The 72-year-old man who was hit by a student’s car Wednesday night near Rice-Eccles Stadium is the second person to be involved in an auto-pedestrian accident this month, a warning that 2009 might become a record-setting year for similar injuries.
Since 2003, there have been an average of one or two auto-pedestrian accidents reported on campus each year. The exception is 2006, which had six accidents. January of this year, however, has two tallies already.
In Wednesday’s accident, the man was hit late at night, when many auto-pedestrian accidents occur. As of Wednesday night, the man had a broken leg and possible head injury.
On Jan. 15, a woman ran into the middle of North Campus Drive, near Mario Capecchi Drive. She told police she was trying to catch a bus, but she tripped and fell. The rear passenger tire of a shuttle bus ran over her left foot.
“You, as a pedestrian, have the right of way, but you’re still going to die,” said Capt. Lynn Mitchell of the U Police Department. “You could be right8212;dead right.”
Mitchell said there are three main locations on campus8212;Foothill Boulevard near Wasatch Boulevard, the intersection of 400 South and South Campus Drive, and 100 South near Greek Row8212;where pedestrians and drivers need to be most careful.
Near the 400 South and South Campus Drive intersection, a lot of people try to jaywalk from the Rice-Eccles Stadium bus stop to a fence in the divider of South Campus Drive, and then jaywalk across to the opposite side. The man who was hit on Wednesday tried the same maneuver, according to Sgt. Bob Garner of U Police.
The tunnel under South Campus Drive was built a few years ago to discourage jaywalking across that street, but Mitchell said some students think it’s too long of a walk by comparison.
Daniel Polytika, a sophomore in education, said he’s been tempted to use that jaywalking route. In his two years at the U, however, he has opted for the tunnel or crosswalk. The thought of getting hit by a car was not worth the extra couple minutes, he said.
U Police conducted a survey with the Salt Lake City Police Department to find out where most accidents occur, including auto-pedestrian. According to the joint survey, most of the accidents at the U occurred at 100 South on Greek Row.
Pedestrians have to be mindful that they might have the legal right to cross a street, but that won’t stop a bad driver, police said.
“Be careful and be watchful,” Mitchell said.
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Erik DaenitzA car hit a 72-year-old man Wednesday night when he was crossing South Campus Drive. The accident was the second auto-pedestrian accident reported in January.