Texting and other distractions can lead to pedestrian injuries and fatalities. | Fernando Castaldi/The Daily Cougar
Every two hours, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash and 15 more are injured, according to a 2011 report from the National Highway Safety Traffic Safety Association.
At UH, student pedestrians are susceptible to these accidents and may become another statistic.
The Pedestrian and Bicycling Information Center tells students to wear bright colors, not step into the street with an obstructed view and avoid cell phone use when walking in congested areas or crossing busy streets.
Psychology senior Caroline Thouin takes extra precaution after the sun goes down.
“Pedestrians need to remember that, especially when it’s dark, (drivers) may not see you,” Thouin said. “You need to always look to see if the cars are stopping before you put your life in danger.”
UHPD officer Yolanda Edmund advised students to avoid distractions.
“The reason why pedestrian accidents occur is because students are not alert, which makes them a bigger target,” Edmund said. “UHPD advises everyone to be more alert on campus while walking.”
Edmund recommends never walking alone at night, walking in well-lit areas at night, knowing the location of campus call boxes, not advertising that you are carrying money or wearing expensive jewelry and not carrying too much in your hands while you walk.
Edmund said that on a college campus, the types of things students will do will not change. However, there has been an increased security presence on campus, so security guards will be more visible to students. Biology senior Nimra Shaikh said she feels safe with the boost in security.
“Campus safety is a necessity so we as students can come to school and feel safe without worrying about getting robbed or being victims to such crimes,” Shaikh said.
UHPD also advises students to call them at 713-743-3333 if they see something unusual occurring on campus or need a security escort.
