Collegiate Times

Sub Station. Ceritano's. Starbucks. And, as of Monday, a townhome on the corner of Marlington Road and Grissom Lane. All of these buildings share the unlucky commonality of having had a car run into them in the past two years.

It's surprising when one reflects on how many people consider Blacksburg's streets to be considerably safer than the more populated parts of Virginia. But, as these incidents and the recent pedestrian-involved accidents go to show, Blacksburg drivers and pedestrians alike can't take the small-town traffic atmosphere for granted.

Each of these incidents has involved teenagers, and not even out-of-town students, but often Blacksburg residents. We can all agree that the sheer amount of accidents is reason to pause and consider the problem. Whether fluke or otherwise, there are still things we can do to try to restore Blacksburg's image of safety and foot traffic friendliness.

First, take driving seriously. It seems the younger the driver, the higher the likelihood of a distraction in the vehicle. A cell phone, an iPod, rambunctious friends and white-knuckled parents are all potential catalysts for an accident, so we should limit their interference with our driving as much as possible. It should go without saying that texting and driving may be the single most dangerous thing one could do next to driving drunk, but unfortunately, we've all seen drivers looking at their keypads rather than the road. It's simple. Do not text and drive. Ever.

Secondly, pedestrians need to be responsible and aware themselves. Yielding works both ways. Assuming that every car will be able and willing to stop for us can lead to more tragic incidents. Downtown is a particularly difficult location for drivers, especially on busy evenings. Large crowds dashing from restaurant to bar without paying attention only increases risk of an accident.

And lastly, this may be a sign that Virginians need to look at their standards in issuing driving licenses. How comprehensive is the DMV test? How many students fudge the numbers on their driving log? How many Behind the Wheel teachers simply let mistakes slide during a driving exam? Driving is the type of responsibility that should be taken very seriously.

Next time you catch yourself driving recklessly or paying no attention at a crosswalk, ask yourself if you want Blacksburg to be known as the crash accident capital of Virginia.

This week's Editorial Board consisted of Matt Artz, Daniel Lin, Phillip Murillas and Geri Roberts.