With a campus as large as ours, people use many modes of transportation to travel to and from class, work and other activities. Whether you are walking, driving or biking, the WVU Police Department reminds our campus community of several tips to keep in mind to stay as safe as possible.
Pedestrian Safety- Walk on sidewalks when possible. If a sidewalk is not available, walk facing traffic at a safe distance.
- When crossing a roadway, utilize marked crosswalks when available and obey all traffic laws, signals and signs. If a crosswalk is not available, cross in a well-lit area where you have a clear view of traffic. Be patient and wait to cross until you have ample time to cross safely.
- Assume drivers do not see you. When crossing a roadway, assume drivers are not going to stop and ensure that all vehicles, including ones that are turning, are aware you intend to cross.
- Heads up, phones down. Put the phone down while walking. Turn down the volume on headphones or remove headphones entirely and refrain from talking on the phone while crossing a street to limit distractions.
- When walking at night, wear bright colors and stay in well-lit areas.
- Don’t step into traffic from behind an obstruction.
- Obey all traffic lights and signals. Reduce your speed for yellow traffic lights – running a red light is never worth the risk.
- Watch for pedestrians everywhere at all times, and always yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk.
- Use extra caution when driving in high pedestrian traffic areas, during inclement weather, while backing up and while driving at night.
- When turning or entering a crosswalk area, slow down and be prepared to stop.
- Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol or while otherwise distracted, such as using a cell phone or wearing headphones.
- By Morgantown city ordinance, bicyclists are required to wear a helmet. Wearing a helmet can make a major difference in the seriousness of injuries sustained in accidents.
- Ride with the flow of traffic, obey all traffic laws as if you were driving a car and use designated bike lanes where available.
- Never assume a driver or pedestrian can see you. If riding during the day, wearing bright colors will increase your visibility to drivers. If riding at night, wear reflective clothing or attach reflective items to your bike. Additionally, consider blind spots that large vehicles may have, which make it difficult to see bicyclists. If you cannot see the driver, they cannot see you.
- Lock your bicycle when storing it in a public or open location. Use a U-lock to lock the bicycle to a fortified anchoring point. You can also discreetly attach an Apple AirTag or similar tracking device to your bicycle to help recover your bicycle in the event of theft. These steps, in addition to registering your bicycle with UPD, will greatly increase the likelihood of recovery if your bike is ever stolen.
Download the LiveSafe app and turn on push notifications for direct and discreet two-way communication with police. To receive alerts about emergencies and incidents on or near campus, register for the WVU Alert system.