Traffic lights do provide pedestrians with an opportunity to cross, but the way they are implemented buys into the idea that by default cars (or motor vehicles) always have the priority, mainly just because they are bigger and more dangerous and would win in a fight. Pedestrians have to press a button and then wait humbly for their turn.

Contrast with the zebra crossing where the pedestrian has priority, and the drivers have to look out and wait, because they no longer have priority. Far more civilised (assuming drivers actually stop when they should, which doesn’t always happen).