On the street where 12-year-old Andrew Olsen was killed a memorial still stands at the crash site today. Just a few blocks from the scene of the deadly accident sits Pershing Middle School, where Olsen and his siblings were headed that morning.
Police say speeding was not a factor in this specific crash, but safety officials say it highlights the dangers children face in areas where traffic and school foot traffic intersect and knowing that speed is generally a contributing factor for many accidents on the road.
"We need the help of the public to follow the laws to follow the speed limits," Kimberly Gonzalez with CHP says.
According to San Diego police, in the last two years at least 13 drivers received citations or were involved in an accident while speeding in school zones.
Its tragedies like the one in San Carlos area, that prompt road rules like assembly Bill 382 allows local authorities to reduce speed limits in school zones from 25 to 20 miles per hour.
After January 1st, 2031, speed limits will automatically drop to 20 miles per hour in school zones once proper signage is posted.
But there’s other new laws drivers should know about, one being the Assembly Bill 390 expands existing "move over" laws to apply to any vehicle displaying hazard lights on the roadside.
"CHP officers do work a lot on the freeways and that's where basically our working offices," Gonzalez says. "We want them to move over a lane, or if not feasible, at least slow down in the lane that's right next to the right shoulder.”
On top of that, new regulations on e-motos, require them to be registered with the DMV and assigned either a red or green tag depending on the manufacturer.
A significant restriction prohibits e-motos from operating on public roads, sidewalks, or walkways, and they must comply with all off-highway laws and standards.
