Police were called to investigate a crash on Tuesday morning between a car and three children who were waiting for a school bus. At this time, the police believe that the 18-year-old female driver may have been distracted behind the wheel, causing her not to see the children and causing a collision.
The incident occurred in Buckeye near the intersection of 309th Avenue and Lynwood, shortly after 7:00 a.m. The woman was reportedly driving eastbound on Lynwood with six children on the west side of the intersection waiting to be picked up by a school bus. The driver allegedly did not see any of the children and struck three of them with her car, a Ford Taurus. She remained at the scene and spoke with police but at this time, she has not received any traffic citations.
The three children who were hit have been reported as males ages 6, 7, and 13. All three were transported to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for treatment but are expected to make full recoveries. Some initial reports indicated that the children all faced life threatening injuries while others described the accident as resulting mostly in bumps and bruises, but at this time, all three boys have been released from the hospital.
It is every parent’s nightmare to learn that their child has been involved in an accident and has been injured. Unfortunately, over 184,000 children are seriously injured in auto accidents every year in the United States and 1,300 children under the age of 14 are killed. Many parents believe that their children will be safe while waiting for a school bus in the morning but as this crash illustrates, that is not always the case.
Police believe that the driver in this accident may have been distracted at the time of the crash. Arizona law makes it illegal to drive while distracted and also makes it a legal violation to risk the safety of others while driving. Yet here, a relatively young driver claims she did not see six children and struck three of them. If these allegations are proved to be correct, it might prove that something was keeping the driver’s attention from the road.
Distractions come in all forms and can be found within or outside of a car. Today, many people acknowledge that talking on a cell phone or texting can be a distraction but other sources, such as billboards, the radio, or eating while driving can also pose a threat. It is each driver’s duty and responsibility to remain focused while driving and to pay attention to traffic and pedestrians that line the roads.
If your child has been injured in an accident, you may have a claim for your child’s injuries and damages. Call the Phoenix children’s accident lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today for a free, no obligation telephone consultation. At Abels & Annes, P.C., we know that an accident can happen at any time so we have a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day to take your call at (602) 819-5191 so call us and let us help you now.
Prior Blog Entries:
Crash Between Motorcycles Leaves 1 Dead, 1 Critically Injured, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published September 9, 2013.
Fatal Mesa SUV Crash Leaves Woman Dead, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published September 6, 2013.
Resources:
3 children struck by vehicle in Buckeye, Fox 10 News, published September 10, 2013.
3 kids hit by car while waiting for school bus in Buckeye Valley, by Catherine Holland, azfamily.com, published September 10, 2013.