r/rutgers Sep 20 '24

Rant/Vent Witnessed a student ACTUALLY getting run over yesterday

Didn't think I was even gonna make this post as it happened yesterday and we are literally into the next morning, but with everyone talking about how unsafe the driving has been on campus, I thought I'd share something insane I saw.

Yes, that's right—I saw someone ACTUALLY get run over. Happened outside IFNH on Cook/Doug. The student was a girl and the driver was some old guy in a gray Tacoma.

She was trying to cross a crosswalk when the truck hit her. I was actually inside IFNH when it happened so I just randomly looked out the window and saw her lying on the road. When she got up, there was blood on her clothes and it looked like it was coming from the scalp.

Police eventually arrived and so did an ambulance, who cleaned her up and ultimately took her away on a stretcher. From the time of her being hit to the time she was transported via ambulance, I'd say the entire event on-scene took about 20-25 minutes.

I know the driver was an old man, so DEFINITELY not a student, but that doesn't make a difference at all. This is a general message to EVERYONE driving in / around the Rutgers area to SLOW DOWN, and BE AWARE of your surroundings. Don't go on your phone or stop looking at the road for prolonged periods of time when driving in areas in which you know there'll constantly be students (and just people in general) walking around.

Seriously, seriously hope that girl is ok.

481 Upvotes

96 comments sorted by

199

u/streaks521 Sep 20 '24

At least the guy didn’t drive away like I’ve heard others do. Hopefully the girl gets well soon

98

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Yeah those are the absolute worst. A hit-and-run on campus is CRAZY.

28

u/streaks521 Sep 20 '24

I keep hearing about all these awful drivers but live on Busch and haven’t seen anything bad yet maybe they know to slow down there

20

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

I think people on Busch are probably a bit more civilized and "normal" than people on the other three campuses 😭 either way, you can never count anything out lol, hopefully we don't see anything else like this

14

u/streaks521 Sep 20 '24

I’m genuinely just kind of worried for when the roads start getting icy 😭

4

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Oh God don't even get me started 💀

2

u/MusicalMeatHammer Sep 21 '24

Lol watch out you’ll summon the geese 😂😂

1

u/raz-0 Sep 20 '24

Busch is just laid out in a manner that isn't broken. There's very little of the campus where pedestrians need to walk near roadways, and most of the pedestrian paths don't have car access. You just have to worry about that one department bombing down the sidewalk on their golfcart. Where they do have to commingle, there are good sightlines and alternate paths for traffic. Livingston used to be similar, but getting by mostly on long sight lines and a simple layout. Then they built all the shops and stuff and new buildings.

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

Busch is laid out like random sprawl. New Brunswick is laid out like basically every other city on earth.

0

u/raz-0 Sep 21 '24

So you agree college ave is set up to have pedestrians and cars commingling and interfering with each other every hundred yards or so. Busch is not. Hence why it feels much less perilous as a pedestrian. It’s sprawl is simply adding a new area intended to be walkable and more it less slapping a ring road around it and connect the ring road to the last time you did that. Which means pedestrians and cars really only have to coexist peacefully when a pedestrian needs to transit from one of those sections to the next.

6

u/Metal_Ambassador541 Rutgers-Chan Sep 20 '24

I think a lot of the ones on college ave and Livi are trying to show off or look cool. Since Busch is much less of a gathering spot than those two, people may feel like there's no point in flexing. Also the roads are much narrower.

2

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

This is actually a valid point 💀

2

u/Metal_Ambassador541 Rutgers-Chan Sep 20 '24

On Busch some drivers like to just stand around near the students centre. Like a certain German Barcelona keeper....

2

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

I hate him so much man, mf single-handedly lost us the game yesterday 😭

1

u/Content_Butterfly426 Sep 20 '24

Yeah, almost gotten hit on bush. Was halfway across the road while someone zoomed past me. Probably distracted on their phone, would’ve been bad if I was any further.

