A Marshall student was struck by a vehicle and injured early Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 3rd Avenue and 19th Street.
Leah Payne, the director of communications at Marshall, said the female student has been transported to a local hospital.
In addition, MUPD Chief Jim Terry said the Huntington Police Department is conducting an investigation into the incident.
This incident occurred in the general vicinity of where 22-year-old Marshall student Maribeth Cox of Milton, West Virginia, was struck and killed in 2021.
Payne said safety measures have been implemented in the past, and an awareness campaign entitled “Heads up Herd” is in effect. This campaign reminds students, faculty and staff to “put their phones down and keep their heads up” in order to remain aware of one’s surroundings while crossing the street.
“There have been a series of steps regarding pedestrian safety on roadways around campus,” Payne said. “They include a traffic study, lowering of speed limits around the campus perimeter, safety awareness campaigns and new crosswalk signage.”
Likewise, Payne said as of last week, electronic signage monitoring speed limits and cautioning drivers has been installed.
As for additional pedestrian safety tips, the Office of Public Safety encourages crossing streets on crosswalks, looking “left, right and left” prior to crossing the street and walking on the sidewalk whenever possible.
Kaitlyn Fleming can be contacted at [email protected].
Brenda Chaney • Feb 5, 2025 at 10:26 am
Student also faculty should go to crosswalk ! After first accident it lasted for a while now back to save old stuff . Running across road and coming out between cars. Some people don’t do 25 speed either some do . Heads up
Jim • Feb 4, 2025 at 3:25 pm
Linking this incident, even indirectly via reference to the “Heads up Herd” campaign, is a pretty disgraceful attempt to blame the victim. By all accounts the pedestrian had a walk signal and was struck by a vehicle that entered the intersection long after that walk signal became active. The vehicle was turning and is required by state law to yield to pedestrians in these circumstances. “Pedestrian safety tips” are pretty much worthless if drivers can break these laws and risk pedestrian lives with impunity.
Pedestrian safety measures around campus are woefully inadequate. All lights around campus should be “No turn on red” and should have dedicated pedestrian crossing phases during which all traffic has red lights. Currently pedestrians have to share walk signal phases with green lights for turning vehicles. In a high pedestrian traffic area such as a university campus this creates dangerous situations which make these kinds of incidents nearly inevitable.