Wrexham Council’s traffic department has recently seen a spike in reports of vehicles failing to stop at zebra crossings across the county.
Motorists are reminded that Rule 195 of the Highway Code stipulates that a driver must stop and give way the moment that a pedestrian moves onto a crossing.
Drivers should look out for pedestrians waiting to cross and be ready to slow down or stop letting them cross.
This is to allow pedestrians to feel confident in crossing the road, particularly children, elderly people and those with disabilities who rely on zebra crossings more than others because of their age, ability, and the judgement to read the speed of oncoming vehicles.
A failure to stop at a zebra crossing in some circumstances can result in a penalty notice being given with three penalty points and a £100 fine.
This, added to the potential dangers to people’s safety and maybe even people’s lives in some cases, is not stopping really worth the risk?
A full breakdown and description of the rules for motorists around zebra crossings can be found in the Highway Code.
Councillor David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment said: – “everybody’s safety on our roads is a key priority in Wrexham, and I’m very concerned about the increase in reports of motorists failing to stop at zebra crossings locally.
“So I’d like to take this opportunity to urge the public to re-familiarise themselves with the relevant parts of the Highway Code around the safe use of zebra crossings and take all the right measures to ensure a safe road network for everyone in Wrexham.”
