Here's Why Zebra Crossings In Malaysia Have Different Colours
You're supposed to stop your vehicle for pedestrians regardless of what colour it is.
You may have noticed that there are two types of zebra crossings in Malaysia: yellow and white.
But did you know that they both differ slightly?
While all zebra crossings serve a main function to let pedestrians cross roads safely, not all white zebra crossings have traffic lights accompanying them in Malaysia.
This makes it quite difficult to cross the road and for vehicles to stop for pedestrians.
A previous study by Miros indicated that 74% of drivers do not give way to pedestrians, "especially at unsignalised junctions". However, when junctions do have signals, only 8.2% of drivers disobey the traffic rules at zebra crossings.
On the flip side, yellow zebra crossings usually have traffic lights and signals for pedestrians to cross
Yellow zebra crossings are usually placed at high traffic areas, such as Bukit Bintang, where it is quite difficult to cross roads. Unlike many white zebra crossings, yellow ones are usually accompanied by signals and traffic lights that force vehicles to stop regardless.
According to the Malaysian Public Works Department, there is no such thing as a first come, first served rule when it comes to crossing the road at unsignalised intersections, as pedestrians always have the right of way.
This is obviously made easier when there are proper traffic lights and signals to indicate when it's time to cross.
With that said, it's still important to stay vigilant when it comes to road safety in Malaysia
Regardless of whether there are signals at intersections or not, drivers should remember to slow down for pedestrians to cross. And pedestrians should always look left and right before crossing the road.
If all else fails, there's always... THE HAND:
Did you know that road signs in Malaysia also have meanings for different colours?
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