Road safety: pedestrian movements
Author of the original article: Police Commissioner Olivier QUISQUATER
Original article publication date: 14.04.2026 10:21
Winter is behind us. The desire to go for a walk will bring more motorcyclists, cyclists, but also pedestrians to our country roads. And speaking of the latter, it is an opportunity to remind people of the right way to walk safely outside the cities, because in the countryside, we do not always have a sidewalk for pedestrians.
First of all, remember that in the absence of a walkway or a passable shoulder, the pedestrian must use the bike path if there is one. He will of course have to give priority to cyclists in this case. Conversely, cyclists must also be careful when pedestrians are on the same cycle path as them, they will have to cross or pass them carefully. When a cyclist is not sure if they have been noticed by a pedestrian, a little ring of the bell can help. Remember that the doorbell is a mandatory accessory.
And when there is not even a bike lane, you have to walk along the road. But it can't be done just any old way, of course, because the road is first and foremost the domain of the drivers. There are rules to follow for pedestrians, which differ depending on whether they are individual pedestrians or in unorganized groups, or organized groups.
If you are alone or in a group without a guide, you walk to the left of the road in relation to the direction of your travel. It allows you to see the traffic coming from the front without running too big a risk with the traffic coming from behind. But you can go to the other side of the road for safety reasons, for example, if you arrive at a place where visibility by walking on the left is really bad. The ideal is to constantly think about making yourself as visible as possible, through your behavior, but also your outfit. As for the outfit, we obviously think of the fluorescent jacket, or at the very least, light clothes.
And what about organized groups?
The Code specifies that processions, processions and groups of pedestrians led by a guide may circulate on the roadway. In this case, they must take the right side.
However, pedestrian groups of five or more people accompanied by a guide may also use the left side of the road. In this case, they must march in single file.
For the visibility of organized groups, same advice, it must be a constant concern. In recent years, we have noticed that the troops of youth movements generally wear fluorescent for marches, which is a very good thing to reduce the risk of accidents.
Finally, for these organized groups, it should be remembered that lighting is mandatory at night. It will be red at the back, white at the front if the group is walking on the right, and red at the front, and white at the back, when the group is walking on the left.
As we can see, the rules are more complicated for groups. But at the same time, group walks are rarely improvised, so it is the responsibility of the organizers to consult the Code before leaving and to pass on the instructions to the participants.
