University Police Lieutenant Gregory Vickers said using designated areas and avoiding walking or driving while distracted are crucial for campus safety. ORACLE PHOTO/ALEXIS KERNAN

USF’s University Police is urging students to follow traffic laws and do their part to keep others on campus safe. 

UP Lieutenant Gregory Vickers said the request is coming after 12 incidents were reported at USF Tampa in fall 2025 involving pedestrians, scooters and bikes colliding with vehicles.

UP’s jurisdiction covers the USF Tampa campus and university-owned land, including The Claw and the Riverfront Park, according to UP.

Vickers said UP relies on the USF community to identify concerns and areas for pedestrian safety improvement — and is working to identify “problem areas” around campus.

And though Vickers said roads and intersections on or near USF are not “high-risk,” he said the most vehicle damage often occurs at Leroy Collins Boulevard or Alumni Drive.

“Our priority is always the safety of our community, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries,” Vickers said. 

Vickers and some USF students said pedestrian safety is a shared responsibility between law enforcement and community members.

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Vickers said UP regularly patrols USF to deter unsafe driving and identify potential hazards on or around campus. 

Still, he said students should follow traffic laws and avoid “risky” behavior, including walking outside designated crosswalks or while distracted.

Whether a person is a driver or a pedestrian, they should slow down when approaching crosswalks and stay alert at all times, he said.

“While pedestrians often have the right of way, safety ultimately depends on awareness and smart decision making,” Vickers said. “Slower speeds and heightened awareness help ensure the safety of everyone using campus roads.”

Ava Rispler, a senior marketing major, said she has mixed feelings about pedestrian safety precautions. 

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Rispler said she has used UP’s SAFE Team service to travel around campus late at night — a time when she feels unsafe walking.

The SAFE Team patrols campus and offers free rides to students from 6:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., according to its webpage.

Still, Rispler said long wait times for rides have led her to avoid the service.

“They’ll take 20 minutes to come when in reality I need the ride sooner,” Rispler said. 

Rispler said she has noticed cars speed past crosswalks without stopping whenever she walks from the resident parking lots back to her dorm in Horizon Hall. 

“I try to stay [alert] by making sure to stay aware of my surroundings, like not having my headphones in or playing so loud so I know what is happening around me,” Rispler said. 

Rispler said UP could issue more tickets to drivers who don’t stop for pedestrians and who speed past crosswalks to improve pedestrian safety.

UP spokesperson Larry McKinnon said the department issued 1,614 uniform traffic citations — which includes speeding, reckless driving and failure to yield to road signs — during the 2024-25 academic year.

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Nia Crawford, a junior business major, said she walks around campus because she doesn’t have a car — and has therefore noticed that pedestrian safety needs improvement. 

Crawford said she and her classmates have seen reckless drivers speed past crosswalks or fail to stop to check for pedestrians on busy roads, such as Leroy Collins Boulevard or Genshaft Drive.

“I don’t always feel safe when walking around campus [because] people can be a bit reckless or just not pay attention at all,” Crawford said. 

Still, Crawford said pedestrian safety is a responsibility of anyone driving or walking on the road. 

“I see people all the time who are walking across the streets on their phones or listening to music, and it honestly puts all of us in danger,” Crawford said. 

Crawford said she believes sidewalk, crosswalk or roadway improvements — alongside increased UP presence — could keep people more alert and safe on campus.

Vickers said infrastructure changes — such as crosswalk improvements, more lighting or road redesigns — aren’t overseen by UP, but by other university departments.

He said the USF community should remain aware of their surroundings and exercise caution to stay safe.

“We encourage all community members to follow traffic laws and travel responsibly,” Vickers said. “Planning your route, avoiding distractions and making yourself visible at all times are key components of staying safe.”