Illustration by Jordan Johnson
Crossing the pedestrian bridge from Lot 49 can be a relaxing experience. Students can watch as turtles swim leisurely in the channel below or listen to the hum of cicadas in the nearby trees.
While relaxing, this scene can turn dangerous the second another student, who is also entranced by the world around them, unknowingly steps into their path.
Situational awareness is essential for traversing the world. Not only can it keep someone from the embarrassment of social slipups but it can also protect students from physical harm.
The Shorthorn Editorial Board believes that being situationally aware is about more than one’s own safety. It’s also about fostering a more harmonious environment for students traversing the university before and after classes.
Students should not have to look over their shoulders in constant fear of being run over by someone on a scooter or bike. Likewise, students using bikes, scooters and cars should not have to worry about crashing due to a distracted pedestrian walking into their path.
At UTA, the use of e-scooters and bikes has become more common, increasing the danger for those not paying attention while walking around campus.
The National Safety Council, an organization focused on eliminating the leading causes of preventable death and injury, states that distracted walking incidents are rising because pedestrians use their phones while walking.
This can be evident at UTA as students search for music, reply to a text or check their schedules while traveling from class to class.
According to a 2023 study published in ScienceDirect, using a cell phone or other device while walking can affect a person’s manner of walking. This may manifest as a person widening their stance or a reduced ability to maintain a straight path.
Students often find themselves running into objects or other students as they’re unable to see what’s ahead of them if their head is turned toward their phone.
At a Glance
The Issue: A lack of situational awareness can be a danger to students on campus.
We Think: Being situationally aware is about providing safety to the broader community.
Take Action: Students should be more aware of their surroundings and the people they are sharing campus with.
Frustrations can increase further when these collisions happen or a student, possibly running late to class or trying to escape the heat, finds themselves stuck behind a distracted walker.
The risk of a distracted pedestrian getting injured could increase when looking at the various crosswalks located on campus.
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, students addicted to their smartphones were more likely to get injured in pedestrian-related accidents than their nonaddicted counterparts.
This points out the danger of distracted walking, which can turn deadly in worst-case scenarios.
In 2024, roughly 8,747 pedestrians died in traffic and nontraffic-related incidents, with 7,080 deaths occurring in traffic crashes on public roads, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
It’s easy for students to be on their phones while navigating campus, especially when coming from a class where they may not have been allowed to be on their phones. The undeniable pull of unread notifications is something most, if not all, students have dealt with.
Distracted walking and driving doesn’t just stop with putting the phone away.
According to an article published by the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, talking with friends can also distract students from their surroundings.
The distraction comes from the brain having to pay attention to motor and cognitive tasks, which is known as dual-tasking.
According to the article, it is possible to train the brain’s dual-tasking abilities.
Doing so can make it safer for students who walk and drive to and from classes with friends. Being better at dual-tasking can mean a student is able to walk, talk and maintain continued awareness of their surroundings.
Students walking or riding around campus should be more attentive to the world around them, ensuring they are mindful of oncoming traffic and other people they may cross paths with.
While bikes and scooters are a useful way to getaround campus, there are responsibilities that come with their use.
Students should follow safe practices whether they’re riding e-scooters or sharing the sidewalk with them.
In an article published by United Educators, a higher education insurance company, the following safety policies were recommended for e-scooters on college campuses:
Requires properly fitted helmetsIdentify scooter-free zonesBan scooter use inside buildingsEstablish a speed limit
Simply looking both ways before walking or riding through a crosswalk can keep students safer.
The responsibility for safety while traversing campus falls on all students — walking, driving or scooting.
The Shorthorn Editorial Board is made up of opinion editor Noah Little, managing editor Leslie Orozco, news editor James Ward, engagement editor Sairam Marupudi, design editor Ryleigh Hood, copy editors Adwita Kunte and Isabella Moreno, photographer General Mason Starks, and news reporters Gabrielle Jankowski and Xioany Collazo. Moreno and Starks were not present for this discussion.