At approximately 8 AM this morning, a car exiting the visitor parking lot hit a female student on a bike. The student did not suffer serious injuries and was not transported to a hospital. An ambulance was called to the scene, but school officials confirmed the student was picked up by her parent.

The accident occurred as the student biked down the sidewalk on the south side of Oakton St. The driver clipped the student’s bike as the car turned east onto Oakton from the visitor lot.

“Drivers should use caution when they exit the visitor parking lot,” director of security Michael Pechter said. “Students on bikes can come down the hill at 15 miles per hour, and drivers may not see them in time to avoid an accident.”

The incident has sparked new concern about parking lot safety.

“The administration will continue to look at ways to make sure our parking lots are safe for our students,” assistant principal of operations Steven Parnther said. “We want to make sure that as parents or visitors are coming in, they are mindful of students walking or biking.”

Students should continue to be alert when in the parking lot, especially during busy times, such as the beginning and end of the school day.

“If students are on bikes or walking, it helps to be mindful of drivers coming in or out of the parking lot,” Parnther said. “If students have any other concerns about safety, they can always let school officials know and we will take action.”

Many students share concerns about parking lot traffic, which can be hectic and unsafe. Busy parking lots can cause unsafe driving and put students in danger.

“I’m surprised an incident like this hasn’t happened more often,” senior Wei Lin said. “It’s chaos in the student parking lot. Every time you try to get out of the student parking lot, it’s filled to the brim with cars.”

“I’ve noticed that a lot of people don’t stop at the stop signs, and they don’t pay attention to kids crossing,” senior Aaron Segal said. “Students should be more aware of drivers and look both ways before they cross.”

“In the morning, students and parents can drive unsafely. I take my bike sometimes, and there’s no order in the line when you cross,” senior Lina Colmenares said. “When students get to school late, cars can cross each other and turn all over the place.”

This story will continue to be updated.