GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Grand Rapids city commissioners approved a new ordinance Tuesday requiring drivers to stop for pedestrians.
Prior to the change, drivers were only required to yield for pedestrians who had the right of way. Now, drivers are required to stop at marked and unmarked crosswalks.
Pedestrians will still have to follow the signals at intersections with traffic lights.
The ordinance is part of a city initiative to lower Grand Rapids’ above average rate of crashes involving pedestrians. Grand Rapids accounted for 439 such incidents in Kent County from 2012 and 2015, third-highest among all Michigan counties.