Westmont High Students Shift Gears for Safety: At Westmont High School in Campbell, a group of students is taking the wheel on safety concerns. The school’s Traffic Advisory Council, in collaboration with the City of San Jose, has initiated a ‘Slow Down’ campaign across the Campbell Union High School District.
Enthusiastic students, parents, and faculty rallied behind the ‘I drive the speed limit’ pledge, a grassroots effort to curb speeding in school zones. Faith Gonia, Westmont’s Traffic Advisory Council president, highlights the dangers during drop-offs and pickups, with double-parked cars causing chaos.
Councilmember Pam Foley sheds light on the city’s Vision Zero initiative, aiming to enhance street infrastructure in accident-prone areas. The gravity of the situation is evident, with tragic incidents like the 2022 fatality of 8-year-old Jacob Villanueva near Castlemont Elementary underscoring the urgency for change.
In a pioneering move, San Jose plans to install speed cameras in high-accident zones and school areas, part of a broader effort to prioritize pedestrian safety. Councilmember Foley acknowledges the community’s input in identifying locations for these cameras.
Amidst these efforts, the student Traffic Advisory Council emerges as a force for change. Their successful campaign led to the installation of a blinking stop sign at Westmont High School in 2022. These young drivers are steering towards a safer road culture, challenging the notion that speed equals coolness. For them, driving responsibly is not just a pledge; it’s a mission to prevent tragedy on the streets they navigate.
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