Pedestrian Law | SCDPS
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South Carolina Department of Public Safety

Pedestrian Law

Driving Near Pedestrians

Drivers are encouraged to share the road and be on the lookout for pedestrians, especially on rural roadways. Pedestrians can be difficult to see – especially at night.

When driving a vehicle, you must:

  • Exercise due care to avoid a collision with a pedestrian or bicyclist (SC Code Sec. 56-5-3230)
  • Yield to pedestrians crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when traffic-control signals are not in place or operation. (SC Code Sec. 56-5-3250)
  • Refrain from passing or overtaking a vehicle stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross the road at a marked crosswalk. (SC Code Sec. 56-5-3130(d))
NHTSA Safety Tips for Drivers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also provides these safety tips for drivers regarding pedestrian safety:

  • Look out for pedestrians everywhere, at all times.
  • Use extra caution when driving in hard-to-see conditions, such as nighttime or bad weather.
  • Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or otherwise entering a crosswalk.
  • Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and stop well back from the crosswalk to give other vehicles an opportunity to see the crossing pedestrians so they can stop too.
  • Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. There may be people crossing where you can’t see.
  • Never drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
  • Follow the speed limit, especially around people on the street, in school zones and in neighborhoods where children are present.
  • Be extra cautious when backing up and look for pedestrians.

*NHTSA Pedestrian Safety - https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/pedestrian-safety

When You Are a Pedestrian

Pedestrians should remember – Be Safe. Be Seen.

When you are a pedestrian, you are more difficult to see on the road. If you are on or near a roadway, especially at dawn or at dusk, consider wearing retro-reflective clothing to help increase your chances of being seen by motorists. It's important to remember that retro-reflective material works best when it's located on your body's extremities (for example, your wrists or ankles) because it will help drivers identify you as a person in low-light situations.

As a pedestrian, you must:

  • Follow any and all traffic control devices (ex: lights and signals)
  • Follow any and all local regulations.
  • Yield to traffic before crossing when there is not a crosswalk.
  • Follow the directions of any crossing signs or control devices.
  • Stay on the sidewalk if one is present. 
    • If no sidewalk is present, you must walk on the shoulder of the roadway.
  • Avoid freeways.
  • Walk as near as possible to the outside edge of the roadway.
    • If you are on a two-way roadway, walk only on the left side of the roadway when neither a sidewalk nor a shoulder are available.
  • Do not stand in the roadway.
  • Yield to emergency vehicles.
  • Stay off the roadway if you are dangerously intoxicated.
  • Stay off of bridges or railways where signals are present to warn off traffic.

For more information on laws pertaining to pedestrians, please visit Code of Laws - Title 56 - Chapter 5 - Uniform Act Regulating Traffic On Highways, Article 25.