The city of St. George is considering adding more flashing crosswalks as traffic deaths rise and police report more pedestrians crossing unsafely or ignoring oncoming vehicles.
Just last week in St. George, there were a total of 42 crashes that occurred, some due to distracted driving.
This time of year, St. George becomes busier due to spring break travel, competitions and warm weather. Juan Fulgencio-Milan, police sergeant at Utah Tech University, said several intersections near the university are particularly prone to accidents, including:
- 1000 E. 100 S.
- 700 E. 100 S.
- 900 E. 400 S. near the Institute of Religion
The street between Utah Tech and nearby student housing, including The Stay and Dixie Cove, often has students crossing mid-block because many find it quicker than walking to the nearest crosswalk.
Aidan Kunert, a junior finance major from Kingman, Arizona, lives at the Dixie Cove apartments. He said there are not enough crosswalks for students to cross safely or conveniently.
“There should be a crosswalk placed near Dixie Cove or one of the other nearby off-campus housing buildings,” Kunert said. “I’ve personally never been hit or scared, but I have seen several other students nearly being hit when crossing. I have almost been late to class several times while waiting to cross the street.”
Fulgencio-Milan said it is common for students to cross streets outside designated crosswalks near campus.
“Students often see an opening in the traffic pattern and try to save a little time by not using the crosswalks,” he said. “There are other times that a lack of crosswalk[s] along the road could contribute to students having to look for alternative options.”
Utah law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks. The state’s “due care” rule also requires drivers to stay alert, slow down near intersections, and take steps to avoid hitting pedestrians.
Amberley Wolsleger, landlord at The Stay, said she has also crossed the street because walking up to the light adds more time. However, it is not the safest road, because of the parked cars on the street, and the visibility on that road isn’t good for pedestrians and drivers.
“A flashing crosswalk from the park [the south side of The Stay] to campus would be amazing,” she said. “Similar to the opposite side of campus on 700 E. I think it would offer a lot of relief to both drivers and pedestrians.”
Fulgencio-Milan also agreed that flashing crosswalks improve pedestrian safety, and pointed out that the campus has some already.
“We have a handful of them around campus currently, and we often see pedestrians not using them or trying to shortcut their path by cutting at the location that they are at,” Fulgencio-Milan said.
Wolsleger said she has never witnessed anyone walking up to the light if they’re headed over to campus. She has witnessed tenants at Dixie Cove cross the street, as well as people living at The Stay.
She said that a flashing crosswalk would be perfect if placed by the park by The Stay.
“It’s definitely people being lazy, but it also comes down to the safety of our tenants, students and drivers,” she said.
Utah Tech has not seen any fatalities due to jaywalking. Fulgencio-Milan said they make an effort to patrol the nearby crosswalks and ensure that both pedestrians and motor vehicles are aware of one another.
Fulgencio-Milan said: “My biggest message [to students] is always to remember that even if they feel safe and confident to cross the street outside of a crosswalk, they should remember that drivers could be distracted or may not see them depending on where they choose to cross. The drivers also have protections if they are operating their vehicle safely, and a pedestrian chooses to jump out in front of the vehicle. It is just a huge safety concern, and if they can, even if it takes a little longer or requires a few extra steps, it would be wise to use that crosswalk.”
