ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — Parents say their kids were almost hit by a car this morning as they crossed the street to get on the school bus in Wilkinsburg.
Channel 11 Anchor Jennifer Tomazic is trying to get them help so their kids can get to school safely.
“My daughter was like, this close from the back tire,” said William Spencer, the children’s father.
William Spencer and his fiance called Channel 11 for help after he said his 8-year-old daughter was almost hit by a driver while crossing the street to get to the school bus.
“The kids stand right here the bus stops where my van is, that’s where the bus was,” Spencer said. “The bus deployed out the stop sign for the kids to cross. She drove like this to the kids — that’s how close it was,” he said, indicating a very small distance.
He said the group of five kids was okay, but very shaken up.
“They need to do something about it because I’m fed up. It’s the second year, second day of school,” he said.
Spencer said he’s asked Wilkinsburg Borough to put a crossing guard here, but he hasn’t gotten a response.
Police Chief Ophelia Coleman told Channel 11 they put crossing guards at stops with a lot of children, and this one doesn’t have many.
The parents said there are actually several school bus stops down Wood Street and none have crossing guards. One mother said she reached out to Wilkinsburg last year to be a crossing guard, but never heard back.
The chief said they have open crossing guard positions right now and could use help. They are budgeted for 15, but only have 11.
“What’s it going to take for a kid to die or get seriously hurt for something to happen? It shouldn’t be that way,” Spencer said.
Spencer says he gave Wilkinsburg police a description of the car and license plate that ran through the bus’ stop sign.
“After today, if they don’t get a safety plan, I will drive to school, because it’s not even safe crossing the street with a school bus,” he said.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
This browser does not support the video element.