Connecticut General Statutes 14-300 – Crosswalks. Pedestrian-control signals. Regulation of pedestrians and motor vehicles at crosswalks. Pedestrians who are blind or have guide dogs
(a) The traffic authority may designate, by appropriate official traffic control devices, as defined in section 14-297, or markers, or by lines upon the surface of the highway, such crosswalks and intersections as, in its opinion, constitute a danger to pedestrians crossing the highway including, but not limited to, specially marked crosswalks in the vicinity of schools, which crosswalks shall have distinctive markings, in accordance with the regulations of the Office of the State Traffic Administration, to denote use of such crosswalks by school children; and may maintain suitable signs located at intervals along highways, particularly where there are no sidewalks, directing pedestrians to walk facing vehicular traffic.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 14-300
- Crosswalk: means that portion of a highway ordinarily included within the prolongation or connection of the lateral lines of sidewalks at intersections, or any portion of a highway distinctly indicated, by lines or other markings on the surface, as a crossing for pedestrians, except such prolonged or connecting lines from an alley across a street. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-297
- Official traffic control devices: means all signs, signals, markings and devices consistent with the provisions of this chapter and placed or erected, for the purpose of regulating, warning or guiding traffic, by authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-297
- Traffic: means pedestrians, vehicles and other conveyances while using any highway for the purpose of travel. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-297
- Traffic authority: means the board of police commissioners of any city, town or borough, or the city or town manager, the chief of police, the superintendent of police or any legally elected or appointed official or board, or any official having similar powers and duties, of any city, town or borough that has no board of police commissioners but has a regularly appointed force, or the board of selectmen of any town in which there is no city or borough with a regularly appointed police force, except that, with respect to state highways and bridges, "traffic authority" means the Office of the State Traffic Administration, provided nothing contained in this section shall be construed to limit or detract from the jurisdiction or authority of the Office of the State Traffic Administration to adopt regulations establishing a uniform system of traffic control signals, devices, signs and markings as provided in section 14-298, and the requirement that no installation of any traffic control signal light shall be made by any city, town or borough until the installation has been approved by the Office of the State Traffic Administration as provided in section 14-299. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-297
(b) At any intersection where special pedestrian-control signals bearing the words “Walk” or “Don’t Walk” or the image of a walking person symbolizing “Walk” or an upraised hand symbolizing “Don’t Walk” are placed, pedestrians may cross the highway only as indicated by the signal. At any intersection where traffic is controlled by other traffic control signals or by police officers, pedestrians shall not cross the highway against a red or “Stop” signal and shall not cross at any place not a marked or unmarked crosswalk. A pedestrian started or starting across the highway or on any such crosswalk shall have the right-of-way over all vehicles, including those making turns, until such pedestrian has reached the opposite curb or safety zone.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (c) of section 14-300c, at any crosswalk marked as provided in subsection (a) of this section or any unmarked crosswalk, provided such crosswalks are not controlled by police officers or traffic control signals, each operator of a vehicle shall grant the right-of-way, and slow or stop such vehicle if necessary to so grant the right-of-way, to any pedestrian crossing the roadway within such crosswalk. For the purposes of this subsection, a pedestrian is “crossing the roadway within such crosswalk” when the pedestrian (1) is within any portion of the crosswalk, (2) steps to the curb at the entrance to the crosswalk and indicates his or her intent to cross the roadway by raising his or her hand and arm toward oncoming traffic, or (3) indicates his or her intent to cross the roadway by moving any part of his or her body or an extension thereof, including, but not limited to, a wheelchair, cane, walking stick, crutch, bicycle, electric bicycle, stroller, carriage, cart or leashed or harnessed dog, into the crosswalk at the entrance to the crosswalk. No operator of a vehicle approaching from the rear shall overtake and pass any vehicle, the operator of which has stopped at any crosswalk marked as provided in subsection (a) of this section or any unmarked crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway. The operator of any vehicle crossing a sidewalk shall yield the right-of-way to each pedestrian and all other traffic upon such sidewalk.
(d) The operator of a motor vehicle who approaches or comes into the immediate vicinity of a pedestrian who is blind, as defined in subsection (a) of section 1-1f, carrying a white cane or a white cane tipped with red, or a pedestrian being guided by a guide dog, shall reduce speed or stop, if necessary, to yield the right-of-way to such pedestrian. No person, except one who is blind, shall carry or use on any street or highway, or in any other public place, a cane or walking stick which is white in color or white, tipped with red.
(e) Any crosswalk designated by a traffic authority on or after October 1, 2010, pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be required by such authority to have markings, signage, or any control signals deemed necessary by such authority to provide sufficient time for the safe crossing of pedestrians.
(f) The operator of any motor vehicle who violates this section shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.
(g) In any civil action arising under subsection (c) or (d) of this section or sections 14-300b to 14-300d, inclusive, the doctrine of negligence per se shall not apply.