In this scenario, when you notice a pedestrian stepping onto the road from the left, should you be cognisant that they have the right of way?

In the photo, you are entering a residential area in the town centre in the evening - on the corner there is sign D-40; a pedestrian is stepping onto the roadway from the left. You should be aware that it is the pedestrian who has right of way. The answer is: yes.

The Road Traffic Act states that the usual rules for pedestrian traffic do not apply in a residential area: a pedestrian may use the full width of the road and has right of way over vehicles and over a person using a mobility aid. Outside the zone, a pedestrian entering the roadway away from a crossing would have to give way to vehicles; here it is the other way round - they may enter the roadway anywhere, and you must let them pass without forcing them to stop or speed up. Sign D-40 "residential area" is there so that drivers know this; in addition, a speed limit of 20 km/h applies in the zone, and traffic calming devices might not be marked. A pedestrian coming from the left, in poor light, may not look at cars at all because they know they have right of way - so you slow down and stop if necessary. When leaving the zone, you are joining traffic (włączanie się do ruchu) and you give way to everyone.

Legal basis: Art. 11 para. 5, Art. 20 para. 2 and Art. 17 para. 1 point 1 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym); § 58 para. 1 and 2 of the Regulation on road signs and signals