or hard-of-hearing people | You cannot tell by looking. Never assume a pedestrian, bicyclist or driver can hear you. It is always safer to yield, even when you have the right-of-way. |
| People at train and bus stops | Heavier foot traffic near transit stops |
| Older pedestrians near senior centers | They may have reduced eyesight, hearing, mobility and reaction time. |
Slow down and stop when necessary for anyone walking in the street. Look ahead for places where pedestrians may be hidden: around a curve, at the top of a hill, or between parked cars.
The White Cane Law
Under M.G.L. chapter 90, section 14A, when a totally or partially blind pedestrian guided by a guide dog, or carrying a white cane (or a white cane tipped with red) in a raised or extended position, crosses or tries to cross a road:
- Every driver approaching must come to a full stop.
- Stay stopped until the person has safely crossed, taking whatever precautions are needed to avoid injuring them.
- Do not honk or wave the person on.
- Never pass another vehicle that has stopped for the pedestrian.
Violations carry a fine of $100 to $500. A blind person who is not carrying a cane or using a dog keeps every normal pedestrian right.
The Crosswalk Law
Where traffic signals are not in place or not working, M.G.L. chapter 89, section 11 requires drivers to yield, slowing or stopping if necessary, to a pedestrian crossing in a marked crosswalk who is:
- On your half of the road, or
- Approaching from the other half to within 10 feet of your half
The same law says:
- No driver may pass a vehicle that has stopped at a marked crosswalk to let a pedestrian cross.
- Do not enter a marked crosswalk while a pedestrian is crossing, or until there is room beyond it for your vehicle, even if a signal says you may go.
Violations carry a fine of up to $200, and police investigate whenever a pedestrian is injured in a marked crosswalk.
Laws for Drivers at Signals and Crosswalks
- Yield to pedestrians entering or using a crosswalk in your path.
- Never let your vehicle block a crosswalk.
- Yield when your signal is red, or red and yellow.
- Never pass a vehicle stopped or slowing for a pedestrian.
- Yield when turning into a driveway or parking lot, and yield to pedestrians on sidewalks and crossing alleys.
Rules for Pedestrians
The manual also lists what pedestrians must do:
- Use a crosswalk when one is available, and wait for WALK where there is a push button.
- Do not start crossing on DON'T WALK.
- At the curb, look left, look right, and look left again, even on a one-way street, and watch for cars turning right on red.
- If you must step out between parked cars, stop and look first.
- Use the sidewalk when there is one. Where there is none, walk on the shoulder facing traffic.
- Never walk along or across expressways, Interstate highways or turnpikes.
- Wear bright colors or reflective strips, especially at night.
Why Speed Matters to Pedestrians
The manual's figures (Section 7.1): a pedestrian struck at 20 mph has a 13 percent chance of serious injury or death, rising to 40 percent at 30 mph and 73 percent at 40 mph. Lower speed near people on foot saves lives.
Scenarios
- Two-lane road, cyclist ahead, double yellow line, no oncoming traffic: you may cross the center line to give at least four feet, while staying within the speed limit.
- A car in the next lane stops at a crosswalk: stop too. Passing it is illegal and could kill a pedestrian you cannot see.
- A person with a white cane steps off the curb mid-block: come to a full stop and wait until they have crossed, without honking.
How much space must a driver leave when passing a bicyclist or other vulnerable road user in Massachusetts?
At least two feet
At least six feet
At least four feet
At least three feet
A blind pedestrian carrying a white cane begins to cross the street ahead of you. What does Massachusetts law require?
Wave the person across, then drive slowly around them
Stop only if the person is inside a marked crosswalk
Come to a full stop and stay stopped until they have crossed
Slow down and tap the horn so the person knows you are there
Where there is no sidewalk, where should a pedestrian walk?
On the shoulder, with traffic
On the shoulder, facing traffic
In the bicycle lane, with traffic
In the center of the travel lane
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.