Another student was hit on campus Nov. 29. While the initial reaction is to blame the driver, the trend of students getting bowled over on campus is starting to raise some eyebrows.
Particularly, ours.
After The Northerner learned of the incident, conversation flew through our office. In specific, we traded personal experiences of almost getting hit by cars on campus, and of almost hitting pedestrians ourselves.
We’ve all seen the drivers that make NKU’s campus their own personal racetrack. But what happens when you are a sincerely careful driver and it just isn’t enough?
The fact is, that despite how many times Campus Police addresses Northern Kentucky University, a simple warning about driving sensibly isn’t doing the trick.
Poorly-lit crosswalks and walking paths are most certainly a factor in these accidents, both of which occurred at night.
We were at the scene of the accident last night, and noticed that the crosswalk between Griffin Hall and Kenton Garage provides little visibility for drivers.
And not all of the crosswalks on campus are raised, as the one in front of the dining hall is. These inconsistencies across campus aren’t helping NKU’s drivers and pedestrians.
It may seem cliche to say this, but how many more people have to be hit before a solid, tangible solution is achieved? Granted, simple human error always has to be considered, such as being an inconsiderate driver or pedestrian, but there surely are physical steps to making the campus safer.
Pedestrians: Stay in the damned crosswalks. They’re there for a reason. They are essentially a landing strip, even with painted lines that tell you where to walk. They are meant to draw attention to the fact that you’re there.
Drivers: There’s a reason why NKU has a speeding limit. Follow it. Stop reaching to the floor to pick up a CD while you’re driving. Stop talking to your boyfriend/girlfriend/best friend/nemesis. Understand that you’ve most likely passed through that same crosswalk, and would’ve been pissed off if you got hit by a car while on your way to or from class.
And NKU, please, for the love of Eddie (and all the other NKU students) do something to address this nasty trend. Add better lighting, raise those crosswalks. If we are trying to go to Division I, surely we can spare the money for our students safety first.
Don’t forget, winter is quickly approaching, as we saw from last night’s snow flurries. The roads are only going to get worse. If people are getting hit now and the roads aren’t even frozen over, just wait and see what happens once ice and slush are added into the equation.