After recent incidents involving students being stricken by vehicles in front of Babington Hall, the Student Government Association Senate passed a resolution to improve traffic safety.The resolution is asking that the administration, Nicholls Parking Policy Committee and the City of Thibodaux all work together to possibly place speed bumps, reflectors and a few other indications of crosswalks on Audubon Drive.
One incident occurred in September 2005, and the other occurred Feb. 6. Both took place between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. The student who was struck in September was wearing light upper-body clothing and dark lower-body clothing, while the student struck this month was wearing dark red upper-body and lower-body clothing, according to police reports.
The student who was struck in the fall semester was not paying attention to the oncoming vehicle that was traveling at about 15 miles per hour, a witness of the accident stated in the police reports. This student was using a crosswalk, according to police reports.
The student who was hit this month was not using a crosswalk and thought that she had enough distance between her and the vehicle to cross the street, police reports said. The driver of the vehicle was traveling between 10 and 15 miles per hour and did not see the pedestrian until she struck the vehicle. The driver was not preoccupied, according to police reports.
“This one really brought it to our attention that something needed to be done,” Damian Breaux, SGA president, said. “You would think that one person getting hit would do something, but it didn’t.”
A meeting will be held today with the Nicholls Parking Policy Committee, and Breaux will present the resolution that has been formed.
The resolution also calls for a streetlight crosswalk in front of Audubon Drive. Breaux said that the Senate wanted to leave the resolution as vague as possible to leave room for negotiations.
“We didn’t want the deluxe package,” Breaux said. “We tried to be reasonable so we can solve the problem. Right now anything is better than what we have.”
Mike Davis, assistant vice president for administration, said that once the University re-surfaces all the streets and parking lots, improvements can be made to pedestrian safety on the University’s end.
“We’re looking at possible speed bumps or reflectors that are put on the streets,” Davis said. “This will make crosswalks more visible.”
These two modifications will, according to Davis, help alert the drivers that they are approaching a crosswalk.
Following the meeting on Thursday, Davis said that the University will most likely contact the City of Thibodaux since Audubon is a city street.
“We can’t do anything ourselves,” Davis said. “We will be contacting them once the committee looks at the resolution.”
University Police is trying to educate students about properly using crosswalks, according to Craig Jaccuzzo, director of University Police.
“We’re trying to make them understand that they need to use the crosswalks,” Jaccuzzo said. “These areas are designated for them to walk on.”
Jaccuzzo said that in addition to reflectors and speed bumps, University Police would like to get a flashing light, change the crosswalk color from white to yellow and enforce speed.
“We want to do anything that’s feasible within the guidelines of putting things on the roadway,” Jaccuzzo said.
Sergeant Jamey Fontenot, with the City of Thibodaux Police, said that he is not sure how long it will be before the city is able to take action.
“Anytime you’re dealing with the wheels of government, they turn really slow,” Fontenot said. “Especially if you’re trying to implement new laws. It’s a lengthy process.”
To prevent any future incidents, Jaccuzzo suggests that students use “common sense.”
“Look both ways, and make sure the vehicle recognizes you,” Jaccuzzo said. “Just because you think you have right of way, we’d rather be sure that you wouldn’t be hit.
