Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycles and trucks

Key points

1. Even facing a green light, yield to all pedestrians in the intersection.

   Source: Handbook p. 30

   “Even when you are facing a green light you must yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians in the intersection.”
   Missouri Driver Guide, Handbook p. 30

2. You must come to a complete stop for a pedestrian crossing with a guide dog or a white cane.

   Source: Handbook p. 31

   “When a pedestrian is crossing a street or highway guided by a dog or carrying a white cane (or a white cane with a red tip), vehicles must come to a complete stop.”
   Missouri Driver Guide, Handbook p. 31

3. Do not pass a vehicle that has stopped or slowed down for a pedestrian.

   Source: Handbook p. 30

   “Do not pass a vehicle that has stopped or slowed down for a pedestrian.”
   Missouri Driver Guide, Handbook p. 30

4. Obey the slower school zone speed limit when the lights are flashing or children are present.

   Source: Handbook p. 30

   “You must obey a slower speed limit in a school zone when lights are flashing or children are present.”
   Missouri Driver Guide, Handbook p. 30

5. Do not share a lane with a motorcycle; the rider needs the entire lane.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “You should not share a lane with a motorcycle. The motorcyclist needs the entire lane for safety reasons.”
   Missouri Driver Guide, Handbook p. 28

6. You may cross a bicycle lane to turn or enter the road, but you must yield to bicyclists in it.

   Source: Handbook p. 31

   “You may cross a bicycle lane when turning or when entering or leaving the roadway. You must yield to bicyclists in a bicycle lane.”
   Missouri Driver Guide, Handbook p. 31

7. If you cannot see a truck driver in the truck's mirrors, the driver cannot see you.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “you are driving behind a truck or a bus and cannot see the driver in his or her rearview mirrors, the driver of that vehicle cannot see you.”
   Missouri Driver Guide, Handbook p. 29

8. A car at 55 mph needs about 130 to 140 feet to stop, while a loaded tractor trailer may need almost 400 feet.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “The average passenger car traveling at 55 mph can stop in about 130 140 feet, almost half the length of a football field. A fully loaded tractortrailer may take almost 400 feet”
   Missouri Driver Guide, Handbook p. 29

9. Do not drive between vehicles in a funeral procession while they are moving.

   Source: Handbook p. 34

   “Do not drive between the vehicles that are part of the procession when they are in motion.”
   Missouri Driver Guide, Handbook p. 34

Numbers to know

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Missouri practice test

1. 1. What must vehicles do when a blind pedestrian is crossing with a white cane or guide dog?

   1. Continue after sounding the horn
   2. Come to a complete stop
   3. Stop only if a traffic signal is red
   4. Pass before the pedestrian reaches the lane
   Show answer

   Come to a complete stop. A white cane or guide dog identifies a pedestrian who is blind, and Missouri requires vehicles to come to a complete stop while that person crosses. A horn does not replace yielding, and a traffic signal does not remove the driver’s duty to protect the crossing. Stop early enough to leave the pedestrian a safe path, then wait until the crossing is complete. The cane or dog is the immediate cue to stop fully.

2. 2. At a crosswalk, what is a driver's duty when a pedestrian is about to enter?

   1. Sound the horn and continue
   2. Pass another vehicle stopped nearby
   3. Yield to the pedestrian
   4. Proceed first if the crosswalk is unmarked
   Show answer

   Yield to the pedestrian. A driver must yield when a pedestrian is already in a crosswalk or is about to enter it. The rule applies even when paint is absent, because not every crosswalk is marked. Sounding the horn does not replace yielding, and passing a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian can create a serious hidden hazard. Before crossing an intersection, reduce speed and look for people near both edges of the roadway. A person stepping toward the crossing is the cue to wait and leave a clear path.

3. 3. Who must yield when entering a main road from a driveway, alley, or roadside?

   1. Only pedestrians, never vehicles
   2. Vehicles already traveling on the main road
   3. The driver entering from the side location
   4. The driver traveling at the higher speed
   Show answer

   The driver entering from the side location. A driver emerging from a driveway, alley, or roadside must yield to vehicles already on the main road. Entering traffic is changing from a secondary location into an established flow, so it cannot claim priority merely by reaching the edge first. Speed does not reverse the rule, and the duty applies to vehicles as well as the broader need to avoid collisions. Stop or slow before the edge, look both ways, and enter only after the main road is clear.

Source: the Missouri Driver Guide, Chapter 4: Sharing the Road. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.