Parking at a pedestrian crossing: how many meters away is it allowed and prohibited?

Traffic rules provide for situations when you can stop not only near a pedestrian crossing, but also on it. However, not all motorists know when this is allowed and when it is prohibited.

In order not to violate the established rules, it is necessary to understand how many meters in front of the sign 5.19.1 “Pedestrian crossing” you can stand, what punishment the violator faces, and how to properly park cars near the crossing.

What is the permissible distance to a zebra crossing for parking?

5 meters . This is regulated by paragraph 12.4 of the Road Traffic Regulations, which directly prescribes the following:

12.4. Stopping is prohibited:

• ….
• at pedestrian crossings and closer than 5 m in front of them;

That is, it is prohibited to stop not only closer than the specified distance to the pedestrian path, but also at the zebra crossing itself.

Parking behind a zebra crossing

Can you overtake?

In urban environments, markings for pedestrian crossings have become more common than before. It is drawn in areas where it will be most convenient for citizens to cross the roadway. With this approach, it turns out to be difficult to choose a place to leave the car somewhere in an authorized place.

For clarity of all traffic participants, the pedestrian crossing area is visually highlighted with the help of light wide stripes, and is also supplemented with road signs with the silhouette of a walking man

In case of bad weather, for example, snowfall or rain, it is difficult to notice the markings, so you should pay attention to the information signs, which are supplemented with reflective edging to improve visibility from a long distance

According to the traffic rules, it is permissible to park a car after a pedestrian crossing if certain formalities are observed. If there is no sign, measurements are taken from the markings, and otherwise - from the sign. Parking directly on the markings is not allowed. You shouldn’t even block the zebra crossing with your rear bumper, because a fine will be issued for this.

It is important to comply with the following conditions in order not to receive a punishment from the traffic police officer:

• the car must be parked behind the crossing closer to the side of the road in the left lane;
• the transition zone must be open 5 m wide (at least) for the passage of pedestrians;
• There should be a distance of more than 3 m from the left side of the car to the dividing line for free passage of the abandoned car.

How to count 5 meters?

12.4 of the Rules does not indicate to what exact place these 5 meters should be counted - it only prescribes that to the object itself. Therefore, in order not to make a mistake, we need to know at what point the pedestrian crossing begins - that is, its boundaries. And the traffic rules also speak about them quite clearly in the very definition of a zebra:

Pedestrian crossing is a section of the roadway, tram tracks, marked with signs 5.19.1, 5.19.2 and (or) markings 1.14.1 and 1.14.2 and allocated for the movement of pedestrians across the road. In the absence of markings, the width of the pedestrian crossing is determined by the distance between signs 5.19.1 and 5.19.2.

5.19.1 and 5.19.2 are respectively square-shaped signs (see diagram above):

• the first one is installed to the right of the roadway and marks the beginning of the crossing, before which you can park only 5 meters away,
• the second is on the left and indicates the end of the transition.

But if there are markings, the boundary is determined by it, and when figuring out how many meters you can park before the pedestrian crossing, you need to be guided by the presence of markings:

• if there is a marking, then 5 meters in front of the zebra must be counted to the beginning of the marking line,
• if there are no markings, then count to the right sign.

The question is even more difficult: how to determine how much it will be - 5 meters? After all, not every driver carries a tape measure with him! But here, too, everything is simple - if you are not sure about the sufficient distance, then place it further away or not at all if the parking spaces in the back are occupied. Because the traffic police inspector who will issue the fine will have a tool for measuring distances.

Of course, your inability to measure exactly how many meters before the crossing will not be grounds for canceling the punishment.

Rules for stopping a car near a pedestrian crossing

In accordance with Article 12, paragraph 4 of the Traffic Regulations, parking a vehicle near a zebra crossing is permitted only if two conditions are met:

• The car is in the right lane, immediately after the 5.19 sign;
• The car is located at the left side of the road in front of the road sign (provided that the road has a two-way direction).

