BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Bri Carlsen, a senior at Bridgewater College, was nearly hit by a car on her way to class, prompting concerns about pedestrian safety.
“I was crossing the road in between the Towers and McKinney, and then all of a sudden, I hear a car right next to me,” Bri Carlsen, a senior at Bridgewater College said. “He just zoomed right by me—didn’t slow down or anything, didn’t even swerve.”
Carlsen’s experience is not unique. Many Bridgewater students face similar near-misses while crossing the street.
“There have been so many times that I have been standing at the crosswalks, staring cars down at the stop for pedestrians sign, and they don’t stop,” Lauren Fisher, a sophomore at Bridgewater said.
Preliminary data from a 2023 report by GHSA stated that US pedestrian traffic fatalities decreased from 2022 to 2023, yet the percentage of pedestrian fatalities in 2023 is still up 14.1% from 2019. Young adults are more likely to be killed in pedestrian traffic accidents related to speed.
Driver Responsibility
“He kept the same speed the whole time,” Carlsen said.
Carlsen said drivers go “kind of fast” but extreme speed was an anomaly. Carlsen believed her near miss was due to driver inattention.
According to Carlsen, pedestrian safety is the driver’s responsibility. “They should definitely be paying attention to their surroundings and to the speed limit,” Carlsen said.
“For the most part, pedestrians are aware enough,” Carlsen said.
Between Jan. and April 10, 2024, there were 35 fatal accidents involving pedestrians in Virginia. The DMV encourages pedestrians to plan routes with safe crossings to limit their risk, but not all pedestrians can see or avoid unsafe paths.
Pedestrians with Disabilities
“It’s very dangerous,” said Denise Miller, Director of Academic Support and Disability Services.
While pedestrians face a risk whenever they walk along or across the road, Miller said these dangers may be more significant for disabled students and individuals.
Miller said disabled students may not be able to navigate dangerous courses as easily as able-bodied individuals.
Visually impaired students cannot meet the gaze of drivers before crossing as the DMV suggests. Students with mobility impairments may not be able to avoid unsafe crossings due to accessibility issues in safer paths.
This construction began after a visually impaired student enrolled in the college. “Those were things that we wanted to have done, and this forced us to have it done,” Miller said.
Opinions on Change
Carlsen said “nothing big” has changed in her time at Bridgewater. She said drivers generally act the same as they did four years ago.
Though the campus is not as accessible and navigable for disabled students as Miller would like it to be, she believes BC is “making strides.” A number of buildings don’t have automatic doors, elevators or easily accessible ramps, but Miller hopes one day they will.
Miller said changes to campus take collaboration, and everyone is responsible. “If we don’t see it as a problem, then there’s no reason to change,” Miller said.
Visit Campus Police’s website for more information about campus safety and security.
Visit the DMV’s website to read the data on pedestrian fatalities by county.
