Vulnerable road users — whom you give way to
| What the rule is | Where it goes wrong | |
|---|---|---|
| Pedestrian on the crossing | Art. 49(2): you give way to pedestrians and users of a disabled person's vehicle who are crossing OR are clearly about to. Two exceptions: a military convoy or funeral cortege (art. 49(3)) and a red pedestrian light or the flashing amber of art. 74(2) (art. 49(4)). | Waiting until someone is already on the road. The law also names whoever is “clearly about to” cross — the duty starts at the kerb, not on the asphalt. |
| Blind and mobility-impaired people | Art. 49(1): blind people with a WHITE STICK bearing one or more RED RINGS, and everyone else who moves with difficulty — always give way. | Tying this duty to the crossing. Paragraph 1 names no place: it applies everywhere on the road, crossing or not. |
| Overtaking at the crossing | Art. 12: you may not overtake just before or on a pedestrian crossing. Unconditionally. | Driving past a car stopped at the crossing. That is exactly the situation where someone steps out from behind it. |
| Boarding and alighting passengers | Art. 52: to pass a stationary tram or bus on the boarding side you must give the passengers the opportunity. | Thinking only of trams. The text names tram and bus, and the boarding side can be on the left — with a tram in the middle of the road. |
| Loose livestock | Art. 51(1): riding or draught animals and livestock may not roam the road unattended. The duty lies with their keeper. | Thinking it is not your problem. For the driver art. 19 still applies: you must be able to stop within the distance you can see to be clear. |
The law itself
RVV1990 art. 49 lid 1RVV1990 art. 49 lid 2RVV1990 art. 49 lid 3RVV1990 art. 49 lid 4RVV1990 art. 52RVV1990 art. 12RVV1990 art. 51 lid 1
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