You could be fined £100 for not giving way at a zebra crossing even if a pedestrian has passed your car

DRIVING through a zebra crossing when a pedestrian is still on the road could land you with a hefty fine and points on your licence.

And even if the pedestrian has passed your car and crossed to the other side of the road, you could still be in trouble with authorities.

Zebra crossings are essential safety features commonly used on popular routes to schools, shopping centres and parks.

But when drivers fail to give way to pedestrians, it can have deadly consequences.

Under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, passing through a pedestrian crossing without giving way to those trying to cross can land you a fine of £100 and three points on your licence.

The Highway Code states that you must "look out for pedestrians waiting to cross" and "give way when a pedestrian has moved onto a crossing".

So if a pedestrian has stepped onto the road, it's your responsibility as a driver to stop and allow them to reach the other side safely.

And even if the pedestrian has passed your lane of traffic, you must still wait for them to cross the entire road – not just out of your driving lane.

But the laws become more difficult to understand when there's a refuge island in the middle of the road.

Zebra crossings with a central island in the middle are considered two separate walkways, meaning you can pass once the pedestrian has crossed in front of your vehicle and is standing on the refuge island.

Rebecca Ashton, head of driver behaviour at IAM RoadSmart, said: "The law states you must give precedence to any pedestrian on the crossing; the regulation itself does not define exactly what that means. And so there is some room for interpretation and regional differences.

"At the very least you must ensure the pedestrian feels that they have been allowed to cross comfortably and safely before making any move.

"If it’s a single crossing and someone steps onto the road from the other side you should stop, however if for example the road is divided by a central reservation or large traffic island, as in many city centres, then the crossings could be treated as if it was two crossings."

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