Car Hits Cyclist at School Entrance

A+car+hit+a+cyclist+at+the+western+entrance+to+Cam+High+on+Tuesday.+Traffic+concerns+are+being+addressed+daily+by+school+officials.

Photo by: Michael Huber

A car hit a cyclist at the western entrance to Cam High on Tuesday. Traffic concerns are being addressed daily by school officials.

Traffic is a consistent problem at Cam High in the morning and after school when students are coming and leaving. The narrow entry way of the main driveway combined with narrow roads populated by both vehicles and pedestrians has always been considered a recipe for disaster.

Precautions have been implemented to ensure the safety of students during these busy morning hours, yet on the morning of Apr. 1 another accident occurred involving a bicyclist by the entrance to the upper parking lot, the western entrance to the school near the agriculture area.

Police and paramedics were on the scene interviewing anyone who witnessed the accident, Cam High students among others. Mr. Tom Ito, associate principal, who arrived on the scene early that morning, witnessed only the aftermath of the accident, “I went down there and when I got there I saw a bicyclist. He was wearing his helmet and his cycling shorts and gear, and he was laying on the ground and his bike was off to the side,” said Ito.

Unfortunately, this is not the first accident that has occurred at Cam High. In previous years, accidents have included campus supervisors and in one case a student being hit by a car. More safety precautions have been put in place in addition to the ones already established in order to ensure the safety of students and faculty members.

The area in front of the school enforces a 25 mph speed limit during busy times but, in recent years, more cones have been added to both improve the flow of traffic and guard against accidents. The officer patrolling the area during busy mornings also encourages drivers to be more cautious. “People just need to be more careful, there’s not much else we can do,” said Jerry Willard, campus supervisor, who arrived at the scene shortly after the accident.

The cyclist that was hit was immediately transported to the hospital to treat his injuries, none of which were fatal according to school officials. Administrators as well as campus supervisors did their best to direct backed-up traffic after the accident. “Students walked by the scene on the way to school, [and they] handled it well,” said Kim Stephenson, associate principal.

The Stinger’s policy is not to release the names of accident victims without their permission.