CONVENTION ON ROAD TRAFFIC

The Contracting Parties, desiring to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety through the adoption of uniform traffic rules, have agreed upon the following provisions:

Chapter II

RULES OF THE ROAD

ARTICLE 21

Behaviour of drivers towards pedestrians

1. Every driver shall avoid behaviour likely to endanger pedestrians.

2. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 7, paragraph 1, Article 11, paragraph 9, and Article 13, paragraph 1, of this Convention, where there is on the carriageway a pedestrian crossing signposted as such or indicated by markings on the carriageway:

(a) If vehicular traffic is regulated at that crossing by traffic light signals or by an authorized official, drivers forbidden to proceed shall stop short of the crossing or the transverse markings preceding it and, when they are permitted to proceed, shall not prevent or obstruct the passage of pedestrians who have stepped on to it; drivers turning into another road at the entrance to which there is a pedestrian crossing shall do so slowly and give way, if necessary stopping for this purpose, to pedestrians already using, or about to use, the crossing;

(b) If vehicular traffic is not regulated at that crossing by traffic light signals or by an authorized official, drivers shall approach the crossing only at a speed low enough not to endanger pedestrians using, or about to use, it; if necessary, they shall stop to allow such pedestrians to cross.

3. No provision of this Article shall be construed as preventing Contracting Parties or subdivisions thereof from:

Requiring drivers of vehicles to stop in all cases when pedestrians are using, or about to use, a pedestrian crossing signposted as such or indicated by markings on the carriageway in the conditions laid down in Article 20 of this Convention, or

Prohibiting them from preventing or obstructing the passage of pedestrians who are crossing the carriageway at or very near an intersection even if there is at that point no pedestrian crossing signposted as such or indicated by markings on the carriageway.

4. Drivers intending to overtake, on the side appropriate to the direction of traffic, a public transport vehicle at a stop marked as such shall slow down and if necessary stop to allow passengers to board or alight from that vehicle.