Stop. Look. Listen...Damnit!
It was 10-ish yesterday morning, and we hear someone shouting in the stairwell, ringing our doorbell, asking us to call emergency services - a child had been hit by a car. We call and I go running in my bare feet to where the kid lay on the ground....Strange how my training just kicked in, and I tried to assess the situation, and get information taken and stats done so when the EMT's arrived I could let them know.
I was scared. But only after the adrenaline stopped pumping, and I knew the boy would be ok. And he will be. He suffered a minor concussion, some scrapes, and from what I tell a possible broken wrist. But he will be ok. However, this unfortunate incident could have been so easily prevented. There is a lesson to be learned here, and I can only hope it was not lost on the boy, and those who witnessed it.
Stop. Look. Listen.
This area is a family neighborhood. And yet, it is can be very dangerous due to the large amount of traffic that is carried on a one way road. There are dozens of cars crammed into parking places in front of each building, and more often than not, those cars are parked directly in front of crosswalks. Real safe, I know.
People 'fly' through this neighborhood with little regard fro the children, families, and other pedestrians walk through. SLOW DOWN. Being late for work is your fault not ours. I would rather be late to work, than live with the idea that I hit someone; a child, because I lost track of time.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should - Just because you have a lot of power in the car engine, doesn't mean you should use it. It's called an Autobahn - if you have a new for speed.....get it out on the highway....not a school crossing.
I'm not a Mommy, and I am the first one to complain about the actions of children,a nd the crazy loudness they create - HOWEVER, there is nothing more upsetting than seeing a child laying on the ground and hurt, because he wasn't paying attention, or the driver was wasn't paying attention! Really, not a great way to start the day.
In this case folks - the driver was not at fault. The boy was playing around, and came out between two parked cars, wearing headphones (very loud), and wearing no helmet. That doesn't mean he 'deserved' it - however, we need to drill into our children that safety comes before all else. It could have been so much worse. He was lucky.
Just wear the damn helmet -- Put down the headphones -- Stop, look and Listen -- Drivers...Slow DOWN!
