Hampton Toddler is Seriously Injured, Two Pedestrians Are Hurt on W. Mercury Boulevard

Hardly a week seems to go by without a pedestrian being seriously injured or killed on one of the fast-moving highways of Hampton Roads.

I was saddened to read about how a child was seriously hurt after a vehicle struck her as well as two adults while they were crossing a busy road in Hampton on Tuesday night.

WAVY.com reported on how shortly after 10 p.m., on Nov. 4, a 25-year-old man, a 21-year-old woman and a two-year-old girl were struck by a vehicle while crossing the highway along the First block of West Mercury Boulevard, according to Cpl. Mary Shackelford of Hampton Police.

The toddler was reported to have sustained life-threatening injuries in this accident. She was airlifted to a local hospital. The two adults were taken to a nearby hospital with what appeared to be non life-threatening injuries, according to media reports.

Hampton Police Division said in a press release an initial investigation indicated the pedestrians crossed the eastbound lanes of Mercury Boulevard and when they tried to cross the westbound lanes, they were struck by a 2000 Mercury Cougar.

Police said the driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation. The pedestrians were reported to be walking across the road where there is no crosswalk, police said. No charges had been filed as of Wednesday morning. Authorities continue to investigate.

As a personal injury lawyer in Hampton Roads, I see numerous accidents involving pedestrians. Typically, they occur on fast-moving urban roads such as Mercury Boulevard, Military Highway in Norfolk, Jefferson Avenue in Newport News, Tidewater Drive in Norfolk and Airline Boulevard in Portsmouth.

Unintentional pedestrian accidents are the fifth leading cause of accidents with injuries to children in the United States, according to SafeKids.Org. Here are some safety tips for kids crossing the road:

• Talk to your kids about how to be safe while they are walking. It’s always best to walk on sidewalks or paths and cross at street corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Teach children at an early age put away their electronic devices and then look left, right and left again when crossing the road.
• Children under 10 should always cross the street with an adult. Developmentally, it can be hard for kids to judge speed and distance of cars until they have reached the age of 10.
• Remind kids to make eye contact with drivers before they cross the street and to watch out for cars that are turning or backing up.
• If you are driving you should be alert in residential neighborhoods and school zones and be on the lookout for bikers, walkers or runners who may be distracted and may step out into the street unexpectedly. Watch your speed and always look out for pedestrians, particularly in urban areas.

Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers represents children and their families who are injured by the carelessness of other drivers. See our background information about pedestrian and cycling accidents in Virginia. Call Cooper Hurley at 757.455.0077 or see CooperHurley.com.