In other cases, stopping in front of the pedestrian zone must be done at least 10 meters from the white or red marking lines. The same rule applies to parked cars that have deliberately stopped moving for more than 5 minutes.

Moreover, even if parking in a prohibited area was forced (for example, due to a vehicle breakdown), then such a circumstance will not relieve the driver from liability. After all, a vehicle placed near a zebra crossing significantly blocks the view of people trying to cross the road. And this often leads to serious accidents, including deaths.

Underwater rocks

Now let's look at a number of subtleties in which you can make a mistake with your knowledge of the Rules, since in these cases you cannot park even closer than 5 meters.

This is a small list of exceptions that nothing is written about in the 2021 traffic rules, but which may cost you the loss of your budget to pay a fine.

Parking may be completely prohibited on the road section

These are a number of conditions under which you simply cannot park your car in this place, and the pedestrian crossing has nothing to do with it at all. These include cases when:

• there is a bus lane on the right (section 18.2 of the traffic rules),
• all the spaces are already occupied, and you can’t park in the second row (clause 12.2),
• you are on a bridge or overpass (clause 12.4),
• you are on a highway outside a populated area and are going to park your car for a long time (clause 12.3),
• to a solid or double solid line less than 3 meters (clause 12.4),
• you will block road signs or traffic lights for others, for example, when driving large vehicles:

How many meters to a stop, railway crossing or intersection?

In addition to the direct ban on stopping in certain places listed above, there is also a ban on parking closer than a certain distance to other objects on the road.

• If the crossing is located further than 5 meters, but beyond the intersection of roadways, then the distance must be measured before such an intersection, and it must also be at least 5 meters, according to paragraph 12.4 of the traffic rules.

• Crossings are often located near stops, and before and after stops there should be at least 15 m. The border in this place is indicated by a stop sign or markings, so when figuring out how long you can park before a pedestrian zebra crossing, you need to count not only 5 meters before it, but and 15 to the beginning of the stop border.
• If there is an intersection with a bicycle path in front of the zebra, measure 5 m to the last one.
• If you are going to park for more than 5 minutes, then this is already parking, and it is prohibited within 50 m of railway crossings. Therefore, even stopping after a pedestrian crossing, you are violating.

How to choose a place?

The procedure for stopping and parking cars is clearly regulated in the traffic rules. In particular, in this set of rules there is such a thing as parking at a pedestrian crossing. Thus, one of the most important conditions for the driver is the prohibition of stopping the car directly on the zebra crossing itself . But is it possible to park next to it? This must be done while observing several mandatory conditions, which we will discuss below.

In order to park your car, you first need to choose the right place to stop. It is worth noting that this is an extremely important skill for a car owner. In addition, do not forget about the presence of a large number of special signs allowing or, conversely, prohibiting the parking of a car in a particular place. In addition, according to traffic regulations, a vehicle cannot be parked:

• Near tram lines;
• At railway crossings, in tunnels;
• On bridges and overpasses;
• At public transport stops;
• On Pavement;
• At pedestrian crossings;
• On the road near dangerous turns;
• On a roadway where the visibility of the road, signs or traffic lights is impaired;
• On the roadway where you will create obstacles for other road users;
• In places designated for disabled people.

The only exception to this rule can be a forced stop due to an accident, car breakdown, problems with the cargo being transported, or poor health of the driver or passenger. In addition, the motorist is allowed to disembark and pick up passengers without interfering with other road traffic objects.

Fine for parking on a pedestrian crossing

What is the fine for parking on the sidewalk?

What is the fine for parking on the lawn?

What's the fine?

The penalty for parking closer than 5 meters to the crossing or directly within its boundaries is provided for in Part 3 of Article 12.19 of the Administrative Code, and the driver will be fined 1,000 rubles. This violation can be recorded by an automatic recording camera, so if you are not punished by a traffic police officer, you may still receive a “letter of happiness.”

But this fine is for Russian cities, except Moscow and St. Petersburg. For the latter, an increased amount of the fine is provided for in Part 6 of the same article. And you will have to pay 3 thousand if you committed a violation in one of these cities.

