Italian category B road test: what to watch for near a pedestrian crossing

On the Italian category B road test, look both ways as you approach a pedestrian crossing, reduce speed and stop when people are crossing or about to cross in the cases covered by law. A vehicle stopped near the crossing may hide someone: do not pass it without checking.

Approach at a speed that lets you stop

Respect for pedestrian crossings can be assessed during the practical test. Look along both pavements and across the road before reaching the crossing; a parked or stopped vehicle may partly hide a pedestrian. Reduce speed enough to stop under control, especially when visibility is limited, children are nearby or the road is wet.

Article 191 requires drivers to yield to pedestrians on crossings and to stop when necessary. If someone is already crossing, wait until they have finished. If a vehicle in the next lane has stopped to let a person pass, do not overtake it: the pedestrian may be in front of your car. During the test, stopping with room and moving only after checking is safer than creeping forward to gain a view.

Check again before moving off

Once stopped, leave room for people to cross and check that nobody else is approaching. Move off smoothly without rushing or obstructing a pedestrian. If traffic is queued across the crossing, stop before it until you can clear the space on the other side.

Ask your instructor to practise different situations: an empty crossing, a waiting pedestrian, a vehicle stopped in the next lane and a partly blocked view. Do not look for risky situations to practise alone. The road test checks observation and decisions in context; memorising a sentence from the Highway Code cannot replace actually watching the road.

Quiz Patente Ufficiale helps you review Italian rules for pedestrians and crossings.