This blog post is for all of the parents out there who might be reading this. If your child is at home with you right now, lean over and give him or her a big hug, and thank your lucky stars that he or she is safe.
And if you by chance are reading this because your child has been injured by a car or a bus – read on. You have my empathy and sympathy. I’ve been a Boston pedestrian-car accident lawyer for a long time, and I know firsthand how painful any car accident is for the injured parties – and their families.
Today I’m focusing on children, who need to be protected from Boston pedestrian-car accidents.
Children are impulsive. And they need to be educated in safety issues, and how to act in the adult world that surrounds them. Parents, you need to teach your kids how to protect themselves, and how to make sure they don’t ever get in harm’s way on Massachusetts roads and intersections. I say this, in light of a story I read in The Boston Globe today, about a young 12-year-old boy, who was struck by a commercial van and killed instantly, as he ran to catch an MBTA bus to get to school. It happened this past Thursday during rush hour in the morning, at 6:47AM, in Allston, near the Jackson Mann K-8 school. People who are familiar with the area said that even on the best of days, there is traffic congestion in the area, making it a nightmare for pedestrians and drivers alike.
Perhaps this Allston pedestrian-car crash might have been avoided, if a number of things had happened. Maybe the van driver wasn’t paying enough attention. Maybe people simply jaywalk in the area, as a matter of course. Maybe the young victim was running to catch the bus, when he needed to be walking instead. Maybe the roads at the scene of the accident, are simply too busy and unsafe. The Boston Globe mentioned that the area is rife with drivers who frequently zip through the area, to beat stopping for the lights. I don’t have all the facts. But I do know this: parents and adults need to always remind young people to pay attention at crosswalks; to walk, not run across the street; to obey traffic signals; and to be alert anytime they are near traffic. As parents, it’s all you can really do to safeguard your children. If anything, make sure to teach them to always look both ways before crossing the street – or catching a bus. And I say this because here in Westwood, where my office is located, I see scores of high school students every afternoon, all walking home, and to their trains and buses, while plugged into their Smartphones and iPods – and not paying enough attention to the traffic surrounding them.
My heart goes out to the parents of this young victim. I hope that law enforcement will get to the bottom of this tragedy. And if you or someone you love has been injured in a Boston pedestrian-car accident, make sure to speak to an experienced Boston personal injury lawyer, who can help you receive the financial damages you deserve.