If you turn on the emergency lights

Many people do this, but almost always to no avail. The fact is that an emergency signal is considered an attribute of a forced stop... But with great understatement. Another attribute is the exposed warning triangle. This is what you need to do if you cannot drive further due to technical or other objective reasons and parked in a prohibited place.

But the inspectors are also not fools, and when they see the hazard lights on a car that is parked closer than 5 meters in front of a zebra, they will count how many meters the car is parked before the crossing and issue a fine, and then you run and prove that the stop was forced. Unfortunately, trying to avoid punishment in this way is bad.

What is the fine for stopping at or near a crosswalk in 2021?

The Code of Administrative Offenses (clause 3 of Article 12.19) states that a fine of 1,000 rubles is imposed for parking and stopping at or near a crossing.

St. Petersburg and Moscow are cities of federal significance. For them, paragraph 6 of this article applies, which states that violators here face a larger fine, namely 3,000 rubles.

Is there a discount on payment?

Yes . Clause 1.3 of Article 32.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses allows you to pay half of the imposed fine if the funds are transferred within 20 days. This does not apply to all types of administrative sanctions; there are exceptions. But they do not apply to parking at a pedestrian crossing. Therefore, for this violation you can pay 50% if the specified period is met.

20 days are counted from the date of drawing up the protocol and signing it by the violator. If he received the document late, the deadline can be restored by contacting the organization that compiled it, or the court.

Do they have the right to tow a car before a pedestrian crossing?

Yes . Article 27.13 of the Code of Administrative Offenses gives traffic police officers the right to remove a car from the scene of a violation if it is left on or near a pedestrian crossing. At the same time, inspection staff are not required to notify the owner that the car has been detained. The car enthusiast will receive it back only after paying for the services of a tow truck and keeping the car in the impound lot.

If the driver discovers that the car is not at the place where he left it, he needs to call the duty station of the State Traffic Inspectorate, where they will provide all the information. Read more about the detention of a vehicle in the article at the link.

Can you be at fault for an accident with a pedestrian?

Let's imagine a situation: you violated the Rules and parked less than 5 m in front of a zebra. This provoked an accident with a pedestrian being hit - another driver who was driving did not have time to react in time to the person who came out from behind your car, and was unable to achieve a complete stop by braking.

Who will be to blame in this case? The answer to this question becomes clear if you know how accident cases are considered by officials and judges. When determining guilt, the question is raised about whose violation led to the accident. And to make it even more obvious, the opposite question is posed: the absence of violation of which of the participants would have allowed the incident to be avoided?

And there are two violators here - the driver of the red car in the diagram violated paragraphs 14.1 and 14.2 of the traffic rules, since in any case he is obliged to ensure the safe passage of the zebra crossing.

In theory and logically, it would seem that the fault here is mutual for the drivers of both cars. But in judicial practice, courts are most often inclined to blame the driver of the red car.

Rules for stopping near a crossing

There is no single rule for parking in any zone near a pedestrian crossing, so you need to separately consider the legality of 3 situations: parking on the pedestrian crossing, behind it and in front of it.

Is it possible to stop at a pedestrian crossing?

You cannot stop, much less park, right at the pedestrian crossing. This means that if a parked car touches at least some part of the crossing markings, its owner will receive a fine. And there is only one exception to this rule - a forced stop. In all other cases (for example, when the driver stopped to drop off passengers), the fine will be legal.

Is it possible to stop before crossing?

Parking and stopping in front of a pedestrian crossing (of course, except when the driver allows pedestrians to pass) is also prohibited. However, what distance is considered the territory “before the pedestrian crossing”? In this matter, the legislation gives a fairly clear answer: you cannot stop 5m before the crossing. However, this answer gives rise to the following question: from what exact place should 5 meters be measured?

How to measure 5m?

Traffic regulations only indicate that stopping is prohibited at a distance closer than 5 meters before a crossing, so you will have to understand how the law sets the limits of these crossings.

