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Rules 1 to 35 of the Highway Code are written for pedestrians, but they matter to learner drivers in Great Britain because they tell you what people on foot are told to do, and where they are likely to step out. The rule that most affects drivers is Rule 8: a pedestrian who has started crossing at a junction has priority over traffic turning in. This guide sums up all 35 rules from the driver’s seat and points out what to expect on the road.
Key facts
- The pedestrian rules sit in four groups: general guidance (1 to 6), crossing the road (7 to 17), crossings (18 to 30) and situations needing extra care (31 to 35).
- Rule 8 gives a pedestrian who has started crossing at a junction priority over turning traffic. Rule 170 and Rule H2 tell drivers to give way to people crossing or waiting to cross the road they are turning into or out of.
- Rule 7 is the Green Cross Code.
- Pedestrians MUST NOT be on motorways or slip roads except in an emergency (Rule 6).
Rule 8: priority for pedestrians at junctions
Rule 8 tells pedestrians to watch for traffic turning into the road, especially from behind them. If a pedestrian has started crossing and traffic wants to turn into the road, the pedestrian has priority. For you as a driver, two rules set out the other side of this:
- Rule 170: give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road you are turning into or out of. If they have already started crossing, they have priority.
- Rule H2: the same duty, introduced with the hierarchy of road users. See Rules H1, H2 and H3 explained.
In practice, slow early on the approach to a side road and look into it before you turn. Someone stepping off the kerb as you start to turn is a reason to stop, not to speed up.
The Green Cross Code (Rule 7) and what it means for drivers
- Find a safe place to cross, ideally a crossing.
- Stop just before the kerb.
- Look and listen all around for traffic.
- Let traffic pass and wait for a safe gap.
- Walk straight across, keep looking and listening, and do not run.
Many people do not follow it perfectly, and children often cannot. Rule 14 tells pedestrians crossing between parked cars to use the outer edge of the vehicles as the kerb, so expect people to appear from the gap between parked cars and pause at the line of their bumpers. The same rule tells them never to cross in front of or behind a vehicle with its engine running, especially a large one, because the driver may not see them. Rule 15 tells them never to cross behind a reversing vehicle, but you still need to check all around before you reverse.
Where pedestrians walk, and why you should expect them in the road
| Rule | What pedestrians are told | What to expect as a driver |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Use the pavement, avoid walking next to the kerb with their back to traffic | People close to the kerb may not see you coming from behind |
| 2 | Where there is no pavement, walk on the right facing traffic, in single file; cross before a sharp right-hand bend | On country lanes, walkers on your side of the road and people crossing near bends |
| 3 and 17 | Wear bright clothing by day and reflective material at night; cross near a street light | Many will not, so use dipped headlights and keep your speed down in the dark |
| 4 | Keep young children between the adult and the traffic | Children are small and hard to see beside parked cars |
| 5 | Large organised groups keep to the left, with lookouts and lights after dark | Groups walking in the road on lanes at night |
| 9 | Where there are pedestrian safety barriers, cross only at the gaps left for pedestrians, and never climb over them or walk between them and the road | Expect people to step out at the gaps in the railings, so watch those points closely |
| 10 | Tactile paving: raised studs mark crossing points at dropped kerbs, and rounded raised bars mark level crossings, the top and bottom of steps and other hazards, for blind and partially sighted people | Studded paving at a dropped kerb tells you someone may cross there. Expect a blind or partially sighted person to step out at that point, and give them time to cross |
| 11 and 12 | Check which way traffic flows in one-way streets; take care at bus and cycle lanes, which may run against the flow | Pedestrians may look the wrong way before stepping out |
| 13 | Some routes are shared with cyclists. They may be split by a kerb, verge, change of surface or white line, or have no separation at all, so walkers and cyclists use the same space | Where a shared path or cycle track meets the road at a side road or driveway, look for cyclists and pedestrians coming off it together, and at different speeds |
| 16 | Pedestrians MUST NOT get onto or hold onto a moving vehicle | If someone grabs your car or tries to climb on, stop safely rather than drive on |
| 35 | Pavements may be closed for repairs, and people directed into the road | Pedestrians walking in the carriageway at road works |
For country roads, Rule 206 tells drivers to slow down, be ready to stop and leave plenty of room for pedestrians on narrow rural roads without a footway. More on this in learning to drive on rural roads.
