Are you obliged in this situation to reduce your speed when approaching a pedestrian crossing?
Show the correct answer
Correct answer
NO
Explanation
In the video you are driving along a town street, next to tram tracks, towards a pedestrian crossing; there are no pedestrians on the crossing or near it. When approaching this crossing, you are not required to reduce speed. The answer is: no.
The Road Traffic Act requires a driver approaching a pedestrian crossing to exercise particular caution and to reduce speed so as not to endanger a pedestrian who is on the crossing or entering it. The duty to reduce speed has a purpose - it is meant to protect a specific pedestrian who is on the crossing or entering it. When the crossing and the pavements are empty, the rule does not require you to slow down "just in case"; instead, it requires particular caution, that is increased attention and a speed that lets you react if someone appears. The Regulation on road signs and signals puts it the same way: a driver approaching sign D-6 reduces speed so as not to endanger pedestrians who are in these places or entering them. In practice, at an empty crossing you do not have to brake, but you do not speed up, and you watch both pavements.
Legal basis: Art. 26 para. 1 and Art. 2 point 22 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym); § 47 para. 4 of the Regulation on road signs and signals