SCSU Students Have No Fear In Crosswalks (Opinion)

It happens at least twice a week. I'll be heading to my apartment near SCSU and I'll see what I assume is a student, step right into a crosswalk with cell phone in hand. Most always, this person has no idea what is going on around them because they are looking down at their phone.

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I'm always aware of people in a crosswalk and a lot of times the person that stepped into the crosswalk never even looks to see if a vehicle is approaching. They just step into the crosswalk without a care, never looking up from their phone.

After dark, it's especially dangerous. Several times I've caught a glimpse, out of the corner of my eye, of a pedestrian in dark clothing stepping into the crosswalk, just assuming that I saw them and would stop. Sometimes it's close.

These potential cadavers have so much more faith in mankind than is safe. Personally, I look both ways before I cross a one-way.

This not looking up from their phones got me to thinking. What if it was against the law  to be distracted while in a crosswalk. You know, much like the driving while distracted laws that drivers have to follow. It certainly wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience to briefly put away the phone for the 30 seconds it takes to cross the street safely.

What is scary is it's not a matter of if, but when someone will be seriously injured or killed in a crosswalk because they simply weren't paying attention.