An unidentified Andover student dashing across Main Street caused a two-car accident on Monday around 9:50 a.m.
Although no Andover students were injured, one driver was taken to the hospital by ambulance for treatment of injuries from the accident.
The Town of Andover Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the accident. Andover Police directed traffic away from the accident, while the Fire Department cleaned up debris. Phillips Academy Public Safety (PAPS) was also on scene.
The first car braked suddenly to allow the Andover student to cross Main Street at the Memorial Bell Tower crosswalk. The second car also came to a rapid stop, but a third car failed to stop in time and crashed into the second car, according to Thomas Conlon, Director of PAPS.
Because the crosswalk at the Bell Tower is not located at an intersection, it is not regulated by traffic lights, though it is marked with pedestrian crossing signs.
Jake Marrus ’14 said, “I was walking back from the Quads, and I heard a screeching and crashing sound. One car looked a lot worse than the other, although both got badly hit.”
The operator of the third vehicle was issued a citation for failure to use care in stopping and following too closely, according to the incident report filed by the Andover Police Department (APD).
The second and third vehicles were both towed. APD has valued the total damage costs to be over $1,000, according to the incident report.
While accidents along Main Street that involves members of the Andover community are few in number, an auto accident at a similar location occurred in October of last year, according to Conlon.
After the accident in the fall, the school hired Jacobs Engineering, a company that specializes in traffic engineering services, to evaluate pedestrian safety and security on campus.
The study by Jacobs Engineering reviewed existing crosswalks, pedestrian activity and lighting levels on campus roadways and pathways.
According to Conlon, PAPS hopes to use the results from the study to plan improvements to all crossings through campus and to identify potential locations for new crosswalks.
PAPS has taken steps in past years to increase the safety of pedestrians across campus.
Since 1998, there has been a PAPS crossing guard monitoring the crosswalk at the intersection of Main Street and Salem Street from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m, according to Conlon. In 2008, PAPS stationed another crossing guard at the crosswalk on Salem Street leading to Bullfinch Hall from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
In 2010, the Town of Andover shut off the overhead street lamps along Main Street due to budget restraints. PAPS later successfully petitioned to re-energize lamps adjacent to crosswalks.
During the renovation of Paresky Commons in 2009, the crosswalk between Bulfinch Hall and Paresky was redesigned, and a flashing light and more noticeable pedestrian crossing signs were installed.
In 2005, Andover installed state-of-the-art flashing pedestrian lights at the Vista and Bell Tower crosswalks on Main Street, but neither are regulated by traffic lights.
In a project completed in 1996, Andover, the Town of Andover and the state of Massachusetts worked together to modify Main Street along Andover’s campus from a two-lane highway to a one-lane highway with pedestrian crossing lights at crosswalks.
