Arizona Crosswalk Law: Pedestrian Rights and Driver Duties

Sources reviewed September 1, 2026. This page provides general information, not legal advice.

Start with the location and the signal

“Right of way” is easy to say and hard to apply without the scene details. Arizona’s crosswalk statute is specific about the setting it addresses: traffic-control signals are not in place or are not operating. It also describes where the pedestrian was in relation to the roadway and the approaching vehicle. A marked crosswalk, an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, a signalized crossing, a parking-lot entrance, and a midblock crossing can raise different questions.

That is why a useful review begins with ordinary facts rather than a label. Was there a working pedestrian signal? Was the crossing marked? Which direction was the vehicle traveling? Where was the pedestrian at the relevant moment? Were there sight-line issues, a stopped vehicle, weather, construction, or another lane of traffic? A statute supplies the rule; reliable records help show whether the rule applies to a particular event.

What A.R.S. 28-792 says about a crosswalk

Under A.R.S. 28-792, a driver must yield, slowing or stopping if necessary, to a pedestrian who is crossing within a crosswalk and is on the half of the roadway where the vehicle is traveling. The statute also covers a pedestrian approaching so closely from the opposite half that the pedestrian is in danger. It does not turn every crossing into an automatic answer about fault, causation, insurance, or damages. The statute’s own language makes the position of the pedestrian and the vehicle important.

The same section addresses a second situation that can matter in multilane traffic. When a vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk, or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, to allow a pedestrian to cross, a driver approaching from behind may not overtake and pass the stopped vehicle. Photographs of lane layout, nearby vehicles, and the exact crossing can be more useful than a general description of the intersection.

Rules when a person crosses somewhere else

A.R.S. 28-793 addresses crossing at a point other than within a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. It says that a pedestrian crossing at another point must yield the right of way to vehicles on the roadway. It also says that where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead crossing has been provided, the pedestrian must yield to vehicles on the roadway.

The statute has a separate rule for the area between adjacent intersections where traffic-control signals are operating: pedestrians may not cross there except in a marked crosswalk. It is important not to collapse these statements into a quick conclusion. Whether a location was an intersection, whether signals were operating, the distance between intersections, visibility, and the conduct of every road user are questions that can require records.

Drivers still have a duty of due care

A.R.S. 28-794 says that, notwithstanding the preceding pedestrian provisions, every driver must exercise due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian on any roadway. It also directs a driver to sound the horn when necessary and to exercise proper precaution on observing a child or a confused or incapacitated person on a roadway. This is another reason not to treat a crosswalk question as a one-word answer.

The statute does not eliminate the need to establish what happened. A camera angle can omit a relevant lane; a collision report may contain a preliminary account; and a witness may have seen only part of the event. A fact-specific review looks for information that can be checked, rather than asking a broad online rule to decide the entire situation.

Records worth preserving after a pedestrian collision

Get medical care and follow the instructions you receive. Then organize the documents that already exist. A simple folder and timeline can make a later conversation much clearer.

• Original photos and video of the crosswalk, signal equipment, curbs, signs, lanes, vehicle damage, clothing, shoes, and other visible scene details.
• Names and contact information for witnesses, plus a short note explaining what each person said they observed.
• Collision-report information, insurance claim numbers, correspondence, repair or property records, and any paperwork from a vehicle owner.
• Medical instructions, bills, appointment records, work restrictions, and wage or attendance records that exist independently of a claim.
• A dated timeline that separates what you personally observed from information you learned later.

Do not try to obtain another person’s private phone, account, video, or medical information yourself. Preserve your own records and ask a qualified professional about lawful ways to identify records that may be relevant. For a broader pedestrian-resource starting point, see Wood Injury Law’s Arizona pedestrian and bicycle accident resource.

How to prepare for a useful first conversation

Bring the documents you already have instead of trying to reconstruct every detail from memory. The date, approximate time, location, treatment dates, insurer contacts, and a list of missing records are a useful beginning. It can also help to write down the exact question you need answered, such as whether an insurer’s request needs a response, what document is missing, or how to preserve material before it disappears.

A private case review is not a promise about an outcome. It is an opportunity to discuss the facts and documents in front of you, identify the next practical question, and decide whether additional help makes sense.