You back out of your parking space and hear the crunch of your back bumper collide with the front of another vehicle. You looked away from the road for a second to answer a text and suddenly you’re colliding with the back of another car.

Car accidents happen and according to Michquel Penn, Kent State community resource officer, they occur at Kent State mostly in parking lots and on private properties.

According to police reports, from Aug. 1, 2010 to Sept. 12, 2011, 143 non-roadway accidents have been reported on campus. During the same time period, 48 roadway accidents have been reported.

Penn said non-roadway accidents occur more than roadway accidents because students speed through parking lots and don’t pay attention to what they’re doing.

“Students are maybe looking for a parking space or somebody is in a hurry, maybe late for class,” she said. “They’re going a little too fast in those parking lots and will cause an accident.”

An officer who wished to remain anonymous said when a student driver collides with another vehicle in a parking lot, according to law they are required to tell the owner of the other vehicle about it.

She said students are not cited for non-roadway accidents but may be cited for roadway accidents.

“If you accidentally hit someone’s car, it’s an accident. You’re not going to get cited for it,” she said. “If it’s out on the road and you rear-end somebody, that’s different. That’s officer discretion.”

Anthony Davis, officer at the Kent State Police Department, said students need to be cautious about how they drive to prevent accidents and injuries.

“You are basically driving a 1 1/2-ton missile,” he said. “If you don’t pay attention, you can hurt somebody.”

Contact Kelly Tunney at [email protected].