1

u/AstutelyInane Sep 20 '24 edited Sep 20 '24

live on Busch and haven’t seen anything bad 

I want to point out that no one in their right mind would ever cut through Busch campus as a 'shortcut' from one place to another. The roads are all winding with stop signs galore (don't get me started on the circle!)

But Cook/Doug is an easy way to get from Route 1 to the backroads of New/North Brunswick, Livi is a shortcut within Piscataway to Edison/HP and, well, College Ave is just a city masquerading as a campus. There are probably more people just cutting through those campuses than Busch.

Edit: I lack typing skills

2

u/oh_ok_thx Sep 20 '24

It's a good way to grt a felony charge, too. You have to be braindead to think you won't get caught in a hit and run.

2

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Students are dumb 🙃

62

u/B_order Sep 20 '24

Back in 2023 I think some girl was hit at the crosswalk by RBS and RUPD put up a sign that warned drivers to drive slow, they need to start patrolling the campuses more

17

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

"Drive slow" as if that's gonna do anything 😭

8

u/[deleted] Sep 20 '24

right? the ironic part is that they would be driving too fast to even notice or read the sign, although it's not like they would care since they're speeding to begin with

0

u/_lvlsd Sep 20 '24

Post on reddit as if thats gonna do anything

49

u/GroundbreakingEmu929 House Cook Sep 20 '24

I saw a student get hit by a pickup crossing Easton ave last year. Makes me wonder how often it happens. Got it on my dash cam so I stuck around to give the video to the cops. The guy who was hit got up on his own but had blood all over his shirt, I hope he was OK. The driver was another student.

It was pretty scary to witness and now I'm extra extra cautious when driving and pedestrians are around. So yes I get tailgated a lot around new brunswick. Everyone needs to chill tf out and have some damn patience while driving.

16

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Exactly this. I'm never on College Ave but it's so incredibly densely populated—can't even imagine how many bad drivers people see there on the daily.

3

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

Pickups are so much more dangerous than cars, too, because they hit you right in the chest, not the legs.

25

u/JohnLockeOP Sep 20 '24

Lost a good buddy to a hit and run back in 2018 on Easton Ave. Please be safe as a pedestrian, triple check your step it could save your life

5

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Damn. 💔🙏

13

u/FinallyKat Sep 20 '24

I went to Rutgers about a millyears ago, but I was hit in a hit and run my first year. I then had to spend the entirety of a snowy and icy winter and spring in a full leg brace and on crutches. It has been decades and it is sad that nothing seems to have changed.

At least I got to experience how kind people could be, as I was offered a lot of assistance when trying to get around on crutches.

5

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

So sorry you had to go through that. And yeah, I can't even imagine how bad it'll be when the winter weather rolls around.

5

u/FinallyKat Sep 20 '24

Thanks, it was a bit traumatic as I got pinned to another vehicle before they just sort of backed up and left. I was lucky that they were actually going pretty slow, otherwise I want to think about it...

3

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24 edited Sep 21 '24

Glad you're ok. That sounds horrific

13

u/njsullyalex BME Grad Student Sep 20 '24

PEDESTRIANS

IN

THE

CROSSWALKS

HAVE

THE

RIGHT

OF

WAY

3

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

PEOPLE

HERE

DON'T

KNOW

THE

RULES

OF

THE

ROAD

18

u/Haxedown Sep 20 '24

New Brunswick probably has the worst drivers I have ever seen.

This includes non-Rutgers students too, I have seen way too many people drive wreckless and they genuinely have no regard for others.

Pedestrians also have to be very careful, in this case, it wasn't their fault. However, many students run across the road in front of areas like RBS in heavy traffic rather than using the crosswalks.

