A Push for Safer Crosswalks for RACC Students and Faculty...

In this modern day and age many drivers and pedestrians alike become easily distracted by: cell phones, I-Pods, navigation systems, as well as many other distractions. These distractions can make it quite dangerous to even cross the street. It is quite shocking how worn and faded some of the crosswalks at RACC have become. Even without the distractions the crosswalks are rather difficult to see and be able to stop if a pedestrian steps into it. The crosswalks at RACC connect the main campus with the parking lots, as well as other buildings, and classes just off campus. Having a student population of almost 5,000 undergraduate students in addition to its full faculty and staff, a large majority of these people have no choice but to park†¦show more content†¦Therefore while they are distracted and driving their focus must alternate between whatever other task is at hand and driving. This draws their attention away from the road, which can potentially lead to an accident. A cro sswalk is generally designed to provide a safe path for pedestrians to cross by marking the designated path that people can cross and in which motorist should be able to see. â€Å"Should† is the keyword, because as the paint fades, chips, and wears from traffic; the path becomes harder for motorist to see. The consequence of this is a driver will be less aware that someone may step into the road trying to cross at these points. Laws and legislation are beginning to crack down on these drivers but the roads are still a dangerous place for a person to be. There are a multitude of options to increase the safety at cross walks. â€Å"A pilot program in Virginia, which is based off of similarly designed programs oversea, uses zigzagged lines painted on the road at dangerous crossings†( Woodward, 2009). The idea is that the lines will draw a motorist’s attention to the road, the upcoming crosswalk, and they become aware of the potential for pedestrians to be crossing. Placing a crossing guard at each crosswalk could serve the dual