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If You Ever Thought That Little Step on the Crosswalk Would Not Have Great Consequences, Get Ready: It May Cost You More Than You Think. A Draft Law Under Discussion in the Chamber of Deputies Proposes to Make Ignoring the Crosswalk a Serious Offense, Hardening the Penalty for Drivers Who Do Not Respect This Area Dedicated to Pedestrians.
Currently, stopping or parking on the crosswalk is a medium-level offense. However, if the bill identified as PL 3330/24 is approved, this will change radically. In addition to raising the classification of the offense to serious, the measure provides for a significant increase in fines for vehicles that disrespect the crosswalk and even double the amount in case of recurrence within a year. This tightening of the rules aims to reinforce the safety of pedestrians, who are recognized as the most vulnerable group in Brazilian traffic.
The bill has already been approved by the Commission on Transportation and Traffic and is now awaiting analysis in other committees, as reported by News Motor, including the Committee on Constitution and Justice and Citizenship. Still, to become law, the text needs to be approved by the plenary of the Chamber and the Federal Senate. The objective of the proposal is to establish stricter penalties not only for those who ignore the crosswalk but also for drivers who park on sidewalks, obstructing the path for pedestrians.
More Safety: New Crosswalk Law
If the new crosswalk law comes into effect, the impact will be direct on pedestrian safety, as stressed by Deputy Rogéria Santos, the bill’s author: “It is well known that the pedestrian is the most vulnerable user of traffic and, for this reason, 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 suspension of the driver’s license and even imprisonment for those who put pedestrians at risk, Deputy Ricardo Ayres, the bill’s rapporteur, considered these penalties excessive and removed them from the current version. Even with this flexibilization, the increase in fines for vehicles and the severity of the offense are seen as considerable advances in pedestrian protection.
Additionally, the project aims to raise awareness and educate drivers to avoid dangerous behaviors in traffic, encouraging respect for spaces designated for pedestrians and reinforcing the importance of the crosswalk. The goal is to make urban roads safer, promoting orderly and responsible circulation.
Next Steps
The bill will still go through other evaluation stages, including analysis in the Senate. Only after all these approvals can it be sanctioned and effectively incorporated into the Brazilian Traffic Code.
This proposal represents an important advancement for safety on the streets, and the expectation is that it will contribute to a culture of greater respect for the crosswalk and the protection of pedestrians.
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