SPARE THE CHILDREN

We have always admonished our readers to watch over their children on the way to, and coming home from, school. Moreover, we have implored drivers to slow down near schools or anywhere schoolchildren are present.
This past Wednesday, September 17, two young classmates were mowed down by a hit-and-run driver as they attempted to dash across Rockaway Boulevard at about 7:45 a.m. to get to their school.
Nisha Chowdhury, 12, and her pal had just been dropped off across the street from M.S. 137 in Ozone Park by her father and instead of walking up to the corner with the crossing guard, they allegedly dashed into the street to join a group of their friends who were in front of the school.
Raj Chowdhury said of the accident, “Accidents happen but he [the hit-and-run driver] has to be given justice. Everybody has to be careful. There’s too much traffic here.”
We agree and we hope that State Senator Serphin Maltese will be successful in providing an additional crossing guard for this location. Perhaps the local precinct could arrange for a sector car or two to park in the area for a few minutes to slow the traffic down.
But the real responsibility always lies with the parents. They bring the children to school. Raj Chowdhury could have taken a few more minutes out of his morning and pulled down the block in front of the school. He also could have parked his car and walked his daughter and her friend safely to school, but he chose instead to drop them off - six dangerous lanes from the block where the school is located.
Repeatedly safety experts and school officials have tried to get parents not to double park in front of schools. Parents must get out of their cars and walk their children to school. One slip, one wrong-headed decision, can result in more tragedies like this one.
Raj said the words himself, “Everyone has to be careful. There’s too much traffic here.”