**Following Tragic Bike Accident, a Local Family and Their Friends Take Action to Promote Road Safety**
The Palo Alto community is coming together in the face of a devastating loss to raise awareness about road safety following the tragic death of an 11-year-old Greene Middle School student in a collision on Friday evening in Palo Alto.
The boy, identified as Paul Lafargue by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office, was struck and killed by a flatbed truck while riding his bicycle at El Camino Real and California Avenue on March 6. The coroner ruled his death as an accident.
In response to this tragedy, Paul’s family is urging everyone to slow down not only on the roads but also in life. They are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support they have received and want to remind everyone to be more mindful and aware of their surroundings, especially for the safety of children.
Paul’s mother, Veronique Lafargue, has initiated the “Slow Down for Kids” initiative and partnered with designer Nick Wiesner to create powerful posters promoting the cause. The posters, featuring bold colors and impactful messages, aim to raise awareness and encourage safer driving practices to prevent future accidents.
To spread the message further, the community plans to display these posters throughout Palo Alto. Additionally, the poster images are available online for download and printing by anyone interested in supporting the initiative.
Furthermore, a fundraising page has been set up to support the cause, emphasizing the importance of advocating for enhanced traffic education, improved street signage, and effective speed limit enforcement to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
In memory of Paul, a memorial walk is scheduled for Saturday, March 14, at the Stanford Dish entrance, where members of the community are invited to show their love and support for the Lafargue family.
Together, through collective efforts and increased awareness, the community is working towards creating safer streets for everyone. Let’s honor Paul’s memory by promoting road safety and ensuring the wellbeing of all road users.