Car collides with small child

25 Apr 2019 Examples of accidents & crash tests

Not seen during turn

Sequence of events:
The driver was driving a car on a street in a residential area and wanted to turn right. On the right sidewalk, a group of preschoolers approached him with their teachers. The group wanted to cross the road in a straight line. First the driver stopped to let the group pass. As the last teacher entered the sidewalk, the driver proceeded to turn right. As the driver was turning, he hit a two-year-old child, who was probably walking on the left side of the teacher.
Persons involved in the accident:
Car driver, small child on foot
Consequences/injuries:
The child was fatally injured.
Cause/problem:
The driver’s view of the child was blocked by the teacher and possibly also by vehicle components (exterior mirrors, frame of the windshield) during the entire turn.
Avoidance measures, mitigation of consequences /strategy for road safety measures:
Before initiating a turn, one should wait long enough to make sure that all the pedestrians have actually left the road and stepped onto the sidewalk. This is particularly important when children are crossing the road because their movements cannot be anticipated. Adults accompanying children must be aware that small children may not be seen from vehicles in the vicinity. Accordingly, they should remain in the street until the children have reached the sidewalk, especially when escorting groups.