Multiple accidents between vehicles and pedestrians have happened on the campus of Marshall University. A safety study is attempting to determine what officials can do to make the campus safer after a vehicle struck and killed a student walking on campus.
What is the West Virginia Department of Transportation doing to keep students safe?
Safety measures on campus
The ongoing safety study focuses on high-traffic locations around campus. The WVDOT, with assistance from engineering school students, completed the initial phase of the study involving collecting information, observing truck and vehicle traffic, monitoring speeds and examining signs and traffic signals. Officials say the study could take up to two years to complete.
How students can stay safe
Because changes to the roads around campus are likely a long way off, officials advise students to stay alert and avoid using their phones when crossing the streets on campus. Students can also take other actions to reduce the danger of accidents:
- Wear bright, reflective clothing
- Avoid standing near hedges, buses or parked cars that may block drivers’ view of you
- When crossing at night, cross in well-lit areas
- Walk on sidewalks when possible
- Do not walk while impaired by drugs or alcohol
- Look before you cross the road
Additionally, pedestrians should make eye contact with drivers, listen and look for engine noises and backup lights, cross at marked crosswalks when possible, watch for turning vehicles and obey traffic signals.
When vehicles hit pedestrians, serious injuries often occur. Students on busy campus streets should always exercise caution when crossing streets, biking or walking in the roadway.