A cheap way to keep people from being injured — or heaven forbid — killed in crosswalks is to stop telling pedestrians and especially kids that they have the right of way.
Yes, they should have the right of way but you don’t just walk and not look first. When you see a crosswalk you stop, look and then walk — unless you want to die or get hurt badly.
A couple of months ago my husband and I were driving on Main Street in Easthampton and a women in dark clothes walked across the street in the crosswalk. She didn’t even look.
If I didn’t see her, my husband would have hit her. I’m assuming it’s been drilled into her head that she has the right of way. It might be cheaper to paint “stop, look, walk” at every crosswalk and let the public know yes you do have the right of way but you need to stop, look and, if no cars are coming, walk.
It’s the pedestrian who needs to be cautious when crossing the road.
Nancy Favaro
Easthampton