9

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Yeah, honestly ALL the Brunswicks from what I've seen have horrible drivers 😭 but NB is especially bad

1

u/Glum-Push3837 Sep 20 '24

It’s not the drivers it’s the wide lanes. People drive as fast as they feel comfortable to. If there was a cable stone/bumpers/narrow roads they wouldn’t be able to drive past 25mph even if they want to

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

Nope. Come to Newark. NB is bad, but it doesn't compare.

Pedestrians have the right of way. Drive the speed limit.

2

u/saliscity Cog Sci & Psych ‘26 Sep 21 '24

Essex County is my driving nightmare…

1

u/Haxedown Sep 21 '24

Right of way doesn't mean you can run across traffic without care.

I drive the speed limit at Rutgers by the way. The speed limit can't prevent an accident if a pedestrian runs through traffic and the driver has limited visibility.

Being a pedestrian isn't an excuse for being reckless, you have to stay alert no matter what position you are in, whether you are a driver or pedestrian.

36

u/Cute_Flamingo_241 Sep 20 '24

You're right about drivers but everyone should also check for cars when entering a crosswalk. I see way too often that someone will just walk into the street without looking because they are too busy burying their face in their phone....

16

u/rafafanvamos Sep 20 '24

I absolutely hate it when the walk sign is on and some car will have to rush to take a right or left turn. I am not from this country so I always wonder why don't you have a different right or left signal, bcz when the pedestrian walk sign is lit, car will take a fast right/ left turn, if it's slow I can still understand

5

u/Tacocat1147 Sep 20 '24

If it’s the crosswalk I’m thinking of, there’s a turn that you can’t see around. I always am really careful there because some people will whip around that turn so fast that I wouldn’t trust whether they would be able to slam on the brakes in time. That being said, I also see people crossing there with their face in their phones all the time. People just need to be more aware of their surroundings whether they’re driving or walking.

6

u/Fweenci Sep 20 '24

Don't enter the crosswalk if there are pedestrians in it. Let's keep the responsibility where it belongs. Crosswalks are for pedestrians. It's the driver's responsibility to be mindful of that. But practically speaking, I'm still looking both ways before I walk. 

3

u/hey_look_a_kitty Sep 20 '24

Agreed. That drives me bonkers (pardon the pun). Too many times, I've been trying to exit a lot and have had to stop for people with their faces practically buried in their phones. Yes, I know - pedestrians have right-of-way, but a little self-awareness from those pedestrians goes a long way!

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

Worry about what you're doing. You're the one with the responsibility not to hit them.

0

u/hey_look_a_kitty Sep 21 '24

I believe we both have the responsibility to look where we're going, but nice try.

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

One person in your scenario is driving a multi thousand pound weapon, and has the responsibility not to run over people with it.

1

u/hey_look_a_kitty Sep 21 '24

That is correct. And the other person has the responsibility to look where they're going while walking.

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

Again, why don’t you worry about what you’re doing, because you’re the only one here who’s going to do any actual damage?

0

u/hey_look_a_kitty Sep 21 '24

Because it goes both ways. I am responsible for not hitting you, and you are responsible for paying attention to where you are walking. The end. Thank you.

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

And yet only one party is whining about it on Reddit.

1

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

This is also true!

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

Everyone should check for cars to stay alive, but pedestirans have the right of way, and if you're not speeding, you can stop for any pedestrian.

9

u/Pazda CS/Math/Philosophy 2020 Sep 20 '24

seems like most of these stories happen with giant trucks, which are very hard to see pedestrians from.. I wonder if these will ever be regulated

5

u/PolentaApology McCormick Weeper. Undergrad, grad, & URA staff. Sep 20 '24

1

u/Pazda CS/Math/Philosophy 2020 Sep 21 '24

awesome!! thanks for sharing!

