Student hit on Gainsborough

Zack Potter, Online News Editor and Suzy Rudorfer, Circulation Manager
November 25, 2009
Filed under News

After a car struck a senior girl  while she attempted to cross Gainsborough Road before school Thursday, Oct. 30, the CHS administration is considering a peer-to-peer program aimed at dissuading students from being dropped off on Gainsborough or Victory Lane.

Ironically, the incident occurred just two weeks after the administration requested that Montgomery County police officers be positioned on Gainsborough and Victory to curb dangerous behavior occurring during student drop-offs.

 “I also put out a “Bulldog Blips” stating to parents that [it is] an unsafe situation to drop off [on Gainsborough and Victory] and [that] there will be police monitoring drop-off,” Principal Joan Benz said.

According to Lieutenant John Hack, the police department had received numerous requests, including one from CHS administration, that student drop-off was becoming dangerous and should be supervised by the police.

“There were complaints from parents about safety, about speeding drivers [and] parents dropping their kids off in the middle of the road,” Hack said.

The student, who received a citation for jaywalking, was taken to the hospital via ambulance after the collision, but returned to school later in the day.

“A student witnessed [the accident] and called 911 immediately from his phone,” security team leader Terry Bell said. “He was excellent and reacted the way common citizens should [in an emergency].”

Several individuals came onto the scene shortly after the accident, including a security guard, the school nurse, the student’s mother and a police officer who happened to be stationed nearby ticketing cars that had stopped illegally.

Many students and parents feel that the only legal carpool lane, situated just off of Victory Lane, has become too congested.  However, according to Benz, due to CHS’ proximity to the surrounding neighborhoods and senior and staff parking lots, it would be nearly impossible to redesign or build a new carpool lane.

“We can always look at putting in more crosswalks near the football stadium, but we are really bound by our closeness to the neighborhood,” Benz said.