Right-of-way and intersections
A pedestrian with a white cane is waiting at the corner as you approach the intersection. Which of these is correct?
- The pedestrian has the right-of-way at all times; do not honk, and do not stop in the middle of the crosswalk. Correct answer
- Honk lightly to let the pedestrian know it is safe to cross.
- You have the right-of-way if your light is green.
Why
A white cane or a guide dog tells you the pedestrian is partially or totally blind, and the handbook gives these pedestrians the right-of-way at all times, regardless of what your signal shows. They rely on sound, so your horn does not help: it startles and confuses. Stopping in the middle of the crosswalk can force the person to walk around your vehicle into traffic. Be especially careful when turning or backing up, and in a hybrid or electric vehicle, which the pedestrian may not hear coming. When a blind pedestrian pulls in the cane and steps away from the intersection, that gesture usually means you may go.
Where this comes from
California Driver's Handbook, June 2025 edition. The correct answer is The pedestrian has the right-of-way at all times; do not honk, and do not stop in the middle of the crosswalk.
The rule behind this one
Right of way in California: who goes first goes through the whole topic, with the page of the California Driver's Handbook behind every rule.
More on right-of-way and intersections
- Two vehicles meet on a steep, narrow mountain road where neither can pass. Which vehicle must back up?
- You are on a road that ends at a T intersection with no STOP or YIELD signs. Who has the right-of-way?
- You are inside a roundabout and realize you have just gone past the exit you wanted. What should you do?
- A funeral procession led by a traffic officer is crossing the intersection ahead of you. What are you required to do?