Kennewick, Washington - Toddler Struck by Car in Parking Lot
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Kennewick, Washington – Toddler Struck by Car in Parking Lot

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Posted on June 18, 2019

Kennewick, Washington (June 14, 2019) – A three year-old child was struck by a Jeep on Friday noon at the parking lot of a mall on the 6705 block of West Canal Drive. While the child was knocked to the ground and pulled under the vehicle, he did not appear to suffer from any significant injuries. The child was crying, and able to stand on his own, still alert after the incident. After treating him on the scene, medics took the child to a hospital as a precaution.

The accident happened around 12:30 p.m. According to the police, the Jeep was pulling out of a parking space as the boy appeared to be walking by himself in the area. According to a witness, the boy’s parents were not directly beside him when the incident happened, and officers are investigating if the parents should be cited for failure to supervise their child. The driver was not cited and stayed to cooperate with the police on the scene.

About Pedestrian Accidents

Unfortunately, as shown in this case, pedestrians are at also risk while on the streets, with the National Center for Health Statistics estimating 7, 450  pedestrian deaths in 2017. Pedestrian accidents can fall under traffic or non-traffic depending on the location where they were struck. Traffic incidents happen on public roads, while non-traffic incidents occur on non-traffic areas such as driveways, parking lots and other private property. Most pedestrian deaths occur in urban settings, on urban roads (72%) versus on intersections (18%), and mostly at night. Much like motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents can happen simply because people are not as visible as other vehicles, a problem which is worse during night. And in an event of a car crash, similar to motorcycle drivers and passengers, the risk to pedestrians are greater than those inside a car, with fatality rate being 1.5 times greater than any car passenger.When it comes to risk, older adults, children, and alcohol-impaired drivers or pedestrians are at most risk in pedestrian accidents. The risk is further heightened in a situation where a vehicle is at high speed. Lately, distractions also cause accidents not only for drivers, but also pedestrians, specifically those who are using their phones while crossing the road. We urge everyone to exercise area awareness at all times and to keep their attention on the road. Avoiding accidents not only prevents loss, damage, injuries and death to one’s self, but also on other people in the surroundings.

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