Crossings: Rules 18 to 30 in brief
These rules tell pedestrians how to use each crossing. The driver rules for the same crossings (191 to 199) are covered in full in the pedestrian crossings guide. The points that change how you drive:
- Rule 19: pedestrians are told to watch for vehicles overtaking a car that has stopped at a zebra. Rule 191 says you MUST NOT overtake the vehicle nearest the crossing.
- Rule 21: at traffic lights, pedestrians should start crossing only when the green figure shows. Where there are no pedestrian signals, they wait until the lights are red and traffic has stopped, and they are told to watch for traffic turning the corner. When your light turns green, people may still be finishing their crossing, so give way to them.
- Rules 20 and 28: a zebra with a central island, and a staggered crossing, count as two separate crossings.
- Rule 22: at a pelican, people should not start crossing on a flashing green figure, but anyone already on the crossing may still be finishing. This is when you see the flashing amber.
- Rule 24: in congested traffic, vehicles on the pedestrian’s side may stop while the lights are green. Do not wave people across from a queue.
- Rule 26: some crossings have bleeps, a voice or tactile signals for blind, partially sighted or deafblind people.
- Rule 29: pedestrians cross when a police officer, traffic warden or school crossing patrol signals them. You MUST stop for a school crossing patrol showing a “Stop for children” sign (Rule 210).
- Rule 30: where there is no crossing, people use a central island and cross each half separately.
Situations needing extra care (Rules 31 to 35)
| Rule | Situation | Driver tip |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Emergency vehicles: pedestrians are told to keep off the road | People may still be mid-crossing when you pull over for an ambulance |
| 32 | Buses: board or leave only when the bus has stopped; never cross in front of or behind it | Watch for people stepping out around a stopped bus. Rule 223 asks you to watch for people getting off a bus or tram and crossing |
| 33 | Trams may run through pedestrian areas | See driving alongside trams |
| 34 | Level crossings: never cross on red lights, an alarm or lowering barriers | See level crossings explained |
| 35 | Street repairs close the pavement | Drive slowly through road works where people may be in the road |
What the examiner looks for
On the driving test in Great Britain, DVSA assesses how you deal with pedestrian crossings. Faults it lists include stopping on a crossing rather than before it, moving off before a pedestrian has fully cleared it, approaching too fast and failing to stop. For junctions, see road junctions explained and top reasons people fail.
Common questions
Do I have to stop for someone waiting to cross a side road I am turning into?
The Highway Code says you should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road you are turning into or out of (Rule 170 and Rule H2). If they have already started crossing, they have priority.
What is Rule 8 of the Highway Code?
Rule 8 covers pedestrians crossing at junctions. It tells them to watch for traffic turning in, especially from behind, and says that if they have started crossing, they have priority over turning traffic.
Which side of the road should pedestrians walk on with no pavement?
Rule 2 says walk on the right-hand side, facing oncoming traffic, so on many lanes walkers will be on your side of the road coming towards you.
Can pedestrians walk on a motorway?
No. Rule 6 says pedestrians MUST NOT be on motorways or slip roads except in an emergency, such as after a breakdown.
Should I wave a pedestrian across?
No. Rule 195 tells drivers not to wave or flash lights to invite people across at a zebra, because another vehicle may be coming. Rule 111 also warns that flashing headlights are not an invitation to proceed.
Are the pedestrian rules on the theory test?
Yes. Questions on pedestrians come under the vulnerable road users topic. See the vulnerable road users topic guide.
Back to the main guide: Learning to Drive in Great Britain. Related: road users requiring extra care.
Sources
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Rules for pedestrians (1 to 35)” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Using the road (159 to 203)” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Road users requiring extra care (204 to 225)” (gov.uk)
- Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: General rules, techniques and advice for all drivers and riders (103 to 158)” (gov.uk)
- DVSA, “Understanding your driving test result: Car driving test” (gov.uk)