According to the King County Sheriff’s Office, a 4-year-old boy was seriously injured when a Honda hit him. The incident recently happened a little over an hour after sundown when the boy’s family and the boy were getting out of a van. The Honda was going approximately 40 miles per hour when it hit the 4-year-old. Apparently the driver pulled over but later fled the scene of the accident.
Authorities report that as a result of the impact, the 4-year-old boy was flung into the air, somersaulted a couple a times and finally landed on the pavement. The boy was taken to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery but is still listed in critical condition.
In general, pedestrians involved in motor vehicular accidents are at a disadvantage, and are likely to suffer fatal or serious injuries. Further, pedestrian children are at an even greater disadvantage. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, pedestrian children 14 and younger accounted for nearly 20 percent of traffic fatalities. In addition, according to NHTSA statistics, motor vehicle crashes were a leading cause of death for not only children age four but also for ages 11 through 14 in 2011.
The devastating accident likely has left the family of 4-year-old wondering as to what options they have to hold the driver of the Honda responsible. Typically, a victim is able to get compensation through a driver’s insurance. Even though the investigation is on-going to find the Honda driver, since the Honda driver fled the scene of the accident, unless he or she is found, the option to get compensation through the negligent driver’s insurance for injuries the 4-year-old suffered are limited. Nevertheless, the family has some other options and may find it helpful to consult with a personal injury lawyer familiar with auto-pedestrian accidents.
Source: KOMO News, “Young boy seriously injured in Burien hit-and-run“, August 15, 2013