NOTE: Each quarter, students in the eighth grade yearbook class post an article one the Hilltopper Online.
The crosswalk signal flashes. Five seconds. Aubree Peebles (6) begins to cross. Four. The cars have already started turning. Three. She hears her mom shout for her to hurry up. Two, she shifts into a run. One second. She reaches the other side, hearing the cars pass behind her.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) site reports that “in 2023, 7,314 pedestrians were killed and more than 68,000 pedestrians were injured nationwide.”
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “Thousands of bicyclists are injured or killed in the United States every year.”
Just like Avery Couch (6), who broke her wrist after falling off her electric scooter.
“Don’t go on the road in or on any vehicle except your car or a motorcycle,” Couch (6) said.
Speaking of vehicles, Bates had her own accident because she mixed up her directions.
“Next time you’re on a biking trail, make sure you wear a helmet, stay safe, and remember your right from your left,” Bates (6) said.
Since she fell, Bates has had a reminder from a particular plant because of something stuck in her skin after the fall.
“Before the [accident] happened, I didn’t have any bad stuff. But now, there’s a certain part of my eyebrow above my right eye. At random times, it’ll twitch really weirdly because one of the plants stuck something in there,” Bates (6) said.
There are many important habits to stay safe as a pedestrian.
“You should always look both ways,” Peebles (6) said.
Highlands has crossing guards before and after school to ensure students can cross safely; according to the Safety Resource Center, “Crossing guards serve as one of the most visible and effective strategies to improve pedestrian safety, particularly around schools and busy intersections.” The SRC has also worked with NHTSA on a study of crosswalk safety involving crossing guards.
A staff member at Highlands who stresses the importance of crosswalk safety is Custodian Matthew Schnelle.
“There are always people going through it, kids, adults, all different times of the day, no matter what, and it’s a high-traffic area. I think it’s important to always be aware of all your surroundings when you’re going through these kinds of areas,” Schnelle said.
Some times of day are more dangerous than others, especially early in the mornings and late at night. According to NHTSA, “Nationwide almost half (49%) of passenger vehicle occupant fatalities occur during nighttime. This, coupled with the fact that approximately 25 percent of travel occurs during hours of darkness, the fatality rate per vehicle mile of travel is about three times higher at night than during the day.”
“Towards the later end of the day, there’s some older drivers coming through, they don’t always notice everything. The other day, some lady, as I was walking out with a stop sign, ran right through it,” Schnelle said.
Police officers help ensure everyone is safe while they walk near intersections and schools, including School Resource Officer Chris Goshorn.
“Check the whole area multiple times. Don’t just assume, because you’re at a crosswalk, even if somebody has a red light, don’t just assume that the motorists are going to stop for you. Look left, look right, and then look left again at minimum to make sure that the area is cleared and the cars are stopping,” Goshorn said.
Goshorn also notes that staying focused and paying attention can prevent dangerous risks that are possible to happen. Looking both ways has been requested from multiple people in the community, Some pedestrians don’t look both ways and that usually results in a crash or a long term injury.
“Inattention on both a pedestrian and on a motorist. They’re not paying close enough attention, one or the other or both. So inattention would be the biggest mistake.” Goshorn said.
