The University of Central Arkansas Police Department will host its annual Brake for Bears campaign on Wednesday, Oct. 5 from 8:30 a.m. until noon.
The tradition, which dates back more than a decade, includes volunteers bringing awareness to campus safety by handing out educational flyers, distributing t-shirts and holding signs at three crosswalks on campus.
“We have a lot of pedestrians on and around campus, and this is a way for us to try to remind people about the need for pedestrian crosswalk safety here on campus,” said UCAPD Sgt. Michael Hooper. “We want to make sure that all of our students out here are as safe as possible crossing the crosswalk. It can be dangerous at certain times a day.”
Hooper says the campaign will serve as a reminder and educational tool for pedestrians as much as it is for drivers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020, 104,000 pedestrians across the United States were treated for nonfatal crash-related injuries.
UCAPD offers the following safety tips and etiquette for pedestrians and drivers:
Pedestrians
- Do not assume drivers can stop.
- Look across all lanes before crossing.
- Even though one vehicle has stopped, be aware another may pass in another lane.
- Establish eye contact with drivers before crossing.
- Do not enter the crosswalk suddenly.
- Wave or thank drivers who yield.
- Cross the street between the lines within the crosswalk.
- Make it easy for drivers to see you. Dress in light colors and wear reflective materials.
Drivers
- Be attentive when entering a crosswalk area.
- Drive slowly. Be prepared to stop.
- Do not overtake and pass other vehicles stopped for pedestrians on your side of the roadway.
- Establish eye contact with pedestrians.
- Yield to pedestrians crossing in marked crosswalks or at intersections. Failure to yield to a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk is a violation of Arkansas law.
- Do not text or talk on your cell phone while driving.
- Be patient.
