The University of Massachusetts Police Department sent a campus-wide email to remind both pedestrians and motorists of the importance of crosswalk safety.
“Specifically, during early evening hours, when the sun is beginning to set in the west, commuter traffic exiting the campus on our westbound
roads is driving directly into the sun,” stated UMPD Chief Barbara R. O’Connor. “At the same time, a significant number of pedestrians are crossing these roadways. In a few situations within the last year, poor visibility due to the sun has resulted in a number of serious motor vehicle/pedestrian accidents on our campus.”
Numerous students have been hit by moving vehicles within the last year, including a short span in February where six people suffered serious injuries from being struck on the street.
In February 2006, three women were crossing Massachusetts Ave. at the intersection of Sunset Ave. near the Southwest Residential Area at 4:40 p.m. when they were hit by a Nissan Maxima.
Just days later, another student suffered multiple injuries after being struck by a car.
Olivia Simpson, a UMass student from Washington Heights, N.Y., was reportedly hit by a white truck while walking across Eastman Lane near the Totman Gymnasium.
Two days before, two contractors involved in the “information line” picketing at the construction site of the North Residential Area next to Sylvan were reportedly struck by motor vehicles, but neither of the contractors have filed any charges against the drivers.
The surge in pedestrian injuries comes during a semester-long pedestrian safety program designed by UMass officials to improve the attitudes and actions of pedestrians as well as drivers, to upgrade the physical landscape of campus roadways and to serve as a source of crucial data to be used in designing similar programs on campuses nationwide.
The program, called “Cross Safely, Drive Safely,” was funded through a $75,000 grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is administered by UMass police, the Massachusetts Traffic Safety Research Program (MassSAFE) and the department of civil and environmental engineering through the UMass Transportation Center.
“Respect for the crosswalk laws and due caution by both pedestrians and motorists during these times is called for to prevent these types of
accidents,” stated O’Connor. “The University of Massachusetts Amherst Police Department takes crosswalk education seriously and will be visible in high traffic areas such as Eastman Lane near Totman Gym and Massachusetts Avenue near Lot 71 and Sunset Ave. for the coming weeks.”
