Sharing the road in New York

By the end of this topic you can

• You can yield correctly to pedestrians, including blind pedestrians.
• You can pass bicyclists and motorcyclists safely.
• You can stay out of a large vehicle's blind spots.
• You can respond correctly to an emergency vehicle.
• You can cross railroad tracks safely.

What you need to know and understand

• Pedestrians legally crossing at marked or unmarked crosswalks always have the right-of-way.
• A blind pedestrian with a guide dog or white or metal cane must be given the right-of-way even if the signals are against them.
• Never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk for pedestrians.
• Give a motorcycle a full lane; never share its lane.
• When an emergency vehicle with lights and siren approaches from any direction, pull over to the right edge and stop.
• At a railroad crossing with flashing lights or gates, stop at least 15 feet from the tracks.
• It is illegal to sound your horn when approaching or passing a horse.

People on foot and on wheels

Scan both sides of the road every few seconds. Watch for children near schools, parks and ice cream trucks, and look behind the car before you reverse. More than 35 percent of pedestrian injury crashes in New York City happen while a driver is turning left, so look, then look again, before you turn.

Bicyclists have the right to use the road. Slow down and leave plenty of room when you pass, because the air pressure from your car can push them off balance. Check your blind spots before turning, parking or opening a door. You may not drive in bike lanes, two-way cycle tracks or bike boxes. Treat in-line skaters, skateboarders and scooter riders with the same care.

Motorcycles and mopeds

Motorcycles are small, so they look farther away and slower than they are, and their brake lights and signals are less obvious. Look for them on purpose at intersections, especially before a left turn. Do not tailgate them, give extra room in rain or darkness and never move into a motorcycle's lane. Two motorcycles may ride side by side in one lane. Slower Class B and C mopeds must keep to the right lane or shoulder.

Trucks, buses and slow vehicles

Large vehicles have deep blind spots behind and to both sides, and a long-hood truck can have a 20-foot blind spot in front. Do not linger beside them. After passing, do not pull back in until you can see the whole front of the truck in your mirror. Trucks swing left before a wide right turn, so never squeeze in on their right. Never pass close behind a truck that is backing up. A reflective orange triangle marks a slow-moving vehicle such as a tractor or horse-drawn carriage.

Emergency vehicles and trains

Fire, ambulance and police vehicles responding to emergencies show red, red and blue or red and white lights. Pull to the right edge and stop, even if they are on the other side of a two-way road; if you are in an intersection, clear it first. Blue lights (volunteer firefighters) and green lights (volunteer ambulance) are courtesy requests, not emergency vehicles.

Always expect a train. Never race one, drive around lowered gates or stop on the tracks. If lights flash or gates are down, stop at least 15 feet away and wait until the gates are fully up.

Common mistakes

• Turning left without looking for a pedestrian on the far crosswalk.
• Opening a car door into the path of a bicyclist. Check the mirror and turn your head first.
• Sitting beside a truck in its side blind spot on an expressway.
• Driving around a crossing gate that is starting to rise.

Test yourself: Sharing the road in New York

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• NY Permit Test
• NY Zero Tolerance Law, DWI and Leandra’s Law Explained
• New York Green Light Law