A vehicle-bicycle collision on campus last Wednesday resulted in the shattering of a car windshield, but no trips to the emergency room, University Police Department (UPD) chief Bill Watton said.
The accident occurred at 11:30 a.m., when the cyclist crossed California Blvd. in front of Alex G. Spanos Stadium without waiting for the signal to change and was hit by oncoming traffic, Watton said.
Campus Dining employee Adam Barlow witnessed the collision and said the crash was “dramatic.”
“(The cyclist) was crossing by the stadium crosswalk for pedestrians,” Barlow said. “He flew through that on his bike, and the car coming through just totally nailed him.”
The cyclist was hit from his bike onto the hood of the car, breaking the windshield, Barlow said. He then stumbled around a bit, dazed, before sitting on the side of the road, Barlow said.
Barlow pulled his own car over to check that the cyclist was OK before going on his way, but the accident got him thinking about traffic safety, he said.
“I think this guy’s accident should be a testimony to wake people up,” Barlow said.
Barlow sees many students caught up in their own thoughts and not paying attention to traffic laws, and this is dangerous, he said.
“If he had broken his spine, which he definitely could have, he would be in a wheel chair for life,” Barlow said.
Though an ambulance was originally called to the scene, when the responding officer arrived, he found that neither the cyclist nor driver of the vehicle was seriously injured, Watton said.
Even though both the cyclist and the driver walked away uninjured, students need to be aware that traffic laws apply to bikes as well as cars, Watton said.
Many students ignore traffic regulations while biking, and most of them are lucky that they haven’t been in accidents like the one on Wednesday, Watton said.
“It is surprisingly uncommon that we have as few bicycle accidents as we have, given the number of bicycles on campus and the number of violations that occur,” Watton said.
UPD attempts to raise student awareness of traffic safety by giving presentations on it to new students at the beginning of the year, putting up signs around campus and issuing citations to students who violate the rules of the road. Still, many students choose to ignore traffic rules while biking, Watton said.
“So many kids on bikes don’t stop at stop signs and just fly across campus,” Watton said.
Civil engineering senior Kris Oznowics said he doesn’t see many students obeying stop signs while on their bikes.
However, as long as they’re being vigilant, Oznowics feels the traffic rules aren’t that important.
“As long as they’re alert and paying attention and are being safe, I feel like it’s fine,” Oznowics said. “You shouldn’t be riding with earphones or texting while riding your bike. You need to have your ears and eyes open.”
Despite the many students he sees ignoring traffic signs, Oznowics said he tries to obey the signs himself. This is partly for safety’s sake, and partly a respect and fear of law enforcement, he said.
“Today, it was because I was going down Perimeter in front of the police station,” Oznowics said. “Other than that, I stop to make sure no one’s coming — might as well be safe.”