Two children were hit in two separate crashes that occurred within minutes of each other on Sunday, May 19.
Around 3:45 pm, a 5-year-old girl was crossing the street at East 40th Street and Wayne Avenue when the driver passed a stopped vehicle and struck her. Less than 5 minutes later, another child was hit as he rode his bike near East 26th Street and Drury Avenue.
In both crashes, the children were transported to area hospitals with minor injuries. Both drivers were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
“While we are relieved to hear that the children will be alright, these circumstances are still alarming,” noted BikeWalkKC executive director Eric Rogers. “We sincerely hope that these drivers will be held responsible for their reckless actions.”
“We need to use these crashes as an opportunity to identify trends and shortcomings of the built environment,” said Eric Bunch, policy director for BikeWalkKC. “These children, as much as anyone else in this city, deserve to feel safe when they walk or ride bikes on our streets.”
As BikeWalkKC has stated in the past, what deserves the brunt of the blame for these crashes is the culture that values car traffic efficiency over the safety of human lives.
For more information, contact Karen Campbell, director of development and communications, at (816) 205-7056 or by email at karen.campbell@bikewalkkc.org.
BikeWalkKC believes that crashes are not accidents and clothing is not an excuse.