POLL: New Traffic Signage Improves Campus Safety
PDF Katie Esposito, News Editor
The campus facility team recently installed several new traffic and parking signs on campus. This decision was made after analyzing and discussing with stakeholders the best possible ways to improve parking and traffic safety on campus.
The new traffic and parking signs are designed to standardize parking and traffic on campus. The new signs include new stop signs, additional speed limit signs, changes in parking lot statuses and posted fire lane and service vehicle parking areas.
“(We made) it easy for community members and visitors to understand and recognize the traffic or parking regulations around campus,” Chief of Police, James Montanari said. “Most of which are already established in the Student Handbook. Our overall objective is voluntary compliance.”
According to LUPD, more readily apparent signage is one spoke in a greater wheel of campus traffic safety which includes community education programming, partnerships with other departments and agencies, active enforcement and continued assessment.
“Several students have commented to us they were unaware of the campus speed limit or of the locations of fire lanes and service vehicle areas,” Deputy Chief of Police, Michael Zegadlo. said. “Improved signage will improve safe traffic flow and reduce illegal parking.”
LUPD has been actively involved with the Commuter Council on traffic safety programming. They have participated in Alcohol Awareness Week programming through the impaired driving simulation experience.
LUPD has also worked with the Illinois State Police on seatbelt safety by bringing a seatbelt “convincer”
to campus which simulates a 15-mph crash.
“In 2012, we had 38 traffic crashes on campus. Most of them were minor fender-benders involving no injuries,” said Zegadlo. “However, we did have two incidents involving pedestrians being struck by vehicles, and three crashes in which the drivers were under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It’s these types of high-risk incidents that are of greatest concern to the safety of the community. However, the more we can do to reduce speed, raise awareness of pedestrians, eliminate distracted driving and reduce congestion, the safer the campus will be.”.
About the Author
Katie Esposito is the News Editor for the Flyer. She is a Senior English major with minors in Marketing and Public Relations. Also, Esposito works as the Communications and Media Editor for The Jet Fuel Review.
New traffic signage in the campus will surely lead to campus safety and lessen the number of road accidents. Standardized parking and traffic signs will make comprehension better and lead to safer flow of traffic in the campus.