Pedestrian Safety and Driver Awareness
- Each year about 7,000 pedestrians die and 100,000 are injured in traffic accidents.
- Exceeding the posted limit and driving too fast for conditions are the primary contributing factors in serious traffic accidents.
- It is important for students, faculty, and staff to remember that Virginia Street is a major commuter street in Reno.
The streets surrounding the University of Nevada, Reno campus are congested with motorists.Safe pedestrian access to the university depends on extra care by both pedestrians and motorists. The Nevada Revised State Statute 484.325 defines pedestrian and driver responsibilities.
Here are some additional safety tips:
The Driver's Responsibility:
- Be attentive when entering a crosswalk area.
- Don't overtake and pass other vehicles stopped for pedestrians on your side of the road.
- If you are making a turn with a green light, a pedestrian crossing with the same green light has the right-of-way.
- Do not drive impaired. Alcohol and drugs slow your reaction time, impair your judgment, and affect your alertness and coordination.
The Pedestrian's Responsibility:
- Do not assume that the driver sees you, establish eye contact whenever possible.
- Watch all lanes of traffic that you must cross.
- If you cross a street at a place other than a crosswalk or intersection, the vehicle has the right-of-way.
- Remember that alcohol affects your balance, impairs your judgment, and reduces your alertness and coordination. It also can affect your vision.
For information about traffic laws in Nevada, visit the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety at http://ots.state.nv.us/. For information on impaired driving visit the Northern Nevada DUI Task Force website at www.nndtf.org
