We previously reported in this blog about pedestrian and bicycle accidents that have occurred on the Ohio State campus. In response to growing concern about pedestrian safety on and around campus, university officials recently announced plans to install a traffic signal at a busy intersection.
Aimed to prevent additional pedestrian accidents, work to install the traffic light and surrounding infrastructure will be completed during the coming summer months. Two OSU students were seriously injured earlier this year in a pedestrian accident and bicycle accident. The accidents left both young adults seriously injured and resulted in outrage from both students and members of the public.
University officials set up a special task force to investigate the accidents as well as safety measures that may be effective in preventing additional accidents. While many are in favor of the new traffic signal and believe it will indeed help prevent some pedestrian accidents, others remain concerned over hazardous conditions posed on campus by ongoing construction.
One of the injured students was hit by a dump truck while he rode his bicycle. The dump truck was being used to haul away debris from an on-campus construction site. Currently there are a total of 23 projects under construction on the OSU campus. Such construction projects pose a danger to pedestrians as loud and moving commercial vehicles and equipment frequently navigate the streets on and around campus. What's more, pedestrians are often forced to walk through narrow and make-shift walkways which become congested during the day.
University officials are hopeful the addition of the stoplight and continuing outreach related to pedestrian safety will help prevent future accidents from occurring. Individuals who have been impacted by a pedestrian accident often sustain serious and life-altering injuries. Such individuals may choose to take legal action to recover compensation related to their injuries as well as medical expenses.
Source: The Lantern, "$343K traffic signal aims to counter accidents at Ohio State," Kaydee Laney, April 14, 2013