Senior Julian Martinez returned to school on October 19th, a day after being struck by a car on Foothill and Oak Grove as he was crossing the street. Julian reported that he only had minor cuts and a bruise on his shoulder and was back to his usual, joking self in no time. Principal Ian McFeat said that while “the driver was at fault,” the more important thing was that Julian was safe and that “emergency personnel were right on the scene.”
Witnesses later reported that the driver, a JPL employee, was making a left turn when she hit Martinez.
It is unclear on how the community will react, but Mr. McFeat’s statement highlights an issue not many people have considered. Rather than raising awareness of student drivers, it seems as though students should be more aware of their surroundings. That isn’t to say that drivers shouldn’t be careful as well, but students should stay aware of the dangers at intersections. Luckily, nobody was seriously injured, but this could be the beginning of tighter safety regulations around school areas.
