I’m a year-long bike commuter with a 3.5-mile commute. According to a new Illinois state law that took effect Jan. 1, my bike has the same right-of-way as other vehicles so, legally, cars must change lanes to pass me. The law offers cyclists more protection, but most drivers don’t know about it.

However, during my commute, the most hazardous area for riding is within a mile of campus, particularly on Sheridan Road. There, I fear cars less than pedestrians. Students have favored jaywalking sites, and when attending to friends or phones, they’re distracted and prone to “herd mentality”— one person walks into the road, the rest of the crowd follows without looking.

On Jan. 19, riding north on Sheridan Road at 4:40 p.m., nine people stepped into the road to jaywalk at the intersection of Sheridan and Emerson as I biked through at 10 mph. My lights were flashing brightly. I didn’t have time to stop, so I yelled and tried to swerve. I could have hit several pedestrians and been injured in the process. It doesn’t seem to matter what efforts I make to increase visibility. Pedestrians are looking for cars, not bikes. I cannot make people see what they’re not looking for. Unfortunately, the new law doesn’t apply to pedestrians.

Bike safety matters, fellow Wildcats. From bike awareness while driving or walking, to wearing a helmet, we all have a critical part to play and perhaps my near-losses will illustrate why we should all care.

On May 12, 2016, within a mile of campus, I was riding on a road with no traffic on it in broad daylight. I had the right-of-way on a straight road. No stop signs, no pedestrian crossing. My light was flashing, my bike is fluorescent yellow and I wore a bright orange scarf and a helmet. Nonetheless, a car from the adjacent street cut me off because the driver did not see me. Presumably, when the driver looked both ways, it was for cars, not bikes. My helmet likely prevented worse damage, but I suffered a significant shoulder injury.

On Sept. 22, 2016, during the first week of classes, Northwestern student Chuyuan Qiu was tragically killed in a collision with a cement truck biking on Sheridan Road. During fall term alone, there were also fatal crashes near Harvard and the University of Florida.

Subsequently, Northwestern’s Associated Student Government petitioned for improved bike safety on campus, including distributing free bike helmets and lights, lowered vehicle speeds on Sheridan Road and a dedicated bike lane. However, I expect these measures will make little difference if pedestrians, cyclists and motorists don’t take seriously their shared role in safety.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in previous years, traffic fatalities went down, but as of 2015, they’re on the rise. Of those, pedestrian and pedalcyclist deaths increased at the highest rates in 20 years, with human factors contributing to most crashes. Just because cyclists and pedestrians perceive minimal risk, it doesn’t mean there is none.

We take safety for granted, but as I’ve learned, this is a luxury. When I was at college 20 years ago, my dad crashed his bike head-first through the windshield of a car. Had he not worn a helmet, he would have died. Recovery took months, and after visiting him in hospital I never went cycling without a helmet again. When I see fellow cyclists without helmets or bike lights, it appears lunacy. They don’t seem to know or care what they have to lose.

NU can only do so much to compel people — pedestrians, drivers and cyclists alike — to participate in behaviors that will improve safety for all. Residents have to decide such things are important. If you’ve never used safety gear and you’ve thus far been OK, you’re less likely to think it’s necessary. But I’ve been injured too much and averted crashes too often to take safety for granted.

Bike lanes are abused by drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike. Drivers and delivery trucks pull in for short-term “parking.” Drivers drop off passengers, who rarely look for cyclists before opening doors or crossing into bike lanes.

To be sure, cyclists are also at fault. They breeze through intersections without respect for vehicles, let alone crossing pedestrians. Many cyclists drive the wrong way in one-way lanes. Cyclists neglect to signal. They swerve unpredictably around pedestrians on sidewalks. None of this is safe.

But we all know what we have to do. It all starts with awareness and daily decisions to do what will keep all of us safe.

Noelle Sullivan is an assistant professor of instruction in Global Health Studies and Anthropology at Northwestern University. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.