Auto-pedestrian accidents at the U generally happen about once or twice a year, with a spike of six accidents in 2006. But before we have even escaped the first month of 2009, the U has already experienced two, setting a bad trend for the rest of the year. Considering the consequences of these accidents, it is ironic that they are so easy to avoid.
An auto-pedestrian accident can cost thousands of dollars in health care costs, auto damage and time away from work, not to mention the physical and mental pain experienced by both the pedestrian and driver. None of those things is worth the possibility of saving 30 seconds by jaywalking. People don’t expects their illegal strolls across the road to end in injury or death, but it happens every year. And the offhand, unapologetic attitude most people have about their jaywalking doesn’t help.
We should be able to protect ourselves, and part of that includes staying out of the way of automobiles. Instead of placing your life in the hands of distracted drivers every time you cross the street, why not wait a few seconds for a walk sign? Instead of trying your luck across the three lanes of traffic and the TRAX line north of Rice-Eccles Stadium, why not use the tunnel below it or the crosswalk west of it?
Staying out of the road shouldn’t be a novel concept, but it seems to be a constant struggle. Reversing the upward trend of auto-pedestian accidents is as easy as obeying traffic laws and crossing the street when and where you are supposed to.