The boundaries of transitions are determined differently depending on the presence of special markings, the so-called “zebras”:

• if the marking is applied and visible, then its edges are recognized as the boundaries of the transition;
• if the markings were not applied or they are not visible due to snow or mud, then 5 meters must be measured from the pedestrian crossing signs - No. 5.19.1 and No. 5.19.2

Of course, you will have to measure 5 meters “by eye”. However, problems with the eye sensor will not be a reason for exemption from the fine, so if the driver is not sure that he has gained enough distance, he should park in another place.

Is it possible to stop right after the zebra crossing?

But there are no restrictions for parking after the pedestrian crossing. You can park your car immediately after crossing; no 5m countdown is required. Of course, you can’t just stop on the roadway - this violates another part of the article, which provides for a fine of 3,000 rubles. for residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg or 2000 rub. for residents of other Russian cities. To park after crossing, you need to find a place where the car will not interfere with the movement of other vehicles.

Responsibility

Responsibility for stopping in the wrong place, including at a pedestrian crossing, is provided for in Art. 12.19. Code of Administrative Offences. According to this norm, violators face a fine of 1,000 rubles, as well as evacuation of the vehicle to an impound lot . If the offense occurred in cities such as Moscow or St. Petersburg, then you will have to pay 3,000 rubles.

Due to the large number of appeals to the courts regarding the evacuation of vehicles in front of the violators, when they were already ready to correct their mistake, Federal Law No. 143 of 06/08/2015 was adopted, which introduced an additional part 1.1 to Article 27.13 of the Code of Administrative Offences.

According to the rules established there, if at the time the vehicle is detained the owner of the car or any person who can drive it appears, then the evacuation is stopped . Under one condition - the carrier has not yet moved.

The person requesting the return of the car will have to pay the price of moving it and storing it in the parking lot. Prices will differ by region, since it is the executive authorities of the subject that set tariffs based on methodological recommendations approved by FAS Order No. 1145/16 dated August 15, 2016. Therefore, when parking in front of a zebra crossing, pay attention to how many meters your car is before it.

According to the rules of paragraph 10 of Art. 27.13 of the Code of Administrative Offenses , the car must be returned immediately after the reason for its seizure has been eliminated . But the same norm gives powers to the authorities of the constituent entities to establish separate rules for evacuation and storage.

Thus, in some regions, you can pick up the car and then pay all the amounts specified in the protocol, and in some, there are additional conditions. For example, if a car has been parked in an impound lot for more than a day, then in some areas you must first pay for such services and then hit the road.

Drawing up a protocol

As a rule, evacuation of a car from a pedestrian crossing occurs when the driver is absent. Otherwise, as mentioned above, it could have been stopped. In the absence of the owner, a car report is drawn up in front of two witnesses or when the event is recorded on a video camera . The document must reflect: date, time, place, reasons for which the seizure occurred, data of the official who compiled the document, information of the vehicle.

But even if you showed up on time and no evacuation occurred, you will have to pay a fine for parking in front of a pedestrian crossing. A protocol is also drawn up about this fact, containing the same information, but it also indicates the details of the violator.

If you do not agree with the protocol, you can appeal it . The complaint is submitted either to a higher official, then the time for its consideration is 10 days, or directly to the court, where it will be resolved within 2 months. Read about how to write a complaint against a resolution drawn up by a traffic police officer in this article.

The fine will need to be paid within 60 days. But if you fulfill the obligation in the first 20 days, you will receive a nice bonus - a 50% discount.

How to Avoid Responsibility

You can avoid liability only in three cases:

1. You made a forced stop and took all necessary actions to minimize your violation.
2. The stop was made to board a passenger or place cargo , provided that it took less than 5 minutes.
3. You have parked after a pedestrian crossing.

Of course, no one will stand with a stopwatch, accurately calculating the time, but if your car has been sitting there for half a day, with the engine turned off, and you are not driving, then obviously there is no question of being able to prove your innocence.