Pedestrian Safety a major concern
Officers present at the site of the recent accidents handed out pamphlets to pedestrians and motorists. The booklet provided tips on who has the right of way in scenarios at crosswalks with and without traffic signals.
Justin Gaines, coordinator of environmental health and occupational safety (EPOS), said some drivers don’t know the laws and many pedestrians think they always have the right of way. A lack of attention contributes to traffic mishaps as well.
“A driver will be on the cell phone trying to take care of everything, but driving and vice versa the pedestrian is trying to cross the crosswalk while on the phone, listening to the iPod or talking to their friends,” Gaines said. “They’re just not paying attention to what’s around them.”
Public Safety called a meeting with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) concerning the issues at the Clarke-Hancock street intersection. This Tuesday Gaines spoke with the GDOT representative about alternative crosswalk safety options.
The idea of raised crosswalks gets thrown out because Hancock Street lies on GA Highway 49, which brings tractor trailer trucks. The GDOT would never agree to alter the crosswalks based on the heavy vehicle traffic.
One workable option for the intersection is audible pedestrian signals. Originally designed to assist the visually impaired, these systems talk you through signal changes and provide a ticking countdown representing the crossing time limit.
“We are going to try and get that implemented to make it as easy as possible for a pedestrian to know exactly what to do,” Gaines said. “I’m a big advocate of it, and I’m going to push as hard as I can to see that it happens.”
Senior criminal justice major John Butler said safety is a joint effort between drivers and pedestrians. Butler said increased punishment for violators would help.
“I think patrol should be set up by the bicycle cops and cite pedestrians who walk without the correct signal. In addition, motorists are supposed to remain stopped for the entire time that a pedestrian is in the crosswalk,” Butler said. “A couple months of ticket giving will curb the carelessness.”
The last few accidents left the motorist at fault. GCSU’s media relations manager Judy Bailey said beefed up enforcement by the school and city could make a difference. Bailey and her co-worker Zach Kincaid were struck in last week’s incident.
“I always knew there was a possibility, but I was shocked at what happened on Thursday,” Bailey said. “Drivers have to obey the laws.”
In the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety’s annual Highway Safety Plan (HSP) released in January, the reduction of pedestrian related fatalities stands out as a top priority goal for 2009. Trend statistics in the HSP taken from 2000 through 2006 total all types of pedestrian injuries related to motor vehicle collisions to 14,525. Injury rates remain the highest among the 15 to 19 year old age group.
The HSP pinpoints the cause to highway design and road construction focused on efficient traffic flow instead of safe pedestrian movement.
Education, changes in signal technology and stricter traffic enforcement compose GCSU’s current strategic campaign against these alarming numbers.
Anyone wanting to find more information on driver and pedestrian safety laws can access electronic forms on the EPOS Web site info.gcsu.edu/intranet/epos.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Feb 13 2009. Filed under News.
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