“We All Deserve to Get There” Pedestrian Safety Campaign
By Kayla Bowens
We have all probably had one too many near-miss scooter encounters. Speaking from personal experience, I have almost been hit by a scooter on or around campus when minding my own business numerous times. So I am here to highlight the importance of pedestrian safety.
As emphasized on USC’s safety tips page, “everyday, bikes and scooters are sharing pathways with pedestrians, skateboards, and other mobility devices on campus”. Not only is pedestrian safety important, but also the safety of scooter users. A couple years ago, I was visiting one of friends at San Jose State University, and she rode a scooter to her classes and workouts everyday. The night I arrived there, she told me that same morning one of their football players riding a scooter was hit and killed by a bus. This football player had a future ahead of him, and this was not the first time this has happened. Many students and people experience mobility device incidents. Keeping this in mind, there are many ways for us all to stay mindful and avoid what could become a serious accident.
Here are a few USC safety tips to consider:
On campus specifically:
Avoid exceeding speeds of 15 miles per hour
ALWAYS give the pedestrian the right of way
Use the Trousdale bike path in the correct direction
Side note: As a pedestrian, I often times find myself walking in the bike path, so don’t be like me and try to stay mindful of your surroundings when walking on campus.
When riding on streets:
Ride in the same direction as traffic
Avoid drivers’ blind spots
Make eye contact with drivers as a form of communication if possible
Wear or have something with a reflective surface to be seen by drivers at night
Riding scooters, bicycles, and other mobility devices has its risk, but I understand the convenience. Time is money in college, so let’s all work together to keep each other safe, because we all deserve to get there.
