Get Street Smart campaign informs on correct crosswalk usage

The IU Police Department and the Bloomington Police Department are partnering to remind pedestrians, drivers and cyclists to “Get Street Smart” on IU’s campus through a new campaign this fall.

According to an IU press release, the campaign is “aimed at improving traffic and pedestrian safety, especially around the areas of three midblock crosswalks — two installed just last spring on Fee Lane and a new one on 10th Street at the Kelley School of Business undergraduate building. The Fee Lane and 10th Street area has a particularly high amount of foot and vehicular traffic.”

IUPD is combining resources with BPD in the first week of classes to ensure midblock crosswalks are used correctly, Keith Cash, interim chief of IUPD said in a press release.

“IUPD and BPD will be in the Fee Lane area passing out educational pamphlets to pedestrians about how to use the crosswalks,” he said in the release. “We’re mainly focusing on education at this time, but if we see a flagrant violation, we’ll also issue warnings or perhaps even tickets. And we’ll be watching for speeding vehicles.”

However, typical midblock crosswalks are ambiguous in terms of giving clear right-of-way to pedestrians or vehicles, Cash said.

“Indiana law gives pedestrians the right-of-way only when they enter a zone that is clearly marked as such,” he said in the release. “But there are restrictions. Pedestrians cannot suddenly step off the cub or another place of safety into traffic if a vehicle does not have time to stop. At all other times, pedestrians must yield the right-of-way to a vehicle. The three new midblock crosswalks are designed to clearly show when to give the right-of-way to a vehicle. The three new midblock crosswalks are designed to clearly show when the right-of-way exists and allow the police to write tickets.”

If a vehicle has entered the white painted area known as the “Shark’s Teeth” preceding the crosswalk, Cash said it is too late for a pedestrian to cross safely.

The new campaign was first introduced last spring to raise awareness for the first two crosswalks. It includes information on campus websites, Facebook and Twitter messaging, media advertising, posters, bus placards and chalking.

The Get Street Smart poster emphasizes five basic rules:

    * Use the campus crosswalks that have been added for your safety. If you cross elsewhere, you may not have the right-of-way.

    * Obey traffic signs and signals. Please choose safety over shortcuts.

    * Lay off the cell or iPod when crossing. If it interferes with your ability to pay attention to your surroundings, don’t do it.

    * Make your intention to cross known. When a vehicle approaches the cross walk, make eye contact with the driver before proceeding.

    * Look left, then right, then left again before crossing to make sure all lanes of traffic are clear. Just like you learned in kindergarten.

For more information on the campaign, contact Susan Williams at sulwilli@indiana.edu.

— Bailey Loosemore