Can you walk along a road?
You’re gathering your 10,000 daily steps on a neighbourhood walk, and you decide to stroll along the road. Is this legal?
Short answer – sometimes. The Australian Road Rules say a pedestrian mustn’t walk on a road if there’s a footpath or nature strip adjacent to the road, unless it’s blocked or unsafe to walk on.
When walking along a road, you must stay as close as possible to the roadside, and walk no more than two abreast unless you’re overtaking another pedestrian.
Crossing a road
When turning left or right, motorists must give way to pedestrians crossing the road that the motorist is entering, even if the road doesn’t have a pedestrian crossing.
Motorists must also give way to footpath traffic at slip lanes, and when the driver is leaving or entering a road-related area, like a driveway or car park.
But drivers have priority in other situations, including when pedestrians are crossing the road the driver is leaving, at roundabouts, and on road sections that don’t have signed or marked pedestrian crossings.
In all these situations, it’s the responsibility of both motorists and pedestrians to pay attention to avoid a collision.
Pedestrians must take the shortest possible route when crossing a road, and not cross diagonally unless it’s allowed at the pedestrian crossing – like the scramble crossing at King William Street/Pirie Street/Waymouth Street.
A pedestrian crossing must be used if there’s one within 20m.
When crossing a train or tram line, pedestrians must use a pedestrian crossing if it’s available.
Penalties
Pedestrians
The fine for most pedestrian offences is $61 plus a $105 Victims of Crime levy.
This includes:
- Walking along a road when there’s an adjacent footpath or nature strip
- Walking on the road, and failing to keep as close as possible to the roadside
- Failing to cross a road by the shortest safe route
- Crossing a road within 20m of a pedestrian crossing
- Failing to use a pedestrian facility at a train/tram level crossing
- Crossing a level crossing within 20m of a pedestrian facility.
Motorists
- Failing to give way to a pedestrian when leaving a road-related area – $ 478 plus a $105 Victims of Crime levy and three demerit points.
- Failing to give way at an intersection – $530 plus a $105 Victims of Crime levy and three demerit points.