As someone who has experienced two years of campus life, I can say that residential life is not for the weak, especially when your main mode of transport is crossing a busy street every day. I have noticed while attending SLU that one of the biggest concerns among students is safety, mainly safety while commuting to and from classes. The main question that I have been pondering recently is how to solve safety concerns regarding walking, which is the most commonly used transportation method for students. This can pose even more of a problem, as someone whose campus is very much built around main roads.Â
One factor that affects safety when walking around campus is the most uncontrollable factor: people. There are so many different types of people who have different backgrounds when it comes to road safety. Not everyone is given the same education about waiting for traffic signals, avoiding the busiest times for traffic and the dangers of walking late at night. I learned the basics of road safety from a young age, but it was not until studying for my driver’s license that I realized how to look at traffic as both a driver and pedestrian. People who have not tested for their driver’s license might not know these rules. Students should learn more about road safety. Some examples that fall under this would be avoiding jaywalking and wearing brighter clothes when walking late at night.
This can be useful in cases where drivers’ negligence costs pedestrians their lives. One such case was one in Tucson, Arizona, where two University of Arizona students in their early 20s were hit and killed by a 19-year-old driving under the influence while on a crosswalk. The hit-and-run is just one situation of many where college students were at risk of injury, just from being on a crosswalk. Although in this case, the danger came from reckless driving, in other cases, things can be caused by a combination of inattention to pedestrians and the impaired rationality that comes from making last-minute changes while driving. It is common to hear about students being hit by cars due to either the driver’s or the student’s negligence; in fact, about 20% of college deaths come from car accidents. This case is sadly just an example of one of the biggest dangers of campus life.
Another factor that affects road safety is the different education levels of drivers. It is as difficult to predict drivers’ behavior as it is for pedestrians. This is why people should refine their driving skills by staying up to date on regulations. One way people do this is by following the “Rules of the Road,” a pamphlet that contains driving rules specific to each state and some common symbols to keep an eye out for. This can help people remember rules, refresh old information and find out about possible changes or updates to rules.
In cases where accidents occur, not everyone is prepared to handle the aftermath. It is important to know what to do as a driver or pedestrian after an accident occurs. As a driver, it is necessary to stay at the scene of the crime and call emergency services. If in luck, nearby physicians might be able to check on victims and help stabilize their conditions. As a pedestrian who has been hit, it is important to move to a safe area, call 911, inform campus security and keep important medical information on hand (this can be in your settings or in an app, depending on the type of phone). After the moment of impact, it is important to get the driver’s license, contact information, full name, photos of the scene, names and contact information of witnesses and the name and badge number of officers involved. From there, depending on the situation, things might escalate to the legal scale. These are some basic tips to help increase safety during an emergency.
There are many factors that go into commuting as drivers and pedestrians, which is why it is important for everyone, especially college students, to understand both perspectives. Only with both perspectives can we prevent accidents from occurring by mitigating risky behavior and prioritizing the safety of everyone on the road.Â