Pedestrian on the road. Driving principles and safety systems

Autumn and winter are tough seasons not only for drivers. In this case, pedestrians are also at greater risk. Frequent rains, fog and fast dusk make them less visible.

Drivers encounter pedestrian traffic mainly in the city. In accordance with the Road Traffic Act, pedestrians can cross to the other side of the road in specially designated places, that is, at pedestrian crossings. According to the rules, pedestrians at the marked crossing have priority over the vehicle. In this case, it is forbidden to step directly in front of a moving vehicle. The driver, on the contrary, must exercise extreme caution when approaching a pedestrian crossing.

The rules allow pedestrians to cross the road outside the crossing if the distance to the nearest such place exceeds 100 meters. However, before doing so, he must make sure that he can do this in compliance with safety rules and will not interfere with the movement of vehicles, and drivers of sudden braking. The pedestrian must give way to vehicles and cross to the opposite edge of the road along the shortest road perpendicular to the axis of the road.

However, pedestrians meet pedestrians not only in the city, but also on roads outside settlements.

– If there is no pavement, pedestrians can move on the left side of the road, thanks to which they will see cars coming from the opposite side, explains Radosław Jaskulski, an instructor at Skoda Auto Szkoła.

Pedestrians traveling on the road outside of settlements are especially at risk at night. Then the driver may not notice it. What many pedestrians don't realize is that car headlights don't always illuminate a person wearing dark clothes. And if another vehicle is driving towards you, and even with well-placed headlights, then the pedestrian on the edge of the carriageway simply “fades out” in the headlights.

– Therefore, in order to increase safety, an obligation has been introduced for pedestrians to use reflective elements outside of built-up areas on the road after dusk. At night, the driver sees a pedestrian in a dark suit from a distance of about 40 meters. However, if it has reflective elements, it becomes visible even from a distance of 150 meters, emphasizes Radoslav Jaskulsky.

The rules provide for an exception: after dusk, a pedestrian can move outside the settlement without reflective elements if he is on a pedestrian-only road or on a sidewalk. Reflector provisions do not apply in residential areas – pedestrians use the full width of the road there and have priority over vehicles.

Car manufacturers are also looking into pedestrian safety by developing specific protection systems for the most vulnerable road users. In the past, such solutions were used in higher-end vehicles. Nowadays, they can also be found in cars of popular brands. For example, Skoda in the Karoq and Kodiaq models is equipped as standard with the Pedestrian Monitor system, that is, a pedestrian protection system. This is an emergency braking function that uses the electronic stabilization program ESC and the front radar. At speeds between 5 and 65 km/h, the system is able to recognize the risk of a collision with a pedestrian and react on its own – first with a warning of the danger, and then with automatic braking. At higher speeds, the system reacts to danger by emitting a warning sound and displaying an indicator light on the instrument panel.

Despite the development of protection systems, nothing can replace the caution of drivers and pedestrians.

- From kindergarten, the principle should be instilled in children: look to the left, look to the right, look to the left again. If all else fails, take the shortest and most decisive route. We must apply this rule no matter where we cross the road, even at an intersection with a traffic light, says a Skoda Auto Szkoła instructor.