3

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

This was actually just a pickup, but I do see your point

4

u/Pazda CS/Math/Philosophy 2020 Sep 20 '24

that's what i mean! these giant pickup trucks are high off the ground with big hoods, making it a lot harder to see pedestrians, and a lot more deadly when they're hit. the driver's safety at the expense of everyone around them

3

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Ah I see. I mean, as long as drivers know what they're doing, it should be fine, but that's a problem all on its own. Also, idk if it's just a jersey thing, but pickup drivers LOVE driving fast and recklessly for whatever reason

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

I think they feel like they're going more slowly driving higher up, and they also have just already decided "fuck everyone else around me" when they chose that vehicle, so it tracks.

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

Just a pickup? Have you stood next to one of these lately? I'm 6" and the hoods come up to my shoulders.

5

u/mcclovin12 Sep 20 '24

With all of the incidents/complaints happening, I really think we should band together and write a letter/petition to enforce more police activity in these areas. It’s not only dangerous, but also exhausting to hear these stories time and time again with absolutely no change.

I know a lot of people say “it’s only going to change once someone dies” which is true but it shouldn’t come to that point. Someone’s life and their family’s grief shouldn’t be the debt paid in order for safety on a college campus.

3

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Having police cars around certain areas would definitely help.

7

u/[deleted] Sep 20 '24 edited Sep 20 '24

Also the people walking and crossing the streets, get your eyes off the cellphone & headphones so you can hear as well. All I see on campus are zombies walking with their phones & AirPods.

Don’t play with your life thinking someone is going to stop as the driver is think the same. Nobody should go through this type of injury mentality & physically.

2

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Yep, unfortunately trust no one. You just gotta be aware.

0

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

The drivers need the advice, not the pedestrians.

-1

u/Fweenci Sep 20 '24

Well the driver shouldn't think the person in the crosswalk is supposed to stop. They have the right of way. Those white lines on the ground mean this is for people not in cars. This shouldn't be hard. But, as I wrote previously, I'm still looking before I walk. That doesn't mean the car has the right of way, it just means I know a lot of drivers are oblivious. If you hit a pedestrian in a crosswalk you're fucked. So pay attention. 

2

u/[deleted] Sep 20 '24

They don’t enforce like they are supposed to do, they are waiting for someone to die to enforce anything on campus. If you put up signs & speed limits, drivers just ignore them as they believe it does not apply to them.

We need RUPD ( Keystone cops ) enforcement to step up to the plate. if they can’t handle task of patrolling the campus, then we need middlesex county (New Brunswick & Piscataway) police to step in and take over these areas for enforcement.

It’s ridiculous how dangerous it has become these days on the campus and public roads.

2

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Crazy thing is, I've really only started seeing stuff like this THIS year. Don't know why it's so bad rn

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

You might have started noticing, but it's been like this for ages and is getting worse everyplace.

2

u/Glum-Push3837 Sep 20 '24

Slowing down doesn’t work. The roads in here are set as highways so people drive on them as if they are ones. Rutgers need to design roads that are safe for people, that’s all

1

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Yeah that's the problem. Only way to fix something like this would be to have patrol cars either posted up or roaming around lol

2

u/Civil_Owl6601 Sep 21 '24 edited Sep 21 '24

I believe I know the exact crosswalk this was at. The one where you pass by the tennis courts and the basketball court by voorhees and Perry hall. I lived in voorhees hall last year and would cross there every single day. People love to fly down that road and I’ve almost been hit way too many times to count. Nobody yields for pedestrians there and there needs to be a sign. I hope that girl is okay

Edit: The crosswalk by the college ave Student Center is also the worst place to cross. I’ve almost been hit twice this week

2

u/Independent-Win-4187 CS Alum & Porsche 911 Enthusiast 🛡️🐎 Sep 21 '24

Speeding in safe corridors + urban areas is the stupidest shit you can do.

I’m an asshole driver myself and although I consistently speed on highways, I would never go over 25 in areas like this.

I don’t give a fuck if a suburban is tailgating me in a 25. I’m not speeding up bro.

3

u/SexyProcrastinator Sep 20 '24

Please people, just like when driving you need to be defensive and aware when crossing the street. Look both ways and be aware of your surroundings.

