The California State Legislature has voted to place a memorial plaque in honor of Hanren Chang, a 17-year old high school student struck and killed by a drunk driver on her birthday.
Chang was crossing the street in March of last year when San Francisco police say she was struck by a car and dragged several feet.
Since the accident, several new safety features have been added to the intersection including a High-intensity Activated crossWalK (HAWK) beacon.
“Hanren has been a selfless girl cheerleading our families and everyone around her since she was born,” said Hanren’s parents, Dr. Wenhan Chang and Dr. Chia-Ling Tu. “Her passing has devastated all of us. This memorial traffic beacon has brought us comfort by reminding us that Hanren’s sacrifice has made a safer street-crossing for her fellow schoolmates and all pedestrians nearby. Like this traffic beacon, Hanren’s angelic spirit will continue to watch over all of us.”
The resolution to place the plaque at the scene of the accident was sponsored by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco).
“Losing Hanren was a wakeup call,” said Ting. “We must do more to improve pedestrian safety and I salute the Chang family for its courageous leadership to ensure that we act. Today’s(yesterday’s) vote builds our momentum for change and enables our community to commemorate Hanren’s life with a meaningful memorial.”
You can find out more about the accident and what Chang meant to so many people in the clip below from KGO-TV/ABC7.