Crosswalk collisions stack up in 2005
Clover Birdsdell, Senior Staff Writer
Issue date: 11/18/05 Section: News
Students must approach crosswalks with care, on foot and behind the wheel.
Pedestrian traffic accidents have varied in severity from year to year on campus, one in 2003, five in 2004, and six accidents accounted for so far in 2005.
Most of the accidents have been minor, said Lt. Gary Crain, UAPD public information officer. The only pedestrian fatality on record occurred in 2000.
Historically, Maple Street's crosswalks and the intersection of Duncan and Dickson Streets has been notorious for crosswalk accidents in the past, he said.
"Inattention on the part of two people causes the accident," Crain said. "Pedestrians may think the driver has seen them when they really haven't. Sometimes the drivers may be distracted."
According to Arkansas State Law, if a pedestrian is approaching the crosswalk, no matter where it is located, the driver is obligated to yield. The pedestrian always has the right of way.
"The legal obligation is on the driver," Crain said. "The driver is always wrong when they do not yield to a pedestrian at a crosswalk."
The most recent pedestrian crosswalk accident occurred at approximately 3:40 p.m., Oct. 9.
Alexis Junkerman's car, a Dodge Stratus, was stopped at the intersection at Stadium Drive coming down the ramp from the Garland parking deck. She looked to the left and saw no vehicles coming, so she started to turn right.
Amy Jackson was walking south approaching the intersection and saw that the car was stopped, so she then entered the cross walk.
William Blankenship, a junior philosophy and psychology major, witnessed the accident and gave his account via e-mail.
Blankenship noted the car was speeding and had run the stop sign located directly outside of the parking deck.
"I didn't really think anything of it; there are a lot of bad drivers here and everyone runs that stop sign," he wrote.
"We get down the hill to the stop sign on Stadium Drive where the Stratus was going to turn right, without turn signal. They actually stopped on the crosswalk and had to wait for a little traffic and, as they were waiting, a small woman began to walk in front of the vehicle."
Pedestrian traffic accidents have varied in severity from year to year on campus, one in 2003, five in 2004, and six accidents accounted for so far in 2005.
Most of the accidents have been minor, said Lt. Gary Crain, UAPD public information officer. The only pedestrian fatality on record occurred in 2000.
Historically, Maple Street's crosswalks and the intersection of Duncan and Dickson Streets has been notorious for crosswalk accidents in the past, he said.
"Inattention on the part of two people causes the accident," Crain said. "Pedestrians may think the driver has seen them when they really haven't. Sometimes the drivers may be distracted."
According to Arkansas State Law, if a pedestrian is approaching the crosswalk, no matter where it is located, the driver is obligated to yield. The pedestrian always has the right of way.
"The legal obligation is on the driver," Crain said. "The driver is always wrong when they do not yield to a pedestrian at a crosswalk."
The most recent pedestrian crosswalk accident occurred at approximately 3:40 p.m., Oct. 9.
Alexis Junkerman's car, a Dodge Stratus, was stopped at the intersection at Stadium Drive coming down the ramp from the Garland parking deck. She looked to the left and saw no vehicles coming, so she started to turn right.
Amy Jackson was walking south approaching the intersection and saw that the car was stopped, so she then entered the cross walk.
William Blankenship, a junior philosophy and psychology major, witnessed the accident and gave his account via e-mail.
Blankenship noted the car was speeding and had run the stop sign located directly outside of the parking deck.
"I didn't really think anything of it; there are a lot of bad drivers here and everyone runs that stop sign," he wrote.
"We get down the hill to the stop sign on Stadium Drive where the Stratus was going to turn right, without turn signal. They actually stopped on the crosswalk and had to wait for a little traffic and, as they were waiting, a small woman began to walk in front of the vehicle."
