An 11-year-old boy suffered critical injuries in a Ventura car accident the morning of September 22, 2009 after he was hit by a car on his way to school. According to a news report in the Ventura County Star, the boy was on his way to Medea Creek School in Oak Park, California, when he was struck near the intersection of Doubletree Road and Hollytree Drive by 41-year-old Jill Kinder.

The injury accident happened as the boy was being dropped off by his mother and had stepped out of his car and right into the path of Kinder's car, which was headed west on Doubletree. Kinder apparently braked and tried avoiding the boy but ended up hitting him with her passenger side mirror. Kinder stopped and got out of her vehicle to help the boy. She was not cited. The boy, who has not been identified, was in critical condition when he was taken to the hospital, but is now said to be in stable condition.

Ventura County Pedestrian Accident Statistics

I'm glad that this car accident did not result in any life threatening injuries to the boy. I hope and pray that he has a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep him in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), eight deaths and 186 injuries were reported in Ventura County as a result of pedestrian accidents.

Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the car, Kinder, did the right thing by at first trying to avoid the collision and then stopping at the scene of the accident and helping out the injured victim. This is the right way to react. CHP officials in this case say the boy stepped into the path of Kinder's car. With the kids back in school, it is very important that parents take utmost care when they drop off their children in school. Children should get off by the curbside instead of on the street because they may not be paying attention to oncoming traffic.

Dangerous Roadway Conditions

However, I would look into the traffic conditions outside this school. Why did the parent have to drop the child further away from the school? Has the school district made provisions for parents to drop off the children close to the school? Are there crosswalks or crossing guards in the area who help children get to school safely? Was there a dangerous condition on the roadway, which may have caused or contributed to this major injury car accident?

If this car accident was caused because of a dangerous condition on the roadway near the school, the city, school district or the public entities responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable for the accident and the injuries. In such cases, the victims and their families would be well-advised to seek the counsel of an experienced
California personal injury lawyer who will advise them about their legal rights and options. If there is negligence involved, injured victims and their families may seek compensation to cover medical expenses and other related costs.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our source for the facts is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, please contact us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. Most of the best law firms will provide accident victims a free consultation.

We cannot fully inform any party or family member about their rights, options or the economic viability of any claim for compensation without a full investigation and consultation. We will not be conducting an investigation into this matter unless we are retained by a party. We will provide a free, confidential consultation to any, not at fault, person named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

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