 "Photo: Katie Dees")
A woman who was struck by a car in front of the Recreation and Wellness Center on Thursday has stirred conversation among students and police about safety while crossing streets on campus.
The woman, who has not yet been identified, was struck by a white Toyota Corolla directly in front of the RWC crosswalk.
An automatic, base model Corolla weighs 2,800 pounds.
Sgt. Troy Williamson, the public information officer for the UCF Police, confirmed that the woman crossing the street did not wait for the signal to walk and was struck in the outside lane.
Williamson also confirmed that the female hit was not a UCF student.
She received a bleeding head injury and was moved to the Orlando Regional Medical Center's trauma unit.
Williamson said that that intersection, which is on Gemini Boulevard and Garage B, has proven to be problematic for police.
Williamson said jaywalking is a habit that needs to be stopped not only for safety, but also because the police receive many complaints from drivers.
"The bottom line is that we really don't like writing tickets," Williamson said. "But if I drive up to the intersection and I have a green light and you're walking across the intersection, I'm going to stop you."
Citations are $62.50 for a traffic control device violation.
"Don't get mad," Williamson said. "I'd rather give you a citation than having to call fire rescue and have you sent to ORMC's trauma unit."
Mary Davis, a senior anthropology major, frequently walks across the Gemini intersection and sees students disobey the walking signal.
"The crossing signs are there for a reason," Davis said. "I walk my dogs up there and I use them [crossing signs] every time because if I jump out and get hit by a car, then it's my fault."
Davis also said that she often sees students distracted by texting on their cell phones while crossing streets on campus.
Since the incident, some students have been commenting on the idea of building pedestrian bridges over busy intersections on campus.
John Poulard, a junior chemistry major, said that he thought the bridges sounded like a good idea, but that UCF wouldn't find it practical to build them.
"Statistically speaking, if there are enough accidents, then yeah, they'll build a walkway," Poulard said.
Poulard said that most people know that they shouldn't cross intersections without a "walk" light.
As traffic increases through the morning and the afternoon, students can expect the UCF police to station cars at busy intersections to enforce the use of walk signals.
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