Pedestrians Have Responsibilities Too

“Both in the city and on the road, it is essential that pedestrians avoid using their mobile phones and listening to music or the radio with headphones.” This is the advice from the General Directorate of Traffic which shows that pedestrians also have obligations. “By distracting you, it isolates you from traffic and makes you even more vulnerable to being run over,” they emphasise.

The use of mobile phones at the wheel, whose action carries a fine of 200 euros and the loss of 6 points from the driver’s license, has nothing to do in this case with pedestrians, who are not subject to sanctions. However, the DGT is also aware that they are distracted with the phone in hand, oblivious to their surroundings and can be involved in dangerous situations.

However, pedestrians do have obligations.

Pedestrians must always walk through the places designed for them to do so, such as pavements, and, therefore, must not do so through areas prohibited, such as on a motorway.

Outside the town, if there is no pavement, as a general rule, you have to walk on the left to see oncoming traffic, and if it exists, you will walk on the hard shoulder. Otherwise, the part of the road closest to the edge will always be used. In any case, if there are several people, they will have to go one after the other (in single file).

In towns, when there is a pavement, you should walk through the centre, staying away from the curb so as to reduce the risk of being hit by a vehicle. It is obviously the biggest risk you can take. In fact, if a street does not have a sidewalk or there is an obstacle, the DGT says that it will circulate as close as possible to the wall and, if possible, facing traffic.

Children should always go hand in hand with adults. Remember it. But they also have to play in safe spaces and away from the road.

The DGT speaks very clearly about pets: «Pedestrians cannot carry loose animals, they could create dangerous situations for other users of public roads». Sometimes we are very confident in this sense, but we forget the danger that carrying an animal loose on the street can entail.

With what excuse should a pedestrian invade the road if it is not precisely to want to cross it? These situations occur to us hundreds of times every day and unfortunately we see many pedestrians who do not follow this guideline. The rule is quite clear, a pedestrian can only enter the road when they are crossing it, although, where provided, you should always use a crossing.

Both in the city and on the road, monitor your civic behaviour as a citizen, more specifically as a pedestrian, and comply with the rules to be the first to benefit from everything going correctly every time you go out.