Many Washington State Drivers Get This Pedestrian Law Wrong

I saw an interesting posting in a Richland, Washington, Facebook page group where a driver had barely missed a pedestrian who was trying to cross the road in the middle of the night.

When Pedestrians Have (and Don’t Have) the Right of Way in WA

The conversation got a little crazy as a lot of comments had said the driver was wrong and that the pedestrian always has the right-of-way, even without being in a crosswalk.

It's the old adage, "Is the customer always right?" because no one seemed to know the correct law about the situation.

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Luckily, some drivers jumped in to defend the OP and tried to explain Washington State law, but a lot of folks weren't having it.

So, for those in the back, who really has the right of way in Washington State? I think you'll be surprised by the answer.

The Truth About Pedestrian Right-of-Way in Washington State

Commenters made the statement that pedestrians who think they always have the right of way are dead wrong.

Here's what the law really says:

"No pedestrian or bicycle shall suddenly leave a curb and move into traffic so that the driver can not stop (RCW 46.61.235)."

READ MORE: Busted: 6 WA State Laws You Break On A Daily Basis

"Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right of way to all vehicles upon the roadway (RCW 46.61.240)."

The biggest myth in driving is saying that the pedestrian always has the right of way, no matter what, and that's simply not the truth.