Child Hit By Car Walking to School Bus

I’m Katelyn Holub, an attorney focusing on personal injury law in northwest Indiana.

Welcome to Personal Injury Primer, where we break down the law into simple terms, provide legal tips, and discuss personal injury law topics.

Today’s question comes from a caller concerned about her child who was hit by a car while walking to the school bus.

Motorists always have a duty to look out for pedestrians.

Child pedestrians often, despite our best efforts to protect them, are placed in danger as they walk to and from school, or to and from a school bus stop.

Any pedestrian who is struck by a moving vehicle will likely suffer serious injury, but the risk of serious injury is even greater for a small child.

The reason a child is likely to suffer greater injury when struck by a car includes the fact that a pedestrian child hit by a motor vehicle will likely be shorter than an adult. Thus, the chance of a blow to the head for smaller, younger, and shorter children is increased.

One of the reasons school zones have a very low speed limit, in most cases a 20 mph limit, is because a child is not as cognitively developed as an adult. The child isn’t able to recognize potential traffic hazards like an adult would.

Consequently, a motorist has a duty to be more careful when driving in an area frequented by children.

Distracted driving (including texting, or phone use) always is dangerous. Driving under the influence, again, is always dangerous. However, the consequences of such reckless behavior are magnified when a vehicle is operated in a school zone or residential area.

I hope you found this information helpful. If you are a victim of someone’s carelessness, substandard medical care, product defect, work injury, or another personal injury, please call (219) 736-9700 with your questions. You can also learn more about us by visiting our website at DavidHolubLaw.com – while there, make sure you request a copy of our book “Fighting for Truth.”