Tragic Child Scooter Accident

Nicholas Jervis, Solicitor (non-practising) and Managing Director of Whiplash Specialists Loyalty Law

Sadly there are so many reminders around me of how many people are seriously injured by accidents. Apparently there are 1,200 Whiplash Claims every day. Thankfully in most of those claims everyone involved will make a full recovery. That was not the case for the 9 year old boy we heard about in Middlesbrough at the weekend.

On arriving in our friends town we noticed (could not fail to) a huge number of flowers around a lampost on the main road through their estate. There were also some school and football shirts on the lamppost. We soon discovered the horrible accident that had happened. A 9 year old boy had been crossing the road (with a 30mph speed limit) on a scooter when one of his shoes came off. Rather than check to see if it was safe he went back to get his shoe, and apparently was hit by a car said to be exceeding the speed limit. The air ambulance was called and landed on the main road but they could not save the child. Having a 9 year old son myself I feel sick typing this, but if it gives me the chance to make just one parent drum in a road safety lesson to their child it will be well worth it.

Sadly 9 year old boys are so in the moment that they do not always think. Clearly that was the case here and it is tragic and horrific.

If you have children, please go and tell them this story in the hope that if they are scootering across a road one day and their shoe falls off, they do not even think about going back for it until they have safely reached the other side and then they have checked the road is completely clear.

Nicholas Jervis

Solicitor (non-practising) and Managing Director of Loyalty Law.