A University of Arkansas student was struck by a car Monday afternoon, Sept. 12, while crossing the northbound lanes of Garland Avenue about 200 feet south of Cleveland Street. The student’s right foot was injured, and she was taken to Washington Regional Medical Center for treatment. According to the police accident report the student was not using a designated crosswalk at the time of the accident. Neither the student nor the driver received a ticket as a result of the accident.

The accident points up the danger to pedestrians of not using crosswalks on campus streets. Drivers in Arkansas are required to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, but pedestrians are also required to use the crosswalks under state law. Pedestrians who use crosswalks still  need to look both ways before crossing. Just because a pedestrian has the legal right of way does not mean that a driver has seen them.

Stop. Look. Then walk.

There is a mid-block crosswalk on Garland Avenue and one at the Cleveland St. intersection. University officials have asked the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department to evaluate installing a new crosswalk, to run between the middle of the Garland Center to the Northwest Quad sidewalk. Garland Avenue is part of Arkansas Highway 112 and is regulated by the state.

“A large number of students, faculty and staff live and work in this area, and they cross this street illegally on a daily basis,” said Mike Johnson, associate vice chancellor for facilities. “We’re fortunate there have not been more — and more serious — accidents. We want the law enforced, but primarily we want safe conditions for both drivers and pedestrians. We hope we are able to make our case to the highway department.”

Near the start of the semester the speed limit on the section of Garland Avenue between Cleveland Street and Maple Street was lowered to 25 mph by the state. The speed limit has also been lowered to 25 mph on Maple Street between Garland Avenue and Razorback Road. University officials requested both changes in an effort to make the streets safer for pedestrians and drivers.

“These are very heavily traveled roads on the north and west sides of campus,” said Johnson. “They are used by thousands of pedestrians and thousands of vehicles, every day. That’s a potentially dangerous combination and the reason we asked the state to lower the speed limit to 25 mph. We appreciate them taking the action they did.”

“University Police are enforcing the new speed limit,” said Lt. Gary Crain, public information officer for the UAPD. “We are also enforcing state law requiring pedestrians to cross streets in marked crosswalks or at intersections. Pedestrians on campus who don’t use the campus crosswalks or ignore traffic lights on campus streets are just putting themselves in danger. We need to remind all pedestrians, but our students especially, that they need to obey traffic laws.”