Traffic and Parking Regulations

College of the Mainland has the authority to enforce certain traffic regulations covered by the private institutions of Higher Education Act, Section 1, Chapter 600.003, effective September 1, 1997.

1. The purpose of these regulations is to provide for the safety and welfare of students, employees, visitors and guests and to provide for the control of traffic and parking.
2. It shall be a violation to commit any act prohibited by these regulations or fail to do any act required by these regulations.
   1. Vehicles operated or parked on the campus must comply with all State laws, and the Parking and Traffic Rules and Regulations of the District.
   2. All vehicles operated are expected to exercise due caution on all parts of the campus with particular regard for the safety of pedestrians. The speed limit is 15 miles per hour on all campus roads unless otherwise posted. Slow to 10 miles per hour or less at crosswalks, buildings and parking lot entrances and in parking lots or other congested areas.
   3. The operation of a vehicle shall be restricted to the campus drives, streets and parking lots.
   4. No person shall fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of anyone with the authority to direct, control and regulate traffic.
   5. The driver of any vehicle involved in a collision shall immediately stop at the scene of such accident or collision, and by the quickest means of communication report such accident or collision to the COM Police Department at ext. 599 or 8403.
   6. All vehicles are required to stop completely at each stop sign and then proceed cautiously.
   7. No operator of a vehicle shall drive beyond a barricaded area or where prohibited by temporary or permanent signs and no operator or person shall remove such barricade or sign.
   8. No person in control or possession of a motor vehicle shall bring the same to a sudden start or stop in a parking lot or street or accelerate or race the motor so as to cause loud noise calculated to disturb the person or persons present.
   9. No person in control or possession of a motor vehicle equipped with audio equipment shall play such device(s) to the extent that such sounds are disruptive to the environment of the campus.
   10. The operator of a vehicle shall yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks.
   11. Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right of way to all vehicles upon the roadway.

Enforcement

The District reserves the right to enforce traffic rules and regulations:

1. Through the impoundment of vehicle in violation of Texas State Statutes and the Parking and Traffic Rules and Regulations of the District.
2. By barring the readmission to the District and withholding grades, degrees, refunds and official transcripts of any student or nonpayment of outstanding administrative fees.
3. By disciplinary action against employees or students who fail to abide by these regulations or fail to pay outstanding administrative fees.
   1. Parking reinstatement fees and/or fines are assessed for each parking violation committed. The fee/fine is $4 if paid within 10 business days. If not paid within the 10 days, the fee/fine will automatically increase to $8.
   2. For parking in handicap spaces without the proper handicap sticker or tags or in fire zones, the fee/fine is $10 and if not paid within 10) business days, the fee/fine automatically increases to $20.

On-Campus Parking and Parking Decals

Parking is restricted to within the yellow-lined parking spaces. Vehicles may not back into parking spaces. There are clearly marked parking facilities for four- and two-wheeled motor vehicles in all of COM's parking lots.

All students and employees who drive a vehicle should have a valid COM parking decal displayed on the left-hand bottom corner of their vehicle's back window. Decals must be affixed to the outside of the rear window. Motorcycles should display their valid COM parking decal on the rear area of the motorcycle that is clearly visible to patrolling COM officers.

To obtain a parking decal, go to the Welcome Desk located in the Administration Building.

If you have a new vehicle, please go to WebAdvisor and complete the “Register a Vehicle” form listed under the User Account tab. Previously registered vehicles may need to be re-registered. If your vehicle is not listed under the Register a Vehicle tab, then you will need to complete the form to receive your parking decal.

Students and employees with paper license plates or using a rental vehicle must request a Temporary Parking Permit. Parking in the visitor section is not permitted.

Students and employees can have more than one parking decal issued to them, but each vehicle must be registered separately. Vehicles that are being driven on a temporary basis (excluding rental vehicles or paper license plates) must be registered and affixed with a parking decal.  NOTE:  Decal can be removed once the vehicle is no longer needed. 

For questions, please call the Welcome Desk at 409-933-8227.

To park in the handicapped zones, a student must have a handicapped parking decal. A temporary handicapped parking decal to be used on COM parking lots only, may be obtained in the campus police office, a doctor’s written statement is required in order to receive a handicapped hanging placard. Placard must be in plain view on rearview mirror while parked in the COM handicap space.

Vehicular Accidents

All accidents occurring on a College campus roadway or parking lot should be reported immediately to the College Police Department. Officers will investigate all reportable accidents on College property, file all necessary reports, aid in the drivers' exchange of information, render needed first aid or summon appropriate medical assistance and arrange for vehicles to be towed if they are not operational.