A Palo Alto High School sophomore is currently in the hospital after a woman in a silver Honda hit him at 3:50 p.m. today at the corner of Emerson and Coleridge.
A fire engine from the Palo Alto Fire Department and a squad car from the Palo Alto Police Department arrived immediately. An ambulance arrived shortly thereafter. While the student does not seem to have sustained serious injuries, he did hit his head and is experiencing lightheadedness and dizziness, according to the firefighters at the scene. The student was wearing a helmet. An ambulance took him to a nearby hospital.
According to the police, the student was biking home and missed the stop sign at the intersection, and was then hit in the back wheel. The car suffered damage, and the student is taking fault for the accident, said a police officer on the scene.
This is the second accident of its kind to happen in several weeks.
More information to come.
UPDATE:
The student was brought to the ER at Kaiser hospital in Redwood City, and observed for several hours. He has a hairline fracture in his wrist, but otherwise not significantly harmed.
“At the stop sign I slowed down, saw the car coming, and misjudged its speed. The driver didn’t see me, so I sped up, and it hit me in the back wheel,” the student said.
Paly Driver • Sep 13, 2012 at 6:43 am
Every morning as I drive to school, every single student on a bike fails to stop at the stop signs. Luckily, I am used to this so I know that I have to wait patiently at the stop sign until there are no bikers in sight, or else I would surely hit one. However, this really frustrates me because I cannot believe someone would be so careless considering something as easy as stopping at a stop sign could literally save their life. Not everyone in Palo Alto is aware that Paly bikers are this careless, they expect bikers and drivers alike to yield to them if they do not have a stop sign. I’m not sure why all these students find it unnecessary to stop at stop signs, they have to realize that they really have no defense against a car going 20/30 mph. The sheer ignorance of actually following the road signs needs to stop!
PALY Alumni • Sep 12, 2012 at 8:35 pm
I am so glad how voice is handling this to let the community know this happens. I used to not stop at stop signs on a bike too, but always felt guilty. With all the distractions faced by both students and drivers, it is absolutely necessary for bikers to not only follow traffic rules, but also have appropriate safety equipment, mainly a helmet (which is actually buckled) and a light and/or reflector.
Teacher • Sep 11, 2012 at 10:46 pm
Every morning on my way to work in PA I see Paly students blithely sailing through stop signs like they aren’t even there. Sometimes they are texting at the same time! Frankly, I’m surprised this hasn’t happened sooner, and/or more often. Just hope he’s not hurt, and also that the cops consider issuing him a citation…
Parent • Sep 11, 2012 at 2:57 am
appreciate your getting this story together so quickly. well done.
tekknolagi • Sep 11, 2012 at 4:01 am
No problem. Would have had it done earlier except some of the protocols as far as names were unclear.