Jaywalking is becoming an issue on and around the campus of Utah Tech University with a limited number of crosswalks.
Jaywalking is the act of walking in or crossing a road that has traffic other than at a designated crossing point. One place with many jaywalkers at Utah Tech is 1000 E., which runs along the east side of campus.
1000 E. has two points on campus where crosswalks are present. Those are at the intersection of 100 S. as well as the intersection of 400 S.
These intersections are nearly a 10-minute walk apart meaning students who live directly across from campus may have to walk out of their way to get across the street.
Josh Thayn, executive director of university safety and risk management, said: “The streets around campus belong to the City of St. George and are regulated through their Public Works Department. Utah Tech Police have facilitated a number of traffic observation reports on pedestrian traffic and vehicle traffic, but the city ultimately decides where they place crosswalks.”
A no-crossing sign on Utah Tech campus is a way campus officials encourage students to use the provided crosswalks. Sydney Johnson | Sun News Daily
Lena Johnson, a sophomore art major from Eagle Mountain, said jaywalking has been a major issue for her as she is driving around campus.
She said: “I always have to be 10 times more careful because people just walk out in the middle of the street all the time. Students need to be aware of the dangers and check their surroundings.”
Johnson added that she understands the crosswalk may be far but walking that extra distance could prevent a serious accident.
Chief of Police Ron Bridge said there have been instances of pedestrians being hit by a vehicle while crossing roads outside the crosswalks.
“If any individual is crossing the road and making cars stop in the travel lane, they are at risk of being struck by a car or being cited for the violation,” Bridge said. “Violating the jaywalking laws is risky and should be avoided if possible.”
Over the past few years, Utah has seen a jump in auto-pedestrian accidents. Nearly 12% of those accidents are caused by pedestrians illegally crossing the roads or jaywalking. Other contributing factors are cell phones, impaired drivers and poor visibility.
“Jaywalking is a responsibility of the individual person,” Thayn said. “Pedestrians need to understand the restrictions of crossing the roadways outside a crosswalk and the danger associated with those actions. Utah Tech Police patrol the roads around the university and take needed law enforcement action where they can.”
Utah Tech has listed a few ways to prevent pedestrian accidents including:
- Be safe and be seen
- Be smart and alert
- Be careful at crossings
- Keep your head up
- Watch for turning vehicles
The key is to be alert when you are driving and be seen when you are a pedestrian. To learn more about pedestrian safety on campus, you can visit the Utah Tech website or contact a member of university safety and risk management.
