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“There are a lot of different types of drivers I have noticed,” she said. “You have people who are very hesitant which makes it unsafe. You have people who don’t really care and they just speed. Then you’re left with a situation where I’m looking 24/7 left and right, back mirror, side mirror to make sure I stay safe.”

Singh’s concern about driving on Richardson roadways is not baseless. While the number of vehicular accidents across the nation decreased in 2020 compared to 2019 due to stay-at-home orders and remote work and school, the total number of fatalities from car accidents shot up 7.2% in 2020 despite the sharp decline of drivers on the road. This trend persists both across Texas and within Richardson; miles driven and total crashes were substantially reduced in 2020, yet the number of fatalities from crashes increased.

Driving behaviors also appear to have changed for the worse during the pandemic. The percentage of those who drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol, drive without a seatbelt or speed on highways and other roads has dramatically increased according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In Richardson, the number of crashes between 2019 and 2021 are fairly consistent, as drivers have gotten back on the road after 2020’s dip in total traffic and accident rates. However, the seriousness of these crashes has increased—Richardson

PD data indicates that there were more fatalities through the first nine months location for accidents.

“Where I’ve noticed the biggest increase [in accidents] along Waterview is at the stop intersections,” Gonzales said. “There have been a couple along the traffic lights, but it is more common where the stop signs are. And the reason may be that people are in a hurry generally to either leave campus or get on to campus, and when you are in a hurry, you don’t pay much attention to your driving. That’s just human nature.”

Most accidents that occur on the major streets bordering campus, such as Synergy Park Boulevard and Floyd Road, are reported to Richardson police. On the other hand, UTDPD usually responds to on-campus accidents, which average about three per month according to Gonzales. These types of crashes tend to be minor parking incidents and fender benders, which usually occur while drivers are trying to enter or leave parking lots. Gonzales suggested that the increased congestion on campus this year, coupled with students rushing to find parking spots, might explain the increased risk of parking-related crashes.

Singh has adopted strict defensive driving habits as the number of car accident injuries and fatalities does not seem to be decreasing.

“I can’t assume that the person in front of me and the person behind me are good drivers; I have to just drive cautiously as if the person in front of me is an absolute idiot and they don’t know what they are doing. I try to drive with that mindset,” Singh said.

Comets can now report COVID-19 booster status was received. Comets can submit proof of their booster if they would like, but it is not required.

Comets can submit updates on the new Voluntary COVID-19 Booster Reporting Form. Similar to the original Voluntary Vaccine Reporting Form, it asks for the type of shot (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, etc.) and date the shot

Individuals 18 years or older are eligible for boosters six months after receiving primary Pfizer or Moderna shots or two months after receiving the Johnson & Johnson shot. Those who received Pfizer or Moderna shots must also be living in long-term care settings, have underlying medical conditions or live or work in high-risk settings to be eligible for a booster at the moment.

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