Hi everyone,
I had a scary near miss in NSW this afternoon and wanted to ask for general advice.
Around 6 pm, when it was already dark, I was driving through an intersection/road section with traffic lights. My vehicle light was green. This was not a zebra crossing — it was a signalised pedestrian crossing controlled by traffic lights. I was not speeding or using my phone.
As I approached the traffic-light-controlled crossing, I suddenly noticed a teenage school student in a light blue uniform very close in front of my car. I braked hard immediately and avoided hitting him. There was no contact and no injury. I stopped for a few seconds because I was shaken, then drove off after the cars behind me honked.
I reviewed my dashcam footage afterwards. It confirms my vehicle light was green. It also shows a bus stopped on the opposite side near the crossing, with bright headlights facing my direction, which may have affected my visibility. I only clearly noticed the pedestrian when he was already very close to my car.
I’ve saved the dashcam footage and written down what happened.
Since there was no collision or injury, is there anything I need to report or do? Also, if a collision had happened in this type of situation, how is responsibility generally assessed in NSW?
Thanks.