Crosswalk safety involves the driver’s approach, a person’s crossing path, traffic controls and what each road user can see. After a collision, “it happened at a crosswalk” is only a starting point. The useful details are which crossing, which direction and what was happening at that time.

Approach a crossing with room to respond

NCDOT’s pedestrian safety guidance advises drivers to reduce speed and be ready to stop when turning into or entering a crosswalk. Drivers should watch for people beyond the first lane and avoid passing a vehicle stopped at a crossing. People walking should follow signals, check all directions, including turning traffic, and avoid assuming a driver has seen them.

Safety guidance is useful before a trip; it does not decide responsibility for a particular crash. A crossing may involve traffic signals, signs, an unmarked intersection or other conditions requiring a closer review.

Record the exact crossing and approach

  • Name the street, intersecting street, side of the intersection and direction of travel. “At the intersection” may describe several different crossings.
  • Describe the markings, curb ramps, pedestrian signals, traffic lights and signs visible from each approach.
  • Note parked vehicles, turning vehicles, buses, landscaping, construction or other obstructions without guessing what another person could see.
  • Separate what you observed at the collision time from a photograph or site visit made later. Lighting, parked vehicles and temporary signs can change.

Keep the signal and movement sequence clear

A useful account says where the person began crossing, where the vehicle approached from and whether it was turning or going straight. If you remember a signal, identify the signal you actually saw and when you saw it. “The light was green” is incomplete if it does not identify the direction or whether it refers to a vehicle light or pedestrian display.

For example: “I was on the southwest corner. I saw the pedestrian display before stepping off the curb. A vehicle approached from my left and turned across the crossing.” Record only what you remember; leave unknown speed, distance or signal timing unknown. This example is an observation format, not a conclusion about fault.

Preserve records without recreating the danger

Medical care and immediate safety come first. Do not enter traffic, obstruct a crossing or return to an unsafe spot to obtain a photograph. Keep existing images and video in their original form. Note potential cameras and witnesses so the appropriate person can request records promptly; do not trespass or access someone else’s system.

Keep scene details separate from medical and expense records. The first-days pedestrian crash documentation guide covers that broader follow-up. For help reviewing the facts of a specific collision, see the firm’s pedestrian accident guidance.