A student driver in Savannah caused serious injuries to two young girls as they walked home from school recently. It appears that the driver’s inexperience and an overcorrection by the teen’s instructor contributed to this pedestrian accident. One of the victims, 9, was in critical condition following the crash, while her friend, 8, had a badly injured leg and was having nightmares more than a week later.
The girls were on their way home on Sep. 17 when a car left the parking lot of a high school across the street. As the car approached where the girls were walking on the sidewalk, the teen behind the wheel turned too far. As the younger girl recalled, the car appeared to be headed for a tree but then an adult woman in the passenger seat — presumably either a driving instructor or the driver’s mother — took the wheel and turned the car toward the children.
The car crossed over the median line, jumped the curb and struck the girls on the sidewalk. A short time later, the younger girl’s father, who had been waiting for her, got a phone call about the accident. He rushed to the scene as EMTs worked on her and her friend.
The 9-year-old was more seriously injured. She was initially listed in critical condition and transported to a hospital in Atlanta. The 8-year-old’s right leg was injured. Her family said that surgery could be necessary. She said that she missed her friend and wanted her to get better so they could see each other again.
Source: WSAV-TV, “8-Year-old Hit by Car Still Recovering from Physical, Mental Pain,” Tuquyen Mach, Sep. 25, 2012
