Children hit by car near Katy elementary school sparks demand for safety changes

Parents in the Elyson community say they have been warning for months that something like this would happen. Two children riding their bikes to McElwain Elementary were hit by a car at a crosswalk many families use every morning.

Video captured by a neighbor shows the children doing everything right. They stop at the crosswalk, look both ways, and wait for a car to stop. One driver lets them pass. But as they begin to cross, another car from the opposite direction keeps going and hits them. The impact knocks both children to the ground. They were checked at the scene and are expected to be okay.

For parents, the video confirmed what they’ve been fearing for months — drivers not slowing down near the school. One mother told KPRC 2, “They did everything right. They stopped, they looked, and a car still hit them. That’s what’s so terrifying.”

Every school day, the two-lane road in front of McElwain Elementary fills with cars, buses, and trucks cutting through to avoid traffic on FM 529.

There are no traffic officers stationed here. Instead, a teacher and several volunteers direct cars and help children cross safely.

Parents say that shouldn’t be their responsibility. The crosswalk lines have faded, the yellow warning sign blends into the background, and there are no flashing lights to warn drivers that a school zone is ahead.

Ruben Ramos, who lives nearby, said, “They hit this corner going fifteen, twenty miles an hour. I’m out here with my kid, and we’re jumping out of the way.”

According to TXDOT records, there have been 22 crashes along Peek Road since 2020, including three this year alone — one of them the crash involving the two children.

Parents say near misses happen so often they now check their neighborhood’s Facebook group to make sure the next post isn’t another accident involving a student.

“It feels like every other day there’s an accident,” Ramos said. “You see the lights, you hear the sirens, and you just hope it’s not your kid.”

Drivers cutting through the neighborhood to avoid tolls on Highway 99 or traffic on FM 529 add to the risk. “You can’t even tell it’s a school zone until you’re right on top of it,” another parent said. “By then, kids are already crossing.”

Families in Elyson are asking for immediate fixes — flashing lights, new crosswalk paint, and a deputy stationed during drop-off and pick-up hours.

Others are calling for speed bumps or a stoplight near the school entrance.

“We’re not asking for much,” Ramos said. “Something that makes drivers slow down. Because right now, it’s like we don’t exist.”

In a statement to KPRC 2, Commissioner Lesley Briones’ office said:

“Public safety is Commissioner Briones’ top priority. At her request, the Harris County Office of the County Engineer completed a preliminary review of traffic in the area in September and will initiate a traffic calming study to identify immediate needs and solutions. We are committed to making our neighborhoods safer for our children and families.”

Commissioner Briones’ office confirmed that the review includes the stretch of Peek Road near McElwain Elementary. The traffic calming study will determine what changes may be necessary to address safety concerns in the area.