Kindergartner hit by car while walking home from school
By Melanie Johnson
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CAHOKIA HEIGHTS, Illinois (KMOV) — School-zone safety upgrades are coming to a Metro East school district after a 5-year-old student was hit by a car. Fortunately, the student walked away alive with only scrapes and bruises.
“It’s just heartbreaking that people don’t care,” says the boy’s mother, Sadie Nolen.
The Elizabeth Morris Elementary kindergartener was walking across the street when he was struck just steps away from his home. His mom tells News 4 it happened on the second day of school, the driver tried to bypass a line of cars waiting to pick up students.
“The car was stopped so he could go across the street to come home,” she says. “You should have waited in line just like the rest of the parents were waiting in line.”
The Cahokia School District along with Cahokia Height’s mayor are now working to bring new safety upgrades and precautions to the school zone.
“We’ve added a second officer at dismissal time. That security team with tremendous support from the families is rerouting the pickup process and system and rerouting it differently,” says Cahokia District Deputy Superintendent Tanya Mitchell.
Despite plans to fix the dangerous stretch of road, the young student is still traumatized from the collision.
“He’s really scared. Every time we try to cross the street, he’s like, ‘Mommy I don’t want to get hit by a car,” says Nolen.
There is no word on if the driver will face any charges.
“What if it was your child? Wouldn’t you be upset that somebody hit him and there’s nothing you can do about it?” says Nolen. “I’ve sat here and watched quite a few kids dodge cars from people driving.”
The student’s family hopes this close call brings awareness to drivers and changes to school districts on both sides of the river.
“Keep an eye out. Go the speed limit,” says Nolen. “Don’t be in such a rush.”
The district plans to take the new safety proposals to the school board for immediate approval.
“Our kids are our most precious gifts so please help us,” says Mitchell. Everyone do their part to keep all of our kiddos safe this school year.”
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