KIM WILCOX | senior staff writer
photo | KIM WILCOX
Carolyn Rumpeltes, Justine Nguyen and Kelli Earle cross Citrus crosswalk.


The crosswalk on Citrus between APU and Crestview doesn't have to be dangerous, if certain safety precautions are taken into consideration.

According to the Azusa City Police Department there have been a total of 18 collisions involving a vehicle on Citrus between Alosta and Foothill in the year between Sept. 10, 2006 and Sept. 10, 2007.

Within the three-block radius the Azusa PD responded to seven non-injury collisions, seven hit and runs, and four injury collisions.

The crosswalk came as a result of students who were continually ticketed for jay walking across Citrus to their apartment complex.

“We put in the crosswalk as a part of a safety concern for the students,” Azusa PD Corporal Randy Schmidt said.

Schmidt said part of the problem is that students push the button for the lights to come on and then immediately walk out into the street.

“There is not some kind of force field that pops up to protect you,” Schmidt says.

He also said another problem lies in the fact that no one knows the laws surrounding the crosswalk.

“First, you have to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. And secondly, when driving you cannot pass a car stopped at a cross walk. The car in front of you may see something or someone you don’t. And you can get ticketed for passing them,” Schmidt said.

Deputy Chief of Campus Safety Anthony Strickland suggests that students press the button for the warning lights, wait for the cars to come to a complete stop and then cross to the other side.

“You don’t know what [the drivers] see. They may not see the lights,” Strickland said.

Strickland said making eye contact with the drivers is a good idea, but a student should wait for that driver to come to a complete stop before crossing because the drivers head may be turned toward them but the driver may not stop.

Director of Community Relations Ginny Dadaian said students need to be aware of what is going on around them when they cross the street.

Dadaian would ask students to try to practice pedestrian courtesy when crossing the street.

She suggested students walk across in groups so that traffic doesn’t build up because of multiple students crossing in pairs.

Dadaian also said students should notify herself or Campus Safety if the lights don’t work.

“At night when [the crosswalk] lights up I feel safer than during the day when the lights aren’t as noticeable,” junior liberal studies major and Crestview resident Krista Woods said.

Karen Segura is a member of the Azusa community who walks around APU almost every night.

Segura also drives past APU on her way to visit friends in the surrounding neighborhoods.

“I like that [APU] put it there. I can see a difference. This way when people are crossing at night we can see them,” Segura said.

Schmidt said driver’s who obey the speed limit on Citrus will have plenty of time to see pedestrians and stop for them.

Both Schmidt and Strickland agree that if students will just take a moment to pause before they cross the street there will be less accidents and a greater chance of safe passage.