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If you ever thought that a casual “step” on a pedestrian crossing wouldn’t have any major consequences, get ready: it could weigh much more heavily on your wallet. A bill currently being processed in the Chamber of Deputies proposes making ignoring a pedestrian crossing a serious offense, making the punishment for drivers who fail to respect this area dedicated to pedestrians more severe.
Currently, stopping or parking on a pedestrian crossing is considered a minor infraction. However, if the bill identified as PL 3330/24 is approved, this will change radically. In addition to raising the classification of the infraction to extremely serious, the measure provides for a significant increase in fines for vehicles that fail to respect the crossing and up to double the amount in the event of a repeat offense within a year. This tightening of the rules seeks to improve the safety of pedestrians, who are recognized as the most vulnerable group on Brazilian roads.
The project has already been approved by the Road and Transport Committee and now awaits analysis in other committees, as reported in News Motor, including the Constitution and Justice and Citizenship Committee. Even so, to become law, the text needs the approval of the plenary of the Chamber and the Federal Senate. The objective of the proposal is to establish stricter punishments not only for those who ignore the pedestrian crossing, but also for drivers who park on sidewalks, obstructing the path of pedestrians.
More safety: new pedestrian crossing law
If the new crosswalk law comes into effect, it will have a direct impact on pedestrian safety, as reinforced by Congresswoman Rogéria Santos, author of the project: “It is well known that pedestrians are the most vulnerable users of traffic and, for this reason, they received special attention from the legislator, who dedicated Chapter IV of the Brazilian Traffic Code to them”.
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Changes to the original text and justifications
Although the original text of the proposal included the suspension of the driver's license and even imprisonment for those who put pedestrians at risk, Congressman Ricardo Ayres, the project's rapporteur, considered these punishments excessive and removed them from the current version. Even with this flexibility, the increase in fines for vehicles and the severity of the infraction are seen as considerable advances in pedestrian protection.
Furthermore, the project aims to raise awareness and educate drivers to avoid dangerous behavior in traffic, encouraging respect for spaces designated for pedestrians and reinforcing the importance of pedestrian crossings. The goal is to make urban roads safer, promoting orderly and responsible traffic.
Next Steps
The project will still go through other stages of evaluation, including analysis in the Senate. Only after all these approvals can it be sanctioned and effectively incorporated into the Brazilian Traffic Code.
It proposal represents an important step forward for street safety, and the expectation is that it will contribute to a culture of greater respect for pedestrian crossings and pedestrian protection.
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