N.C. Gen. Stat. » Chapter 20
NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-174 (2026)

Crossing at other than crosswalks; walking along highway

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

(b) Any pedestrian crossing a roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

(c) Between adjacent intersections at which traffic-control signals are in operation pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.

(d) Where sidewalks are provided, it shall be unlawful for any pedestrian to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway. Where sidewalks are not provided, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall, when practicable, walk only on the extreme left of the roadway or its shoulder facing traffic which may approach from the opposite direction. Such pedestrian shall yield the right-of-way to approaching traffic.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon any roadway, and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary, and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any confused or incapacitated person upon a roadway. (1937, c. 407, s. 135; 1973, c. 1330, s. 33.)

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 73 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1945–2023 · leading case: Clark v. Bodycombe, 221 S.E.2d 506 (N.C. 1976).
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Clark v. Bodycombe, 221 S.E.2d 506 (N.C. 1976). · cites it 12× “In this connection, *251 defendant argues that the directed verdict should be sustained because there is evidence that at the time of the accident that plaintiff was negligently crossing Rosemary Street at a point not within a marked crosswalk, in violation of G.”
Culler v. Hamlett, 559 S.E.2d 195 (N.C. Ct. App. 2002). · cites it 5× “Further, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-174 (a) (1989) provides that a pedestrian ‘crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.”
Proffitt v. Gosnell, 809 S.E.2d 200 (N.C. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “Our General Statutes provide that "[e]very pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk .”
Garmon v. Thomas, 85 S.E.2d 589 (N.C. 1955). · cites it 6× “G.S. § 20-174, subsection (a) provides that: "Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked cross-walk or within an unmarked cross-walk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.”
Lewis v. . Watson, 47 S.E.2d 484 (N.C. 1948). · cites it 4× “Rut the defendants contended that the plaintiff’s intestate ivas traveling on foot; that his use of the handcart did not alter his status as a pedestrian; that he was required by G. S., 20-174 (d), to push his handcart along the extreme left-hand side of the highway; that he…”
Spencer v. McDowell Motor Co., 72 S.E.2d 598 (N.C. 1952). · cites it 8× “135, now G.S. § 20-174, that "(a) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked cross-walk or within an unmarked cross-walk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway", and that "(d) It shall be unlawful for…”
Troy v. Todd, 313 S.E.2d 896 (N.C. Ct. App. 1984). · cites it 6× “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-174 (1983), provides, in pertinent part, (d) .”
Tysinger v. Coble Dairy Prods., 36 S.E.2d 246 (N.C. 1945). · cites it 3× “, 20-174, provides that : (a) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within *724 a marked cross walk or within an unmarked cross walk at ail intersection shall yield the right of way to all vehicles upon the roadway; and that (d) it shall be unlawful for…”
State v. Fearing, 269 S.E.2d 245 (N.C. Ct. App. 1980). · cites it 4× “The indictment of death by vehicle returned against defendant charged that he violated G.S. 20-174(e) in that he operated his automobile “without exercising due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian upon the roadway, without giving warning by sounding horn when necessary,…”
Patterson v. Worley, 828 S.E.2d 744 (N.C. Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 2× “" N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-174 (a) (2017). "[P]edestrians have a duty to maintain a lookout when crossing an area where vehicles travel and a duty to exercise reasonable care for their own safety.”
Corns v. Hall, 435 S.E.2d 88 (N.C. Ct. App. 1993). · cites it 4× “At trial, the court instructed the jury as to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-174 (a) which requires that any pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than a marked crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.”
Sessoms v. Roberson, 268 S.E.2d 24 (N.C. Ct. App. 1980). · cites it 4× “For example, pertinent provisions of G.S. § 20-174 require pedestrians who cross a roadway “at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection” to yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.”
Show all 73 citing cases →
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-174(a): 25 cases
Culler v. Hamlett, 559 S.E.2d 195 (N.C. Ct. App. 2002). “Further, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-174 (a) (1989) provides that a pedestrian ‘crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.”
Anderson v. Carter, 158 S.E.2d 607 (N.C. 1968).
Spencer v. McDowell Motor Co., 72 S.E.2d 598 (N.C. 1952). “135, now G.S. § 20-174, that "(a) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked cross-walk or within an unmarked cross-walk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway", and that "(d) It shall be unlawful for…”
Clark v. Bodycombe, 221 S.E.2d 506 (N.C. 1976). “In this connection, *251 defendant argues that the directed verdict should be sustained because there is evidence that at the time of the accident that plaintiff was negligently crossing Rosemary Street at a point not within a marked crosswalk, in violation of G.”
Corns v. Hall, 435 S.E.2d 88 (N.C. Ct. App. 1993). “At trial, the court instructed the jury as to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-174 (a) which requires that any pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than a marked crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.”
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-174(d): 3 cases
Clark v. Bodycombe, 221 S.E.2d 506 (N.C. 1976). “In this connection, *251 defendant argues that the directed verdict should be sustained because there is evidence that at the time of the accident that plaintiff was negligently crossing Rosemary Street at a point not within a marked crosswalk, in violation of G.”
Spencer v. McDowell Motor Co., 72 S.E.2d 598 (N.C. 1952). “135, now G.S. § 20-174, that "(a) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked cross-walk or within an unmarked cross-walk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway", and that "(d) It shall be unlawful for…”
Parker v. Windborne, 273 S.E.2d 750 (N.C. Ct. App. 1981).
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-174(e): 12 cases
State v. Fearing, 269 S.E.2d 245 (N.C. Ct. App. 1980). “The indictment of death by vehicle returned against defendant charged that he violated G.S. 20-174(e) in that he operated his automobile “without exercising due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian upon the roadway, without giving warning by sounding horn when necessary,…”
Sessoms v. Roberson, 268 S.E.2d 24 (N.C. Ct. App. 1980). “For example, pertinent provisions of G.S. § 20-174 require pedestrians who cross a roadway “at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection” to yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.”
Griffin v. Pancoast, 125 S.E.2d 310 (N.C. 1962).
State v. Moore, 420 S.E.2d 691 (N.C. Ct. App. 1992).
Gupton by Gupton v. Mccombs, 328 S.E.2d 886 (N.C. Ct. App. 1985).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.