San Jose resident Patricia Allen, 61, was driving a 1988 red Buick Skylark eastbound on Willow Glen Way toward Almaden Road, as 50-year-old Carmen Hernandez, who was pushing a stroller and walking with a 9-year-old boy, crossed from the northside to the southside of Willow Glen Way, said San Jose Police Department spokeswoman and officer Gina Tepoorten.

Hernandez, the boy and the stroller had already safely crossed one of the lanes on Willow Glen Way and were almost across the other lane when Hernandez saw Allen's car coming and pushed the boy and stroller out of the way. Hernandez, however, was clipped by Allen's car, Tepoorten said.

"If she hadn't seen the car, who knows what would have happened?" Tepoorten said.

Allen stopped as soon as the accident occurred and stayed at the scene. Tepoorten said that Allen told authorities that the sun was in her eyes and that it impeded her ability to see the pedestrians in the street.

Because Allen did stop after the collision and remained at the scene, this incident was clearly not a hit and run. If a driver does flee the scene after such an occurrence, that driver could be charged with a felony.

Hernandez was transported to San Jose Hospital, where she was treated for a broken arm, contusions to the face and pain in the knee, Tepoorten said.

A police officer issued Allen a citation for unsafe speed for conditions, but the police report did not record her speed.

"If she had been speeding, it would have been a lot worse," Tepoorten said.

The speed limit on Willow Glen Way is 25 mph, but drivers should lower their speed below the limit when conditions are unsafe, she said.

"In early morning or evening when the sun is upright, slow down if it's impeding your vision," Tepoorten added.

She also recommended wearing sunglasses, putting down the sun visor in the car, pulling over to the side of the road or finding an alternate route.

Willow Glen Way resident Caroline Alemany said she was glad that the community was spared another tragedy like the death of 13-month-old Anthony Abreu, whose stroller and babysitter were hit crossing Curtner Avenue at Almaden Road in April 2004.

Alemany was one of the neighbors who emailed the city's department of transportation in summer 2003 asking for more traffic-calming measures at Willow Glen Way and Bird Avenue. She said speed bumps or a stop sign would make it safer for children to cross Bird Avenue while walking to and from Galarza Elementary School.

"As hard as it is for me to believe, [last fall] there were families on Willow Glen Way opposed to speed bumps to slow down traffic," she said.

The transportation department did implement red curbing, tree trimming, a "pork chop" island, school-crossing signs and a school radar display sign that is programmed to work during school drop-off and pickup hours.

Alemany said she hopes that pedestrian concerns that are being addressed elsewhere in Willow Glen can also set a precedent for streets like her own.