The Otterbein urban legend of getting hit by a car and having free tuition is, well, just an urban legend. Otterbein’s Deputy Chief Doug Williard said, “I’ve never heard that — chalk that up as a rumor.” So, for those students who thought it might one day be a blessing in disguise, that prayer will never be answered.
According to national statistics put out every year, in the last 20 years, an average of 40,000 to 80,000 pedestrians are hurt by oncoming traffic per year. Some pedestrians assume that they
automatically have the right of way when crossing the street where there is an area to cross.
In Ohio, pedestrians normally do have the right of way, but there are some exceptions, as pedestrians are subject to regulations in the Ohio Revised Code.
The code says that “No pedestrian shall disobey the instructions of any traffic control device (e.g. signs and signals) placed along a roadway.”
Some signs specific to pedestrians include “walk on left facing traffic,” “cross only at crosswalk,” “no pedestrian crossing” and “push button for walk signal.”
Pedestrian laws come into question at Otterbein when students are left scrambling with the idea of jaywalking or simply waiting for their turn in the rotation if there are no crosswalks.
Otterbein freshman and vocal performance major Ian Buchanan said he has run into these same issues, but believes there is nothing that can be done.
“I can’t be too angry as it’s a car … I can’t stop a 2,000-pound moving piece of metal with my body … I am a pedestrian, I have to be mindful of the traffic around me,” he said.
Williard said that there is technically no Ohio law written for pedestrians, and it is really just considered to be part of the Ohio Revised Code.
According to the pedestrian code, when there are no traffic controls in place, a driver should technically yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing the road in a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on the same half of the road as the car, or close enough to be in danger.
The code also says that no pedestrian shall step off the curb and walk or run into the path of vehicles so close as to be an immediate hazard.
For pedestrian rules on Otterbein’s campus, Williard said that the rules are the same and follow Ohio and Westerville law.
Williard said that they have never enforced technical rules about jaywalking, but that they have warned students when their actions have not been warranted.
