Portola Valley third grader teams up with Sheriff to track speeding cars

Wyatt, a 3rd grade student in Portola Valley, reached out to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office in February asking for help with his class project. But this wasn’t just any project. Students were tasked with exploring an issue facing their community and encouraged to develop solutions.

Wyatt noticed cars speeding through the 20 mph school zone near his school and was inspired to help make the area safer for his siblings and classmates.

With help from Sheriff’s Office Motorcycle Deputy Naik, Wyatt got up early on a Monday morning to collect data for his project. Using LiDAR and learning from Deputy Naik, Wyatt recorded speeds for nearly 50 vehicles traveling through the school zone.

He plans to present his findings, and potential solutions, at a future community meeting.

And remember: slow down, watch for pedestrians, and stay focused on the road.

From Portola Valley Update