Laws and Policies
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts sets traffic laws.
The Registry of Motor Vehicles’ driver’s manual explains them.
Pedestrian-related laws for motorists and bicyclists include:
- Yield to pedestrians entering or using a crosswalk in your path of travel.
- Do not let your vehicle block a crosswalk.
- Yield to pedestrians if your traffic signal is RED.
- Never pass another vehicle that has stopped or is slowing down for a pedestrian.
Laws for pedestrians include:
- Obey the orange DON’T WALK and white WALK signals.
- Use a crosswalk if one is available.
- At crosswalks with pedestrian signals, if there is a push button, use it and wait for the WALK signal. Signalized intersections without a push button will give you a WALK signal automatically.
For More Information
For more information, contact the Environmental and Transportation Planning Division at 617/349-4600.