Car v Child

MAGPIE · 19-02-2011, 10:30 PM

Just thought I’d share my motoring event of the week …

This happens thirty odd minutes into a 360 km trip. I was driving through some winding hill country, this is typical rural NZ state highway, narrow single lane each way, 100 km/h limit, cutting through bush and farmland with next to no run off. It was a wet afternoon, and the roads were slippery, but traffic was light.
I rounded a bend to see a school bus pulling back onto the road after dropping off half a dozen or so teenager’s, my first thought was “damn, now I’m stuck behind a bus for who knows how long.
As I brake for the bus I was aware that the kids were skylarking on the roadside (my side) my foot instinctively mashed the brake pedal just as one of the kids takes off across the road straight into the path off an oncoming car, both the wife and I let out a very loud WTF !!! (We try not to swear in front of our kids) and then smack, the headlight explodes and bumper crumples as it impacts her hip and she gets thrown through the air and into farm fence at the side of the road. I pull up hard and hit the hazards while telling the wife to call 111, the other kids reach her first and it is just chaos, wailing and yelling and screaming.
I get to her and she is conscious but bleeding from a few lacerations to her face, I’m trying to calm her down as well as her friends who are still going nuts, I eventually get them to shut up enough so I can take her vitals and do a quick primary to check for other injuries/blood loss. She complains she can’t feel her feet so I keep her still and monitor her vitals signs. By now a few people have stopped and most handover blankets to try and keep the pouring rain off us and her to keep warm.
Somebody has got through to the Ambulance so I ask for the phone, I pass on the details and request an ETA… damn 30 minutes. One of the friends accidently stands on the girl’s foot and she lets out a profanity filled tirade, guess you can feel your feet now huh ! I give her another check over and can only see grazes, cuts and bruising in addition to the couple of lacerations on her head. It is starting to look like this 13 y.o has dodged a bullet. I think the fact the car was going uphill on a wet and winding road has saved this girls life because the driver had zero chance to react to the situation.
Eventually the Police arrive although not one them volunteers to take over, so I continue monitoring her vitals and giving reassurance until the Ambulance arrives, I give the Paramedic a quick run down of the situation and then scarper, I’ve still got five hours driving ahead of me, what a start to the trip.

Anyway the moral of the story…

Don’t trust kids near roads, they are unpredictable at best, and down right dangerous at worst.

UNR8D · 19-02-2011, 10:36 PM

good post, your right mate not a good way to start the trip and glad you and your family are ok too. You raise a great point about kids and being completely unpredictable, she was lucky and you can bet she wont do that again... but at 13 if you haven't learned how to look both ways before crossing a major road you need to address your survival instincts.

AussieAV · 19-02-2011, 10:38 PM

Well done on helping out and controlling the situation !!! Sounds like she was also very lucky that you were on scene.

As you said, its always a good idea to be extra vigilant and cautious whenever children are anywhere near a roadway.

Congrats also on not being scared to get involved. People willing to step in and help when they are able to, is what keeps our societies bearable.

mick10010 · 19-02-2011, 10:49 PM

Well done mate sounds like you did the best possible job. Hopefuly she wasn't hurt too badly.

As for kids near roads you are 100% spot on. Just earlier this week a little girl ran out in front of me on the street i live on as i was heading home. Lucky i had seen the group of kids and slowed down just in case they did just that. Unfortunately for her she was not able to avoid some stern words on road safety and common sense

04redxr8 · 19-02-2011, 10:58 PM

Well done Magpie. Good to see people who are willing to help.

It does go to show that kids, (even teenagers), get caught up in the moment and don't always assess their surroundings. She is very lucky.

Ben73 · 19-02-2011, 10:52 PM

Some kids have to learn the hard way. I guess the plus side is that her and all her friends who saw it happen will be thinking more next time they are near a road.

