text: Sylvia Blackburn, 72, suffered serious head injuries outside Bedford Road Lower School, Kempston, on 19 December 2014.
  Luton Crown Court heard Brian Wright, 55, of Kempston, said he was unable to see at the point of impact.
  He denies causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
  Prosecutor Sally Mealing-McLeod said Mrs Blackburn, a lollipop lady for 20 years, had been on duty in Bedford Road as pupils were leaving school on the last day of term.
  She was wearing a long-sleeved high-visibility orange and yellow coat which had reflective strips and "school crossing patrol" written on the back.
  When the traffic lights turned red, she stepped out to escort a woman and her six-year-old daughter across the road.
  Traffic travelling in the opposite direction stopped, but Mr Wright's VW Golf failed to stop and hit her at 14mph, the jury heard.
  Witnesses described Mrs Blackburn's head hitting the screen pillar of the windscreen before she struck the wing mirror and then the road.
  The married mother of three was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.
  She was later transferred to Bedford Hospital and is now at a residential care home for people with an acquired brain injury.
  Mr Wright, of The Dell, declined to comment in police interview but in a statement said he was blinded by the setting sun and lowered his visor but was unable to see when the collision happened.
  The court heard the sun was 10 minutes from setting and could have been shining into Mr Wright's eyes.
  Ms Mealing-McLeod told the jury that if his vision had been affected he should have stopped.
  The trial continues.
target: A driver "blinded" by the sun drove through a red light at a pedestrian crossing and knocked down a lollipop lady, a jury has heard.