Robert DeAntonis, Morgantown
I live not far from Morgantown High School and have noticed the same problem with distracted pedestrians and drivers. Its not a WVU thing, it’s more of a social media thing. That’s the real reason pedestrians are being hit by cars.
Not too long ago my parents told me to look both ways before crossing a road, and back then pedestrians being hit by cars was nearly non-existent.
At some point though we passed a law that makes it the driver’s responsibility for the safety of the person crossing the road rather than the person actually crossing the road
I kind of get it, but then people have started to die as a result of this law. The reason this law is now so deadly is because people get wrapped up in their cell phones and forget where they are at. Sometimes they’ll be just standing there (in an intersection) looking at their phone and step in front of a moving vehicle.
I see close calls with pedestrians daily, especially around the local high schools and around WVU’s campus. The pedestrians put their head down and think the law will protect them, until the one time it doesn’t and — BOOM! now they are dead or seriously injured.
This problem goes hand in hand with the distracted driver problem (using a cell phone to text or talk while driving) and the deaths that result from that behavior.
We should tell our children that pedestrians have the right of way, but your life is your responsibility.
If you really want to save lives, rescind the pedestrian right of way law (or take away pedestrians’ cell phones LOL).
Surprisingly, I haven’t seen any stories in the newspaper voicing this opinion, even though it is extremely sound of logic and thought. Maybe someday. That’s my two cents.
