Final answer:
Laws vary by location, but typically you are prohibited from passing within the distance needed for a vehicle to stop safely for a pedestrian at a crosswalk, ensuring pedestrian safety and a safe crossing distance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the rules of the road specifically regarding the action of passing near a pedestrian crosswalk. While the exact legal distance can vary by jurisdiction, many places have laws stating that you must not pass a vehicle that has stopped at a crosswalk to allow pedestrians to cross. Therefore, the prohibited distance for passing in relation to a crosswalk is typically within the space needed for a vehicle to stop safely for a pedestrian at the crosswalk. This reflects the need for pedestrian safety and factors in the stopping distance of a vehicle and the time it takes for a pedestrian to cross the road safely.
For instance, if a car is driving at 60 km/hr (the urban speed limit in some regions), and an average car length is 3.5 m, a safe passing distance must consider the stopping distance of the moving car and the time it would take for a person to walk at least 4 m, which is comfortably more than the width of a car. This ensures a safe crossing distance for pedestrians, in keeping with the overall goal of traffic laws to enhance safety for all road users.