Wandsworth crash: Mum ran over children on pavement outside school
A car being driven by a mother of two crashed into a tree and a wall before hitting a group of primary school children, a court has heard.
On 8 September 2020, 39-year-old Dolly Rincon-Aguilar mounted the pavement in her 4X4 and struck several pupils and parents, Kingston Crown Court heard.
Unintentional apparently, but the story reminds me of our school run and the road where Granddaughter’s school is. As usual in such situations, each weekday morning this road becomes temporarily crammed with cars being used to take kids to school.
Many parents park with two wheels on the pavement even though the width of the road dictates that it can’t make much difference to traffic flows or the risk to wing mirrors. As if many drivers think this is how parking is done on public roads anyway.
A surprising number lurch onto the pavement knowing there are many young children around. Once parked, another surprising number open the doors on the driver’s side, decanting their kids into the road.
No accidents so far and I don’t think the risks are severe, but the risks are certainly higher than they could be without any extra effort by drivers. It’s all very odd, as if habit has a far greater hold over us than thinking ever does.
12 comments:
There's a false sense of invulnerability with an SUV.
Plus some parents have poor driving skills - possibly the school run is the only time they drive.
When combined with the sense of entitlement such drivers have, that's a recipe for danger to small children, not visible below the tank's windows. (Tragically, this happened locally, when a mother reversed over her own younger child after dropping off the school-age one, 'thinking' the way was clear.)
It's a perfect storm. Little children milling around; congestion; people in a panicking hurry because they are late for work; people with their minds on things like packed lunches and pullovers.
Oh, and women drivers.
Although it's been illegal for years I was under the impression that there was new legislation or a new willingness to enforce the law on pavement parking. Enforcing ALL of the relevant legislation around schools might wake the idiots' minds up: their stupidity makes school surroundings some of the most congested and potentially most dangerous streets in the country
I saw a fabulous bike (electric) the other day, which was quite long and had a pair of seats in front to the handlebars, presumaby for children, or an elderly aunt!
I'll have to look it up for you...
Not to defend idiots behind the wheel but there is a planning input to the problem. Many old schools were built on main bus routes for easy access and transport. Many newer schools, in an effort to avoid busy main roads and a mistaken expectation that the pupils will be drawn from the estate catchment area perhaps, are placed at the back of beyond on the furthest, narrowest most distant reaches of housing estates. So you swap the busy road for narrow residential roads with no parking then abandon the concept of a local, within walking distance, catchment area.
I am old Father William, so maybe things have changed.
The husband had a company car. A super duper Beamer, or Wagwooar, or Merc paid for by the company.
But for his own private car, he had to have a Range Rover or equivalent, complete with green wellies, ruffty tuffty tyres, and maybe an engine air intake schnorckle.
Which the poor wifie was left with weekdays to take Jocasta and Edward and any other siblings to nursery, school, ballet class - you know the rest.
However she can hardly see over the dash, and she is terrified of scratching her beloved's/sugar daddy's pride and joy. Covered in country life mud and glaur good, but dents and scratches, no.
Locally we cycle to school. Though I did notice that some families who were happy to cycle in September became rather sissy about it when the first cold morning arrived.
What percentage dropping off are mothers would you say, and what percentage grandparents?
Ed - "small children, not visible below the tank's windows." I'm sure this is one of the problems. Many cars used for school transport are big and some are huge.
Sam - and it's only some of the drivers who are in a panicking hurry. Those who walk to school are fine.
Jannie - I read recently that it's illegal if it causes an obstruction, whatever that means. Sometimes it clearly does cause an obstruction but I've seen no interest in policing it.
Scrobs - we see more and more electric bikes on popular trails these days. They must be selling in large numbers.
Woodsy - this school is a new one on an old street which ought to be quite suited to a school but it seems to have lots of through traffic too.
Doonhamer - we see some huge cars used on the school run. Not practical load carriers, just big expensive cars.
dearieme - we drive to school because it's much further and much better than Granddaughter's local school and it's on our way home after picking her up. We walked to her previous school which was much easier than driving.
James - far more mothers than fathers I'd say and only a few grandparents.
Re mothers vs fathers - don’t forget the nannies; at an independent pre-prep school in our town, it’s common to see these SUVs piloted by girls barely out of their teens, some of whom appear to struggle with the novelty of driving on the left.
Parking on the pavement is only illegal in London, it has bee suggested to extend the law countrywide but that seems to have stalled, not sure in London if the law is enforced, very little else is.
Macheath - I don't think there are many nannies round here. One or two child-minders, but they drive quite sedately.
Wiggia - there is a certain amount of police enforcement around here, but we hardly ever see traffic wardens picking up parking violations.
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