FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The national statistics are startling: nearly 6,000 pedestrians were killed in 2016; 70 percent of them were men, and 1 in 5 died in hit and run accidents. And that doesn’t count the thousands who were simply injured trying to cross the street.

The University of Arkansas will take part in the 15th annual Crosswalk Safety Awareness Day in Fayetteville and in Arkansas from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10.  

This year volunteers organized by the Panhellenic Council will be helping at the three busiest crosswalks on campus: Maple Street and Garland Avenue; the Pi Phi Gate crossing on Maple Street; and the Brough Commons intersection at Dickson Street and McIlroy Avenue. Additional volunteers will be stationed at other intersections, reminding pedestrians and drivers alike to be aware.

University Police officers will also be patrolling around campus.

Every one is encouraged to use social media to post pictures and comments about crosswalk safety.

The purpose of Crosswalk Safety Awareness Day is to make drivers aware that under both state and a city law they must yield to a pedestrian in a marked or unmarked crosswalk. 

Pedestrians also have a responsibility to look up from their phones and check for traffic before they enter a crosswalk. Pedestrians should make eye contact with an oncoming driver when crossing.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson has proclaimed Crosswalk Safety Awareness Day in Arkansas and Mayor Lioneld Jordan has proclaimed it in Fayetteville, where the event originated 14 years ago.