Every pedestrian crossing explained

There are more kinds of pedestrian crossing in the UK than most drivers could name, and the theory test likes to ask about the differences: which ones have a flashing amber light, who's allowed to cycle across, and when a crossing with an island counts as two crossings. The good news is that they fall into two simple groups, and once you know which group a crossing belongs to, you know how to treat it.

Everything here comes from the Highway Code, mainly rules 18 to 30 for pedestrians, rules 191 to 199 for drivers, and rule H2 on who has priority.

Rules for every crossing

Some rules apply wherever you meet a crossing, whatever type it is:

• No parking on the crossing or the zig-zag lines. The white zig-zags on both sides of a crossing mark an area where you must not park.
• No overtaking near it. You must not overtake the moving vehicle nearest the crossing, or the vehicle nearest the crossing that has stopped to give way to pedestrians. Someone could be stepping out in front of it.
• Keep it clear in queues. Don't drive onto a crossing if you can't get all the way across it. A car stopped on the stripes forces people to weave through traffic.
• Don't hurry people. Give pedestrians time to cross, and don't rev your engine or edge forward while they do.
• Don't wave people across. Waving, flashing your lights or sounding your horn to invite someone to cross can be dangerous if another vehicle is coming the other way.
• Anyone still crossing gets to finish. Give way to people still on a crossing after your light has turned green. This applies to every crossing.

Zebra crossings

A zebra crossing has black and white stripes across the road and a flashing amber globe on a black and white pole at each end, often called a Belisha beacon. There are no traffic lights: the stripes themselves do the job.

• As you approach, look for anyone waiting and be ready to slow down or stop. You should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross.
• Once a pedestrian has moved onto the crossing, you must give way to them.
• Leave more room to stop on wet or icy roads.

A zebra crossing with an island in the middle counts as two separate crossings. Pedestrians wait on the island before crossing the second half, so you only need to stop for people on your half.

Parallel crossings are zebra crossings with a cycle route running alongside the stripes. Treat them the same way, but give way to cyclists waiting to cross as well as pedestrians, and you must give way to either once they're on it.

Pelican crossings

Pelican crossings are traffic lights that pedestrians control with a push button. The name comes from “pedestrian light controlled”. What makes them different is the light sequence for drivers:

1. Red: you must stop.
2. Flashing amber: you must give way to anyone on the crossing. If it's clear, you may go on with care.
3. Green: go, if the crossing is clear.

The flashing amber is there because people who started crossing on the green figure need time to finish. Pedestrians see a flashing green figure at the same time, which tells them not to start crossing.

A pelican crossing that goes straight across the road is one crossing, even if there's an island in the middle. You must wait for people coming from the far side of the island too. If the two halves are staggered (not in line), they're two separate crossings, each with its own button.

Puffin, toucan and equestrian crossings

These three work the same way for drivers. There's no flashing amber: the lights follow the normal traffic light sequence of red, red and amber, green, amber, then red.

• Puffin crossings (“pedestrian user-friendly intelligent”) use sensors to see when someone is waiting and to hold the traffic while people are still crossing. The red and green figures are on a box on the pedestrian's side of the road, so they can watch the traffic and the signal at the same time.
• Toucan crossings are shared: pedestrians and cyclists cross together, and cyclists are allowed to ride across. The name is a play on “two can cross”.
• Equestrian crossings (also called Pegasus crossings) are for horse riders. They're wider, with a horse and rider in the light panel and a push button high enough to reach from the saddle. There's often a pedestrian or toucan crossing alongside.

If the lights at a signal-controlled crossing aren't working, go on with extreme caution, and don't enter it unless you can get all the way across.

School crossing patrols and other signals

You must stop when a school crossing patrol shows a “Stop for children” sign. The same goes for signals from a police officer or traffic officer controlling traffic. Near schools, a flashing amber light under the school warning sign means children may be crossing ahead, so drive very slowly until you're past.

Pedestrians at junctions

Not every crossing has stripes. Under rule H2, when you turn into or out of a road at a junction, you should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross the road you're turning into or out of. If they've already started to cross, they have priority. Our guide to junctions and roundabouts covers turning in more detail.

What the theory test asks

These come up again and again in practice questions:

• What does a flashing amber light mean at a pelican crossing? Give way to anyone on the crossing; go on if it's clear.
• Which crossings have no flashing amber? Puffin, toucan and equestrian crossings.
• Who can use a toucan crossing? Pedestrians and cyclists, and cyclists can ride across.
• When must you give way at a zebra crossing? Once someone has stepped onto it. You should give way to people waiting, too.
• What do the zig-zag lines mean? No parking, and no overtaking the vehicle nearest the crossing.
• Is a pelican crossing with an island two crossings? Not if it goes straight across: that's one crossing. A staggered one is two.

Want to check you've got them? The Zee Theory Center app has practice questions on crossings in its Vulnerable Road Users and Rules of the Road topics, and shows you the right answer straight away.