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JAMESTOWN, NY (WNY News Now) – A Jamestown area mother is speaking out about traffic safety, after a child was hit while they were riding their bike to school last week.
This incident isn’t the first of its kind, and according to Iris Bonilla, these accidents are becoming too common.
“It was a fifth grader at Persell School that was hit. He wasn’t the only one that’s been hit near Persell School that I can name. That would be like the third child that’s been hit within the last year,” Bonilla explained.
Bonilla believes while there isn’t anyone directly at fault, more can always be done.
“Slow down and definitely look left and right and the stop signs. A lot of people are just blowing these stop signs, and walkways. You should at least be ten feet away from the walkway to allow people to walk by,” Bonilla said.
The concerned mom says the city should work to make sidewalks more accessible to students walking to, and from school.
“It goes back to the city as well because it’s not safe for them to walk on the road because half the roads have huge bumps and it’s not safe for them to even ride a bike on the sidewalks because the sidewalks are not even,” said Bonilla.
Bonilla has two children that attend Persell Middle School. She says traffic safety is an important lesson to share with our youngsters.
“Always look left and right, always make sure that you’re looking at all your surroundings, take your headphones off, don’t pay attention to anything else besides where you’re going,” said Bonilla.
In the end, slowing down and using caution is key.
“If you know there is a school that way and you’re in a rush, take the opposite way. Why are you rushing by these staff that are trying to help children cross the roads,” she said.
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