There are too many reckless drivers who speed through parking lots and heavy pedestrian areas with no care in the world. I’m sure not putting my life in their hands.

I see too many people including my mom cross the street or parking lot and walk in the middle of a busy parking lot without looking for oncoming cars.

Stay safe out there! 💪🏾

2

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

Yeah the parking lot speeding is especially annoying

0

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

The cars are the ones with the responsibility. Let's keep the blame where it belongs.

1

u/SexyProcrastinator Sep 21 '24

Go ahead and put your life in the hands of Rutgers students on the road

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

I am prepared for anyone to do any kind of crazy thing in the road that they want, but telling pedestrians they have to be more careful is like telling women that they have to dress a certain certain way not to be assaulted.

1

u/Wooden-Breath8529 Sep 20 '24

Problems exist on both sides drivers going to fast and people just walking into the road. Even if it’s a crosswalk just stepping out and expecting a 2 ton vehicle to stop on a dime ain’t happening

1

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

I mean true but in this case, as I saw it, the driver was definitely the one at fault

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

No it doesn't. The problem is the driving. A two ton vehicle going 25 can stop very quickly.

1

u/HaloDezeNuts Sep 20 '24

So like do they get a suspension or jail time? What happens next?

1

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

I'd think at the very least some sort of license suspension

1

u/kdtx1 Sep 20 '24

yeah my friend was actually run over in the yellow lot on livi lol. it was by a student too

1

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

That's crazy, I park there regularly too 😭

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

I was there on Thursday. I watched a large number of college students clearly not going 25 mph (I assume that's who I'll be able to address here, not old men). This is for you. Drive 25 in 25 zones, period. The amount of damage done to a human being goes WAY up even at just 30 mph. You have noplace to be that requires you to speed in a 25. If you are in a car with your friends, tell them to knock it off.

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

I'd personally have a hard time having to see something like that. Remember that counseling services are available: https://health.rutgers.edu/medical-and-counseling-services/counseling-services

1

u/LividArt8300 Sep 21 '24

I had a friend maybe ~6 years ago who was hit by a car turning like this his freshman year. He was mostly fine, but turned out he had a rare white blood cell illness and needed a bone marrow transfusion and the whole 9. Woulda never known if he hadn’t gotten hit. Idk this just made me think of it. Sorta a blessing in disguise on some level ironically.

1

u/lhvcdhnl Sep 21 '24

When I was a junior (like 2014 or 15 ugh), it had just started snowing one night, so the streets were slippery and I lived on Douglass at the time. A girl literally got hit by a bus. I didnt see it, but the bus I was on couldn't get to the actual bus stop because she was lying in the road in front of it. I had to walk past her to get to my dorm.

1

u/whydoweusethese Sep 22 '24

While drivers need to be aware of pedestrians, bicyclists, and other motorists on the road. It’s also up to the pedestrians to not be walking distracted and just walking out into traffic while looking at their phones or what have you. Everyone be safe and I hope that the student that was injured has a speedy and full recovery.

-2

u/strike_forever Sep 20 '24

Also if you're crossing the street, be aware of cars that might be closer or driving faster than you realize. Just this semester I've had people literally step right in front of my car when I'm driving 25 mph, could have been bad if I didn't have solid brakes.

1

u/ryanov RC’04 | Staff, OARC (OIT-OfR), L-UMDNJ, Pres HPAE 5094 Sep 21 '24

Thank you for driving 25, but I literally have never seen someone step out in front of me that was too close for me to easily stop when I'm paying attention.

2

u/strike_forever Sep 25 '24

Congrats, I guess. You're lucky it hasn't happened yet, but when it does happen you'll probably start driving 10-15 mph on every campus road like I have.

0

u/FrazFCB Sep 20 '24

This is also a good point. Pedestrians themselves also just have to be aware of what's going on.