What must a driver do when encountering a pedestrian crossing?

When encountering a pedestrian crossing, a driver must yield the right-of-way. This means that when a pedestrian is in or approaching a crosswalk, the driver has a legal and moral obligation to stop and allow the pedestrian to cross safely. Yielding is essential for the safety of pedestrians, who are more vulnerable road users compared to vehicles.

Ensuring that pedestrians can cross without interference contributes to overall road safety and helps prevent accidents. This rule is backed by traffic laws in Texas and many other places, emphasizing the importance of protecting pedestrians.

The other options do not align with safe driving practices or legal requirements. For example, accelerating to pass quickly endangers pedestrians, while signaling them to hurry could create confusion and put their safety at risk. Only stopping if a pedestrian is already in the crosswalk fails to account for those who may be intending to cross. So, yielding the right-of-way is the correct and safest approach for drivers when encountering pedestrian crossings.