CHAPTER 165

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 46.1-231 as amended, 46.1-234 and 46.1-
241 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the right of way and regula-
tion of pedestrian traffic.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 46.1-231 as amended, 46.1-234 and 46.1-241 of the Code of
Virginia be amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 46.1-231. Right of way of pedestrians.——(a) The driver of any
vehicle upon a highway within a business or residence district shall yield
the right of way to a pedestrian crossing such highway within any clearly
marked crosswalk whether at mid-block or at the end of any block, or any
regular pedestrian crossing included in the prolongation of the lateral
boundary lines of the adjacent sidewalk at the end of a block, except at
intersections where the movement of traffic is being regulated by traffic
officers or traffic direction devices.

(b) No pedestrian shall enter or cross an intersection in disregard
of approaching traffic.

(c) The drivers of vehicles entering, crossing or turning at inter-
sections shall change their course, slowdown or come to a complete stop
if necessary to permit pedestrians to cross such intersections safely and
expeditiously.

(d) Pedestrians crossing highways or streets at intersections shall
at all times have the right of way over vehicles making turns into the
highways or streets being crossed by the pedestrians.

(e) (i) Notwithstanding the provisions contained in § 46.1-1 (1)
of the Code of Virginia, as used in this section, “business district”? means
the territory contiguous to a highway where fifty per centum or more
of the total frontage, on either side of the highway for a distance of
one hundred fifty feet or more is used for business purposes.

(ii) Notwithstanding the provisions contained in § 46.1-1 (24), as
used in this section “residence district’? means the territory contiguous
to a highway not comprising a business district where fifty per centum
or more of the total frontage, on either side of the highway for a dis-
tance of one hundred fifty feet or more is used for residential purposes.

§ 46.1-234. Pedestrians not to use roadway except when necessary ;
keeping to left.—Pedestrians shall not use the roadways or streets, other
than the sidewalk thereof, for travel, except when necessary to do so
because of the absence of sidewalks, reasonably suitable and passable
for their use, in which case, if they walk upon the hard surface, or
the main travelled portion of the roadway, they shall keep to the
extreme left side or edge thereof, or where the shoulders of the highway
are of sufficient width to permit, they may walk on either shoulder thereof.

Pedestrians shall not stand or stop in any roadway or street for
the purpose of soliciting rides.

§ 46.1-241. Regulation by ordinance in cities,* incorporated towns
and counties.—The * governing bodies of cities, * incorporated towns and
counties may enact ordinances requiring pedestrians to obey signs and
signals erected on highways or streets therein for the direction and con-
trol of travel and traffic and to obey the orders of police officers engaged
in directing travel and traffic on such highways or streets and may pro-
vide penalties for violating such ordinances by fines not exceeding five
dollars for each offense.