HENDERSON, Nev. (FOX5) – Parents are raising serious concerns about student safety near Pinecrest Academy Cadence after a student was hit by a vehicle on Grand Cadence Drive last month.
This has drawn attention to what parents describe as an unsafe environment for students walking to and from school. Many students continue to choose to cross the street outside the existing crosswalk, which is farther down the road from where students enter and exit the school.
During both drop off and pick up times, FOX5 cameras captured students darting across the busy street while cars sped by. One parent, Katrina Samate, said she is afraid someone is going to get seriously injured.
“There is no crosswalk, at least right here, because our entrance is right here, but the crosswalk is all the way down there,” Samate said. “It’s pretty far”
Samate added that flashing lights alerting drivers to the change in speed, which are common near other schools, could make a difference.
“It would make more sense at least to have, where other schools have, those big lights up and it says…15 or below,” Samate said. “There’s cars that go a good 30, some go 40, they’re racing down here, it’s crazy.”
The city of Henderson states there is no law dictating how close a crosswalk must be to where students enter and exit the school. They also confirmed there are no plans to add an additional crosswalk closer to the area. As for flashing lights on speed limit signs, the city says they are not required.
Pinecrest Academy Cadence Principal Bryan Rudden says he encourages all families to use the car loop on camps grounds as there are 7 to 10 staff members always monitoring the process.
“We did hire coming into this year two additional staff members that have been going out to that city street area to they can’t direct traffic to help students safely get across that crosswalk,” said Rudden.
The city of Henderson Police Department says if time permits, and upon the school’s request, the traffic unit will be enforcing traffic laws during drop-off and pick-up times.
Parents, however, say they are hoping action will be taken before someone gets seriously injured.
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