# What if I was hit in a crosswalk? Canonical: https://californiapersonalinjurylaws.com/guides/pedestrian-crosswalk/ Reviewed by Andrew (Andy) R. Gillin; publisher reported approval on 2026-11-04. Original review date was not supplied. ## Short answer Drivers generally must yield to people in marked crosswalks and some unmarked crosswalks. Both drivers and people on foot must still use care. ## Hypothetical example A person walks across a marked crosswalk. A turning driver hits them. ## How the rule works Vehicle Code section 21950 addresses crosswalk duties. It includes duties for drivers and pedestrians. An unmarked crosswalk can exist at some intersections, so paint alone is not the whole test. ## What can change the answer A person must not step into the path of a car that is too close to stop safely. Signals, timing, and the crossing location matter. ## A useful next step Save the location and signal details. Look for witnesses and proof of what each person could see. ## Court decisions behind this answer ### Cabral v. Ralphs Grocery Co. (2011) 51 Cal.4th 764, slip op., pp. 1–3. The court rejected a broad no-duty rule for a truck stopped beside a freeway. Drivers still had to use ordinary care. Limit: It did not hold that every roadside stop is careless. The facts matter when deciding breach and cause. Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/2011/s178799/ ### Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804, pp. 827–829. A person can share fault and still have a negligence claim. Their share of blame can reduce the recovery. Limit: This does not set anyone’s fault percentage. Other limits and defenses can still matter. Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/13/804.html ## Sources - [Vehicle Code § 21950 — Crosswalks](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=21950.) - [CACI No. 400–401 — Negligence and the standard of care (2026 edition)](https://courts.ca.gov/system/files/file/judicial_council_of_california_civil_jury_instructions_2026.pdf) - [Cabral v. Ralphs Grocery Co. (2011) 51 Cal.4th 764](https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/2011/s178799/) - [Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804](https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/13/804.html) General information, not legal advice.