Driving around campus now is like navigating a minefield. It’s time for that to stop.

The Northern Star was reminded of this after a pedestrian was hit by a car while crossing Normal Road Thursday morning.

Students need to start using some common sense and start obeying basic traffic laws.

First off, the crosswalks across Normal Road are there for a reason. Use them. Students shouldn’t be shunning the crosswalks so they can dart across the street and get to class a few seconds earlier. Are we really all in that big of a hurry?

And when you do use the crosswalks, don’t assume cars will stop for you. This may sound like first-grade stuff, but far too many times we’ve seen students gabbing on their cell phones blindly walk across the street. Not all drivers pay full attention when they’re behind the wheel.

The biggest problem area on campus has to be the intersection of Annie Glidden Road and Lucinda Avenue, especially right after classes get out.

It’s quite a sight, seeing dozens of students walk across the intersection while cars that have a green left-turn arrow wait in the middle of the intersection. Why can’t we wait until the cars with the arrow make their turn? Lunch or a nap or socializing can wait 30 seconds.

One of these days a driver will attempt to beat the rush and hit a student or two. Perhaps that’s what happened Thursday. Maybe that incident will force students to rethink how they traverse campus.

Students hanging out in the middle of intersections also pose a risk for themselves and drivers.

There probably aren’t too many more dangerous things to do than stand in the middle of an intersection as college students drive past in both directions.

Just wait until you can walk nonstop across the intersection instead of having to stop halfway.

None of this is meant to belittle anyone or sensationalize this problem. We’re not saying anything drivers on campus don’t already know. However, this issue has the potential to get much worse before it gets any better.

Agree? Disagree? Contact us at

www.northernstar.info.