Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title XIV Chapter 89
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 89, § 11 (2026)

Marked crosswalks; yielding right of way to pedestrians; penalty

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Section 11. When traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way, slowing down or stopping if need be so to yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk marked in accordance with standards established by the department of highways if the pedestrian is on that half of the traveled part of the way on which the vehicle is traveling or if the pedestrian approaches from the opposite half of the traveled part of the way to within 10 feet of that half of the traveled part of the way on which said vehicle is traveling.

No driver of a vehicle shall pass any other vehicle which has stopped at a marked crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross, nor shall any such operator enter a marked crosswalk while a pedestrian is crossing or until there is a sufficient space beyond the crosswalk to accommodate the vehicle he is operating, notwithstanding that a traffic control signal may indicate that vehicles may proceed.

Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $200.

Whenever a pedestrian is injured by a motor vehicle in a marked crosswalk, the department of state police or the municipal police department with jurisdiction of the street, in consultation with department of state police if deemed appropriate, shall conduct an investigation into the cause of the injury and any violation of this section or other law or ordinance and shall issue the appropriate civil or criminal citation or file an application for the appropriate criminal complaint, if any. This section shall not limit the ability of a district attorney or the attorney general to seek an indictment in connection with the operation of a motor vehicle which causes injury or death and which violates this section.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1988–2026 · leading case: Weiss v. City of Cambridge, 55 N.E.3d 967 (Mass. App. Ct. 2016).
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Weiss v. City of Cambridge, 55 N.E.3d 967 (Mass. App. Ct. 2016). · cites it 7× “2 On appeal, the city challenges the instructions the judge gave to the jury regarding the responsibilities that drivers face pursuant to G. L. c. 89, § 11, to yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks.”
Commonwealth v. Sasu, 536 N.E.2d 603 (Mass. 1989). “90, § 24G (b), and for failure to yield to a pedestrian within a crosswalk, G. L. c. 89, § 11. After trial in the District Court on the criminal charges, the defendant was found guilty and sentenced on December 23, 1986.”
Commonwealth v. Mandell, 562 N.E.2d 111 (Mass. App. Ct. 1990). “1 At the bench trial, the defendant had also been found “responsible” for the civil infraction of failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, G. L. c. 89, § 11. The defendant sought de nova trial only on the vehicular homicide charge.”
Commonwealth v. Messiah Stanley Sprows-watson (& a Companion Case). (Mass. App. Ct. 2026). “90, § 9D; a crosswalk violation under G. L. c. 89, § 11; and failure to signal under G.”
Commonwealth v. Sasu, 1988 Mass. App. Div. 21 (Mass. Dist. Ct., App. Div. 1988). · cites it 2× “90, §24G and for violation of Massachusetts Road Law, G.L. c.89, §11 1 were sought by the Belmont Police Department on August 11, 1986.”
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