Student hit at busy intersection

by Kristen Mitchell
MIT02004@BYUI.EDU
Scroll Staff

Students cross the street at the intersection of 2nd South and 1st West near Viking Stadium Friday. At least two BYU-Idaho students have been hit at the intersection—one in October and one Wednesday. Sean Miller / Scroll

Jennifer Bybee, a freshman from Boise, was headed toward 2nd South when the driver of a Dodge pickup truck, Michael Prince, a sophomore from Idaho Falls, failed to see Bybee and struck her on the left side, Lewis said.

Bybee was transported to Madison Memorial Hospital, but had no major injuries — only bruises. She was released from the hospital shortly after, according to the police report.

Prince received a citation for failing to yield to a pedestrian.

This intersection has a history of pedestrian accidents. Because it is so close to campus, Lewis said, it is abnormally busy.

Rachel Luckau, a sophomore from Idaho Falls, had a similar experience Oct. 29, 2002, while crossing the same intersection.

A car had just turned right, and Luckau said she thought the intersection was clear. However, as she started to cross, she was hit by a car coming from the other side of the intersection.

“I still can’t cross the street without getting nervous,” Luckau said.

Additional safety issues need to be considered in areas where there is high pedestrian traffic, Lewis said. Lewis said the main problem is a lack of communication between drivers and pedestrians.

Luckau said she feels her accident was caused by a lack of communication.

“Pedestrians and drivers need to make eye contact to make sure that they both know what they are doing. People need to be more aware of the pedestrian, because in a crosswalk it only takes two more seconds for cars to wait for a pedestrian,” she said.

The area Traffic Safety Committee is concerned and constantly trying to make the roads safer, Lewis said. However, while committees can help deter accidents, Lewis said he feels that they will never be able to prevent them completely.