Tuesday, January 6, 2015

A Pedestrian Stuck on Vanderbilt's Campus Speaks Out





Kelby Carson is a Blair music student at Vanderbilt.  He is also visually impaired requiring a seeing eye dog.  Elvis is pictured with him below. 

Vanderbilt campus, like many areas in Nashville, has crosswalks that require drivers to yield to pedestrians.  On Children's Way, there is a one such cross walk that links the parking garage with Blair school of music.  In early September 2014, Kelby was crossing the street here when he heard a car nearing him too late.  The driver struck him on his right side breaking his leg which would later require surgery including implantation of metal rods followed by first requiring a walker then a cane.  In total, he missed three weeks of college classes.  

The driver thankfully stopped and other pedestrians quickly came to help. 

According to Kelby, 'distratcted drivers pose a particular threat'.  'I am paying more attention.  For instance, I notice more when cars decide to take a right on red, even when pedestrians have the right of way'.  






The article highlights some rules that should be reviewed:


Drivers should remember these safety tips and responsibilities:

  • Be attentive. Pay attention especially when traveling in and around intersections or where there is heavy pedestrian traffic.
  • Be alert. Be aware that some pedestrians may challenge you to stop since they have the right of away at a crosswalk. Failure to yield to a pedestrian within a marked crosswalk is a violation of Tennessee state law.
  • Use caution when turning on a green light. If you are making a turn with a green light, the pedestrian crossing with a green light has the right of way.
  • Be attentive at uncontrolled intersections. A pedestrian passing through an uncontrolled intersection, even if there is no marked crosswalk, has the right of way.
  • Yield to stopped vehicles. Do not overtake or pass vehicles that are stopped for pedestrians.


Links:

http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2014/12/kelby-carlson/

http://www.vanderbilthustler.com/news/safety/article_90680e2a-39ac-11e2-9cd2-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm

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