Houston Mayor Orders Safety Upgrades After Student Hit by SUV Near Lamar High School

Pedestrian Safety Concerns Near Lamar High School

• 🚨 A 15-year-old student was struck by an SUV while crossing Westheimer Road at Eastside Street near Lamar High School.
• 🚗 Exclusive video captured the terrifying moment the student was hit while attempting to use a relatively new crosswalk.
• 🚔 Increased police patrols, including Houston Police and HISD police, have been observed at the crosswalk following the incident.

City's Response and Proposed Solutions

• ⚡ Mayor John Whitmire directed Public Works to install a HAWK signal at the intersection to allow for safer crossings.
• 🚦 The HAWK signal is a high-intensity activated crosswalk that will activate a red light for drivers.
• 🗣️ Council member Mary Nan Huffman believes the changes will make a difference but stressed the importance of driver attentiveness.

Criticisms and Alternative Safety Measures

• 🧐 Kevin Strickland, co-founder of Walk and Roll Houston, criticized the mayor's immediate response as a "good photo opportunity".
• 🚧 Strickland argues that a HAWK signal alone is not sufficient and suggests raised crosswalks or speed bumps as more effective solutions.
• ⏳ Houston Public Works has been contacted for a timeline on the HAWK signal installation and other planned improvements, but a response is pending.
• 🗓️ HPD patrols around Lamar High School are scheduled to continue through the end of next week.