Halfmo Rocks · 19-02-2011, 11:01 PM

good work mate...nice to see you didn't panic & helped out even though you weren't at fault. i go though 5 school zones between work & home every arvo, i once hit a kid who ran in front without looking at about 30-40kph...14-15 years old...but fortunately his backpack took the hit
his mother saw the hit & surprisingly apologised to me for her kid being a ****head (her words).
but the whole family was gone before anyone would offer to pay for my busted left headlight

sbcb · 20-02-2011, 08:04 AM

Good work helping out, you obviously have some degree of training doing what you have.
Bet the Police still go after the driver -
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/info...eed-limit.html
15yrs in Ambulance in NZ has also shown me how well kids can hide a serious injury, internal bleeds from transfered force can take hours to show up some times. Hope she is still well. Again good on you for helping.

MAGPIE · 20-02-2011, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbcb

Good work helping out, you obviously have some degree of training doing what you have.
Bet the Police still go after the driver -
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/info...eed-limit.html
15yrs in Ambulance in NZ has also shown me how well kids can hide a serious injury, internal bleeds from transfered force can take hours to show up some times. Hope she is still well. Again good on you for helping.

Done a lot of medical training/work as Professional FF for 15 years.

The bus was back on the road and moving so I would like to think the driver wont be gone after. I might follow this up just in case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2.8L Hilux

Good job Magpie, must have been quite a shock to you.

Do you happen to remember what kind of car struck the girl?
You see a lot of ute's and 4x4's with bull bars around those farmland areas. Good thing it wasn't one of them.

Too be honest it happened so quick I never really noticed, but no it wasn't a ute, looked Japanese-ish and not overly large, another plus for the girl.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EB92

The rural buses here (NSW) have flashing lights and "40km" signs for
when they are setting down, picking up etc... Do they have this system in NZ ?

Some do some don't, this just had a sign.

I'm making a bit of habit of this, a few months ago a motorcylist rear ended a stationary car right in front of me. I handed that over to a doctor who turned up after a few minutes.

Bucknaked · 20-02-2011, 08:31 AM

We've had a few deaths in Canberra from kids stepping out from in front of the bus running straight across the road into traffic. For some reason, children forget about other traffic and forget how to cross a road. Distracted I guess by their friends.

Well done Magpie on your efforts.

EB# · 20-02-2011, 08:35 AM

Good to tell that story Magpie.....
It's always a good policy to slow right down when kids are around,
no matter what they are doing. Looks like that particular kid did
indeed dodge a very serious injury.

The rural buses here (NSW) have flashing lights and "40km" signs for
when they are setting down, picking up etc... Do they have this system in NZ ?

2.8L Hilux · 20-02-2011, 08:44 AM

Good job Magpie, must have been quite a shock to you.

Do you happen to remember what kind of car struck the girl?
You see a lot of ute's and 4x4's with bull bars around those farmland areas. Good thing it wasn't one of them.

GTP owner · 20-02-2011, 08:46 AM

Lucky as bro.
In Tas we have a 40km/h speed limit for going past buses on rural roads when they have flashing lights on. It is a pain in the bum to slow down to 40 three or four times on the way to work when you are cruising at 100. But you know how important it is when you have kids of your own and realise how stupid and impulsive they can be. The biggest problem with this is that most people don't know about it, so they blare their horns and get really aggro because you have slowed down and they nearly rear-end you. Not that I really care. I would prefer to cop a prang than hit a kid

mik · 20-02-2011, 12:27 PM

your story brings to mind a trip back from the shopping centre i had as a rear passenger sometime ago, the lady driving was sitting a little below the speed limit when a school kid darted out between parked cars onto the road without looking, my lady driver panic mashed the brake pedal locking wheels, (no abs)the kid did a starsky and hutch across the bonnet landed on the ground, he quickly got to his feet, we enquired if he was ok and he took off as if nothing had happened, the car did`nt have a scratch, the kid did`nt get a scratch, but my lady friend was traumatised about driving for for some time after this incedent, perhaps the parents should be fined for not impressing upon the kids basic road safety and the importance of looking before crossing the road, i hope your not too stressed Magpie.