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A protest demanding street safety in Boston gathered residents in South Boston’s Tynan School on Thursday.

The incident that brought the community together was another tragedy that happened two weeks ago with a 2-year-old boy.

A car that jumped onto the sidewalk killed the boy. Tragically, the little boy named Collin McGrath was in a stroller when a van jumped the curb after crashing into a small car.

‘’We should be able to leave our houses without the fear of getting hit by a car’’, the leader of the march, Kati Donovan, said. Kati uses a wheelchair after a car crashed into her years ago. She has compassion for what’s happening in the streets because she has been through it herself.

Protest Brings Street Safety Advocates from All Over

People came from every corner of South for the gathering to protest against dangerous situation created by drivers for residents.

Kati Donovan led a slow-down march up to L Street, just past the corner of East 5^th. This led the protest past where little McGrath lost his life.

The city has since installed flex poles at several intersections for more visibility. But residents demand a master traffic improvements for all of the Southie.

Among protestors, there were people whose family members were killed in the streets. Deidre Habershaw said he remembers the promises given by the city officials to improve street safety, but yet, practically nothing happened.

His dad died more than five years ago.

For the safer environment, residents are demanding more traffic lights, four-way stop signs, speed bumps, crosswalks, and a 20 mph speed limit.

In response to the demands of the protestors, Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said that they have to address the issue, and they are willing to do so.

Residents are very going to watch the response from community leaders carefully. The continued inaction would impact how they would vote in November.