PITTSBURGH -- Classes for the fall semester began Monday at the University of Pittsburgh -- and a new safety campaign is under way for the thousands of drivers and students who merge daily in the Oakland neighborhood.

PennDOT and university police said vehicles must slow down and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, but pedestrians also need to be aware of the laws of the road.

"I firmly believe it's a two-way street," said Renny Clark, the university's vice chancellor for community initiatives. "It's the responsibility of the drivers, but it's also the responsibility of the pedestrians."

Specifically, the one-way bus-only lanes on Pitt's campus can be a source of confusion. Clark said too many pedestrians look in the direction from where the traffic is coming, and they forget the buses coming from the opposite direction.

PennDOT said overconfidence is another issue with pedestrians. Just because they legally have the right-of-way doesn't also mean they're safe to cross the street.

"The crosswalk does not provide any walls to stop a car," said PennDOT spokesman David Pritt. "When pedestrians are entering a crosswalk, we encourage them to look left, look right and then look left again."

Beginning Monday morning, police officers were stationed at intersections "to show their presence in the area of the bus lanes and the crosswalks and stuff like that, to try to coerce the walking public to utilize the proper ways to cross the street," said Pritt.

For now, police are only giving reminders and are not issuing tickets.

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PennDOT officials are also reminding motorists to watch for younger students and school buses, as the new school year begins.

Secretary Allen Biehler said, "Back to school is an exciting time for students, and we want to ensure that everyone reaches their destination without incident. Motorists need to take the added precaution of watching for students boarding and exiting buses, respecting school crossing guards and obeying traffic laws regarding school buses and school zones."

Pennsylvania's school bus stopping law requires motorists approaching a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended to stop at least 10 feet from the bus. Motorists approaching from all directions are required to stop.

PennDOT offers students the following school bus safety tips:

Get to the bus stop five minutes early to avoid having to run across the road to catch the bus;

Be sure to look LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT to see that all cars have stopped;

Avoid the School Bus Danger Zone – stay at least 10 giant steps away from the bus on all sides, so the bus driver can see you – if you drop something and it is close or under the bus be sure to tell the driver before you retrieve it;

NEVER walk behind the school bus;

When getting on and off the school bus, make sure all drawstrings and other loose objects are secure so they don’t get caught in the handrail or door;

Talk quietly while on the bus, so the driver is not distracted; and

Remain seated at all times and wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before exiting.

For more information about Pennsylvania’s school bus stopping law, visit the School Bus Safety link at www.dot.state.pa.us.

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