

Additionally, motorists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing in a marked crosswalk, when traffic control devices are not in operation. Motorists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians on the sidewalk. When sidewalks are not provided, pedestrians may walk facing traffic on the left side of the road or in the shoulder when possible. Maine law requires that pedestrians walk on the sidewalk whenever possible. ME-29-A MRS § 2056 sets out various pedestrian safety regulations. Maine’s Laws Concerning Yielding to a Pedestrian Crossing Outside a Crosswalk As such, many motorists can be found negligent for failing to yield to pedestrians crossing in an area without crosswalks. While pedestrians are legally required to cross within crosswalks whenever possible, motorists have a duty to exercise due care to avoid collision with pedestrians, and an obligation to give a warning by sounding the horn when necessary. Of the nearly 5,000 fatal pedestrian accidents occurring each year, thousands involve pedestrians crossing the road outside the crosswalk. Sometimes, the pedestrian simply elects to cross the roadway outside of the crosswalk out of convenience or necessity. Other times, walking across the crosswalk is rendered impossible due to some obstacle or exigent circumstances. Often, a crosswalk simply does not exist on the roadway. Pedestrians are often forced to cross a roadway outside of a marked crosswalk.
