It’s high time that students start listening to their parents. Look both ways before crossing the street, don’t walk out in front of oncoming traffic, and don’t cross where there isn’t a crosswalk. Likewise, it’s time for drivers to start being more cautious and being careful of those people that are wise enough to use crosswalks.
Just this past week, a past Mesa State student was hit while using the crosswalk on 12th Ave. He had pushed the button and looked both ways before stepping out to cross the street. He used every precaution necessary and was still hit. When asked what happened, the driver stated that she saw the lights flashing  and had plenty of time to stop but decided not to stop because she didn’t see anyone in the crosswalk. She failed to see the person crossing the street because he was wearing black, at two in the afternoon.
This was a very avoidable accident and didn’t need to happen, as are most accidents, if people would simply take the time to take certain precautions, or God forbid, follow the law to begin with.
Rules, such as stop when the lights are flashing, are put in place for people’s safety. They are not simply precautions, or guidelines either; they are the law. The city of Grand Junction put this law in place to keep accidents like this from happening. And thus, there are major consequences for disobeying the law, such as the driver getting a ticket for failure to give right-of-way to a pedestrian. Not to mention that she will have to live with the fact that she hurt someone because she didn’t follow the law.
Now I know you all have heard this since you were little kids, but it really is that important. Look both ways before crossing the street, use crosswalks, and if needed, get someone to hold your hand while crossing. And driver safety really is just as important as pedestrian safety. Stop when the lights are flashing, even if you don’t see someone in the crosswalk. Slow down when people are crossing, even if they are not in the crosswalk; don’t speed up “to scare them” or make them get out of the way. And pedestrians and drivers alike, be cautious.
For more information on crosProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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alk safety, check out photographer Matt Kroschel’s video on YouTube.

afriar@mesastate.eduProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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