Parking Operations & Campus Access Management
Safety tips from Chief Donelson
In an effort to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety for the entire UNCG Community, and reduce the number of accidents and injuries, the following information is provided. The UNCG Police Department plans to launch several educational and safety enforcement initiatives on our campus in the coming weeks.
Each year about 5,000 pedestrians are killed and 69,000 are injured in motor vehicular crashes. While many are quick to blame drivers for pedestrian fatalities and injuries, the pedestrian is many times also at fault. Safety is a shared responsibility for all road users, including drivers and pedestrians.
Safety tips for Pedestrians
Be careful at crossings: look before you step
•Look across ALL lanes you must cross and visually clear each lane before proceeding.
Just because one motorist stops, do not presume drivers in other lanes can
see you and will stop for you.
•Cross the street at marked crosswalks or at intersections, and observe traffic-control
signals
•Obey traffic signals such as WALK/DON'T WALK signs
•Look left, right, and left again before crossing a street
•Watch for turning vehicles; make sure the driver sees you and will stop for
you
•Avoid the use of cell phones and headsets when walking in congested areas
or crossing busy streets
•Yield to motor vehicles and bicyclists when you are not in a crosswalk or
are not crossing at an intersection
•Stay to the right on shared pathways and avoid walking in "bike
only" lanes
•While walking or jogging alongside a road without sidewalks, always walk or
jog facing traffic
•Make eye contact with oncoming motorists and cyclists, and indicate your intention
to cross
Be safe and be seen: make yourself visible to drivers
•Wear bright/light colored clothing and reflective materials and walk in well-lighted
areas at night
•Carry a flashlight when walking at night
•Cross in a well-lit area at night
•Stand clear of buses, hedges, parked cars or other obstacles before crossing
so drivers can see you
•Don't step into the street from behind an obstruction
Be smart and alert: avoid dangerous behaviors
•Always walk on the sidewalk; if there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic
•Don't assume vehicles will stop; make eye contact with drivers and don't just
look at the vehicle. If a driver is on a cell phone, they may not be paying
enough attention to drive safely.
•Don't rely solely on pedestrian signals; look before you cross the road
•Be alert to engine noise or backup lights on cars when in parking lots and
near on-street parking spaces
Safety tips for Motorists
Be alert: watch for pedestrians at all times
•Scan the road and the sides of the road ahead for potential pedestrians
•Before making a turn, look in all directions for pedestrians crossings
•Don't drive distracted nor after consuming alcohol or other drugs
•Do not use your cell phone while driving
•Look carefully behind your vehicle for approaching pedestrians before backing-up,
especially small children
•Always be prepared to stop for pedestrians
Be responsible: yield to pedestrians at crossings
•Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, whether marked or unmarked
•Yield to pedestrians when making right or left turns at intersections
•Do not block nor park in crosswalks
Be patient and alert: watch for bicyclists
•Look for bicyclists before turning and opening doors
•DO NOT overtake a bicyclist before making a right turn: slow down, merge and
then turn
•DO NOT assume that a bicyclist will ride as far to the right as possible
•Motorists are NOT allowed to travel or park in bike lanes, but are allowed
to cross them when turning or exiting a legally assigned parking space
Safety tips for Bicyclists
•A bike lane is a portion of a roadway that has been designated by striping,
signing and pavement markings for the preferential or exclusive use of bicycles.
•Traffic laws apply to bicyclists
•Stopping at red lights
•Yielding right-of-way
•Signaling
•Ride in the same direction as traffic on the road
•Wear a helmet
•Wear reflective clothing and use lights at night
•DO NOT ride on the sidewalk
•Watch for turning cars in the bike lane
Please drive, ride and walk safely. If you have any questions or would like information on traffic safety programs, please contact Lt. Henry Campbell, UNCG Police Department at 334-5963.