College is a time for growth and freedom, and students are often excited about being on their own. Unfortunately, each year college students are seriously injured and even killed on campus. Sports injuries, slip and fall injuries, and traffic injuries tend to be most common. However, violence caused by hazing and assault also contributes to injuries on campus. In fact, 26.4% of women and 6.8% of men experience sexual violence as undergraduate students.
There are other forms of injury, too. Dorms are often older buildings and may have unsafe flooring, showers, stairways, and other building components. Head injuries, falls, fractures, burns, and other injuries can occur because of these problems. Even bedding provided by colleges has been called into question, after a study found that about 8,200 emergency room visits between 2006 and 2015 were linked to school bunk bed use.
Preventing Campus Injury
If you’re heading to college this fall or if you have a child heading to school this semester, here are some safety tips for campus:
- Choose a safe route to and from school: Traffic injuries can be less of a risk if you select a lower-traffic route to school. If you’re walking, look for a well-lit and public route that keeps you safe from heavy car traffic.
- Make moving day safe: Consider moving in a day before or after everyone else or move with a group. Since everyone tends to move into campus around the same time, heavy traffic and lots of moving trucks can make the risk of a pedestrian accident higher.
- Have a way to contact help when you need it: Carry a phone and get familiar with safety features. Or, download an app that lets you call for help easily and quickly.
- Know what protections your school offers: Some schools have services that walk students home from late classes while others offer shuttles to parking lots or other safety measures. Get familiar with what services your campus offers to keep you safe and get familiar with where campus security is and how they can be contacted.
- Stay alert for crime on campus: Knowing if there has been a series of thefts, dorm break-ins, or assaults gives you the information you need to stay safer.
- Check your dorm or housing for safety: When you move into a dorm or off-campus housing, do a thorough check of your space. Are the doors and windows secure? Are stairs and flooring in good condition to prevent falls? Is the area well-lit? Is the building in good condition? Are common areas secured, or are outside doors being propped open? Do you have a deadbolt lock? Look for any hazards and bring them to the attention of an RA or landlord so they can be fixed.
Even if you keep safety in mind on campus, you may be injured. If you are injured and need to miss classes or pay for medical care, the costs can quickly add up. However, under Florida law you may be able to file a legal claim and seek compensation. To find out whether you qualify, don’t hesitate. Call Flaxman Law Group at 866-352-9626 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation. Or contact us online to communicate with our legal team, who have more than 60 years of combined experience.