November 14, 2014
When walking across campus, students tend to show more caution to avoid walking across a map than when walking across a busy town road. Following what Director of Campus Safety Fran Manfredo calls “several close calls” at the crosswalk on College Hill Road, Hamilton will be placing two signs, one on either side of the street, encouraging pedestrians to “STOP” and “make eye contact with driver before crossing.” According to Manfredo, pedestrian recklessness has been an ongoing issue. There are several close calls a year, in which students, often wearing headphones or racing across the street on bikes, fail to yield to cars.
“According to the law, drivers are required to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, pedestrians are prohibited from “walking into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impractical for the driver to yield,” and vehicles always have the right of way where there is no designated crosswalk,” Manfredo says. “In addition, bicyclists should never enter the crosswalk without first coming to a complete stop. Both law and common sense dictate that you should always cross in a crosswalk after stopping and looking in both directions.”
Manfredo, who has been worried about this issue for some time, was approached by a faculty member this year who also expressed concern. Manfredo hopes this small and simple reminder will promote safety and personal responsibility among the student body. The signs will go up Friday, Nov. 12.
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