San Marcos student hit near dangerous intersection; He is not expected to survive

A San Marcos student is lost today after being hit by a vehicle.

The crash happened around 6:30 Thursday morning at the intersection of Rancho Santa Fe Road and San Marcos Boulevard, next to San Marcos High School.

The San Marcos Unified School District said the family does not expect their daughter to survive.

“I can personally say that this news is so sudden and saddening that it will undoubtedly impact all of us,” said Superintendent Dr. Andy Johnsen. “In response and to help us all process today’s event, we have our crisis and advisory teams supporting our SMHS community, and if you or your student need support, the school administration will ensure you have access to the support you need on campus.”

SANDAG data shows that the intersection near where the student was hit, at Marcos High School, is unsafe.

SANDAG

Firstly, both locally and in our country, the number of pedestrian fatalities is increasing.

Laura Keenan, co-founder of the San Diego chapter of Families for Safe Streets, said: “Pedestrian fatalities are rising, both locally and across the country.”

San Diego Chapter Families for Safe Streets supports families who have lost loved ones or survived road accidents.

Keenan said that according to a report by the University of California, Berkeley, 258 people died on the streets of San Diego last year, 83 of them pedestrians.

“These deaths are preventable, and because they are often one-time events, I think our society doesn’t pay much attention to them,” Keenan said.

Keenan said the main causes of pedestrian accidents are:

• Vehicles are getting larger, making it harder to see people walking
• The vehicle collides with pedestrians near their heart, resulting in death
• Night and twilight hours
• Street lighting
• Street design

Keenan said improving each of these targets would benefit everyone: “We know that when we make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists, who we consider the most vulnerable road users, it will make streets safer for everyone, including drivers.”