Pennsylvania Right-of-Way Rules

Question 1

Yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks

Accepted Answer

Yield to a pedestrian crossing at any intersection without a traffic light, whether or not the crosswalk is painted, and to one in a marked crosswalk anywhere. Yield also to a pedestrian on a sidewalk crossing a driveway or alley, and when you turn a corner into someone crossing with the light.

Drivers must yield to pedestrians who are crossing at any intersection without a traffic light, whether or not a crosswalk is marked; crossing the roadway in a marked crosswalk anywhere, whether or not at an intersection; walking on a sidewalk that crosses a driveway or alley; and crossing with the light when the driver is turning a corner. You must always yield to a blind pedestrian carrying a white cane or being led by a guide dog. When approaching a stopped vehicle from behind, slow down and do not pass until you are sure no pedestrians are crossing in front of it. At a red light where a right-on-red is otherwise permitted, you must first stop, look in all directions, and turn only after pedestrians have cleared the crosswalk. The Pennsylvania manual does not carve out a different duty based on which half of a divided roadway the pedestrian occupies; the duty to yield applies whenever a pedestrian is lawfully in a crosswalk in your path.

Question 2

Stopping for a stopped school bus

Accepted Answer

Stop at least 10 feet from a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm out, whether you are behind it, meeting it, or approaching the intersection where it stopped. You are excused only on the opposite side of a highway divided by a barrier, guide rails, or a median, and even then you must slow down and pass with caution.

When a school bus stops with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended, all traffic must stop at least 10 feet away, whether you are behind the bus, meeting it on the same roadway, or approaching the intersection where it is stopped. Remain stopped until the red lights stop flashing, the stop arm has been withdrawn, and the children have reached a safe place. The one exception is a divided highway: if you are driving on the opposite side of a highway divided by a concrete or metal barrier, guide rails, or a median of trees, rocks, streams, or grass, you do not have to stop, but you must reduce your speed and continue with caution. Failure to stop for a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended brings a 60-day suspension of your driver's license, five points on your driving record, and a fine of $250 plus a $35 surcharge that funds the School Bus Safety Grant Program.

Question 3

Yielding to an approaching emergency vehicle

Accepted Answer

Pull over to the curb or the side of the road and stop, parallel and as near to the curb as you can, staying clear of intersections. Do not start again until the emergency vehicle has passed, and then keep at least 500 feet behind it.

When you hear a siren or see a vehicle approaching from any direction with flashing red lights or a combination of red and blue lights, you must pull over to the curb or side of the road and stop. Drive parallel and as near to the curb as possible; on a one-way street, drive toward the nearest roadside and stop. Stay clear of intersections so the emergency vehicle can pass through unobstructed. Do not start driving again until the emergency vehicle has passed, and once you do, keep at least 500 feet behind it and make sure another emergency vehicle is not coming. During an emergency you must also obey the direction of any uniformed police officer, sheriff, constable, or properly attired person, including fire police.

Question 4

Move-over law (stopped emergency vehicles)

Accepted Answer

Move into a lane that is not next to an emergency response area or a disabled vehicle marked with at least two signal lamps, flares, or caution signs. If traffic or conditions stop you from moving over, slow to at least 20 mph below the posted limit instead.

Pennsylvania's Move Over Law requires drivers to move into a lane that is not adjacent to an emergency response area or a disabled vehicle. An emergency response area is the area where an emergency responder is helping someone on or beside the road, or is conducting a traffic stop or vehicle check, while displaying visual signals. Responders include police, sheriffs, coroners, medical examiners, firefighters, fire police, fire marshals, rescue personnel, EMS, towing and recovery personnel, and hazmat responders. The manual also names highway construction and maintenance personnel in that list, so treat a marked work zone with crews present as an emergency response area for test purposes. Utility, municipally owned utility, and electric cooperative crews count while providing disaster emergency services within the first 72 hours after a declared emergency, or until the declared emergency expires, whichever is later. A disabled vehicle is one in or beside a traffic lane that is clearly marked with at least two signal lamps, road flares, caution signs, or other traffic control devices. If traffic or other conditions prevent moving over, the driver must reduce speed to at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit. Workers and emergency responders may report violators directly to law enforcement, who may issue citations from those reports. The base penalty is a summary offense with a fine of up to $500 for a first offense, up to $1,000 for a second, and up to $2,000 for a third or subsequent, plus 2 points on your driving record. Fines for certain listed violations, such as reckless and careless driving and disobeying a traffic-control device, double when they happen in an emergency response area that responders are actively working.

If someone is hurt, a second fine is added on top of that one: up to $1,000 for causing bodily injury, up to $5,000 for causing serious bodily injury, and up to $10,000 for causing a death.

Suspensions run on their own track. You lose your operating privilege for 90 days if the violation caused serious bodily injury or death, and also for a third or subsequent conviction on its own, even where nobody was hurt. The suspension is six months if the violation caused serious bodily injury to an emergency responder or to a person in or near a disabled vehicle, and one year if it caused their death.

Question 5

Right on red allowed unless posted?

Accepted Answer

yes

Question 6

Funeral procession right of way

Accepted Answer

Yield to a funeral procession and let it pass. Once the lead vehicle has cleared an intersection, the rest of the procession may proceed through and other traffic must yield. Do not cut in and out of a procession unless a police officer or the funeral director directs you to.

Pennsylvania grants right of way to funeral processions. Once the lead vehicle has cleared an intersection, the rest of the procession may proceed through and other traffic must yield. Allow the procession to pass, and do not cut in and out of it unless directed by a police officer or by an agent or employee of the funeral director. You can identify a procession because every vehicle in it must have its headlights and emergency flashers turned on and bear a flag or other insignia designating it as part of the procession; vehicles may also display a flashing or revolving purple light. Drivers within the procession may proceed through a red light or stop sign as long as the lead vehicle entered on green, and at a stop sign the lead vehicle must first come to a complete stop. Funeral processions themselves must yield to emergency vehicles.

Question 7

Cyclist treatment of stop signs

Accepted Answer

Not permitted in Pennsylvania. A bicyclist is a vehicle operator here and must come to a full stop at a stop sign and at a red light, the same as a driver.

Pennsylvania treats bicyclists as vehicle operators, and the same rules of the road that apply to motorists apply to them. A cyclist must come to a full stop at a stop sign the same way a driver does. Pennsylvania does not recognize an 'Idaho stop' that would let a rider treat a stop sign as a yield. The manual makes the point in its introduction, noting that 'all bicyclists, just like motorists, are required to stop at red lights,' and it reinforces the point in the safe-passing chapter: bicyclists are considered vehicle operators and are expected to obey all traffic laws.

Question 8

Yielding on a narrow or mountain road

Accepted Answer

Pennsylvania does not assign priority by grade; neither the uphill nor the downhill driver is named as the one who must back up. On a road wide enough for only one line of traffic each way, give the other driver at least half of the traveled roadway and work it out to the nearest pull-out.

Pennsylvania does not assign priority by grade. Neither the uphill nor the downhill driver is named as the one who must back up, and the manual does not cover the situation.

A general duty still applies. When you meet a vehicle coming the other way, you pass to the right, and on a road wide enough for only one line of traffic in each direction you each give the other at least half of the main-traveled portion of the roadway, as nearly as you can.

So on a narrow mountain grade there is no rule naming who reverses. Work it out with the other driver and back to the nearest pull-out or wide spot, keeping your half of the road as you go.

Pennsylvania Right-of-Way Rules

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