Concerned principal wants reduced speed limit in school zone

A Kingston College (KC) student was hit down on Elletson Road as he attempted to cross the road to enter the school campus Friday morning.

The young man exited a taxi and tried to dash across the road but was hit by a Honda HRV coming from behind the taxi.

He fell metres in front of this reporter, as I was coming from the opposite direction. The shocked student picked himself up and was assisted into the lady’s car by onlookers to the hospital.

KC’s Principal Dave Myrie, told OurToday that the student was taken to the Kingston Public Hospital.

“We have made contact with one of our security that went with him,” said Myrie. “There are no broken bones but they said his hand is swelling, so they are doing some X-rays. We have spoken to his parents and his mother is on her way to the hospital.”

The principal noted that the school always reminded the students to be vigilant. “If they come off a bus or a taxi, look left, look right, look again before they cross the road,” he told OurToday.

“The other thing is for them to use the pedestrian crossing because some tend not to be wanting to walk to the pedestrian crossing to get across. But don’t believe that’s because it’s a pedestrian crossing you can just run out on it. You have to be very careful on the road.”

He also had a word for the motorists but wasn’t pointing finger at this driver.

“You are approaching a school zone, you have to be very conscious and actually slow down when passing. I am there many days and see the speed the motorist come down the road. Motorist need to be very mindful and watchful. In America when passing a school zone, you have to go down to at least 15 mph or something like that leading up to the school and after you pass the school.

“Maybe we need something like that here as well. To be honest with you, every time I look at Melbourne (KC Campus for first to third formers on Elletson Road) I am concerned about that.

“I have written already to the KSAC about the Melbourne situation and what can be done to improve the safety for pedestrians particularly the school children who cross the road. We keep pushing on that,” said Myrie.