Do you know what it means to be a safe driver?

Sunday, March 8, 2015 | 3 a.m.

Many Clark County motorists are still learning how to share the road with pedestrians

No driver wants to be responsible for killing or injuring a pedestrian, but unfortunately, a growing number of Clark County drivers are finding themselves in that position.

So far this year, there have been 12 pedestrian fatalities in Clark County, accounting for the majority of Nevada’s 13 pedestrian deaths. With a fatality nearly every week, the numbers go beyond statistics: We’re creating a dangerous environment, and we need to change it.

Tips for motorists

• Be cautious at all times and always expect pedestrians (even in areas that aren’t prone to much foot traffic).

• Always slow down as you approach crosswalks and yield to pedestrians.

• Stop before passing another vehicle stopped in a travel lane. Always check to see whether that vehicle is stopped for a pedestrian.

• If there is a school crossing guard present, wait for everyone, including the guard, to clear the road completely before proceeding.

• Always yield to a blind person using a white cane or service animal.

Do you know these rules of the road? Take this true/false test to find out.

1. A driver and pedestrian are waiting at a signalized intersection. The driver gets a green light and is turning right, therefore he has the right of way.

False. The pedestrian always has the right of way, even though technically both the driver and pedestrian have a green light to go. Because the pedestrian is vulnerable and the motorist is not, the pedestrian gets “superior right of way.” The same is true for flashing left-turn yellow arrows. Motorists must yield to pedestrians before making left turns.

2. It is a driver’s responsibility to make sure nobody is in the road.

True. “I didn’t see him” won’t fly with police. If a pedestrian is stopped at a corner or a midblock crosswalk with his or her feet facing the crossing, it is illegal to pass. If you pass, you are breaking the law.

3. If there is no crosswalk at an intersection, there is no need to yield to pedestrians.

False. Crosswalks exist at every intersection, even if they are not marked. Drivers must stop until the pedestrian reaches the opposite curb, unless there is a “safety zone” or concrete median in the road.

4. When approaching a midblock crosswalk and vehicles are stopped, you also must stop to determine why the other drivers are stopped.

True. The onus is on the motorist to stop to make sure vehicles are not stopped for a pedestrian. Police can cite drivers who fail to stop.

5. Opposite-facing traffic always must stop for school buses.

False. Follow the same rules you would for an emergency vehicle. If the street has a raised center median, only traffic traveling in the same direction as the school bus must stop. If the street has no raised median, traffic in both directions must stop.

6. If a driver traveling 40 mph hits a pedestrian, 85 percent of the time, the pedestrian will die.

True.

7. When a pedestrian is crossing, drivers must stop until the pedestrian has reached the other side of the street.

False. When pedestrians are present, motorist must wait until the pedestrian has cleared all lanes in the direction of the motorists’ travel. However, once the pedestrian has cleared those lanes, motorists can proceed cautiously.

8. It is OK to drive below the speed limit?

True. If a road is not well lit, motorists are advised to travel below the speed limit and watch for pedestrians. Even when drivers are on the lookout for people commuting on foot, it might be difficult to see them. It is critical for drivers to give themselves enough time to yield and stop for a pedestrian, even if the person is not walking in a crosswalk. Many roadways in Clark County are wide and dark, an ominous combination for pedestrians. Such streets invite drivers to speed, giving them less time to stop for pedestrians trying to cross the road.

This is the second of a two-part series aimed at preventing auto/pedestrian crashes. Part 1 covers how to be a better pedestrian and can be found here.