With the school year underway, the number of pedestrians around schools has increased dramatically at peak traffic hours. Both pedestrians and motorists should be extra careful and watchful in these areas. This was the plea of Ms Barbara Jekels, whose son was the victim of a hit-and-run accident near King’s School on January 6.
Jekels says she came across eleven-year-old Quinton, at around 16:45, as he was making his way home, bleeding and battered. The family lives on a plot in the King’s School area and Quinton had been riding his bicycle on the gravel road and enjoying the last bit of the holiday.
He said he stopped at the entrance to the school, checked for cars and then crossed the road. The next moment the side of his bike was bumped by a vehicle leaving its premises and he flew into the nearby bush. Quinton says the driver stopped, laughed and then drove away. His older brother and a friend were apparently walking down the same road and witnessed the accident.
After Jekels came across Quinton, she rushed him to Kiaat Private Hospital for treatment, where he received stitches to his heel, had to undergo X-rays and a CT scan to ensure he had no other injuries. Luckily the grass cushioned his fall, so Quinton didn’t have concussion or any fractures.
Jekels says they left the hospital at around 23:00. “We aren’t used to being in hospital,” she remarked, referring to the family. “Those six hours of waiting were horrible.”
The family contacted King’s School the next day to try to find out who the driver of the car was, as they suspected it was a parent who had enrolled his child in the school. They investigated, but the vehicle was unfamiliar to both pupils and staff.
Next, Jekels went to open a case of hit-and-run with the police station, but struggled due to the circumstances of the accident. A case was eventually opened and police are investigating it.
She says they are also keeping their eyes open for a black Toyota Avanza or Verso with a GP registration, as they believe the driver will visit the area again.
Quinton is back at school but still suffers from the lingering effects of the accident. One of his arms is painful and swollen and his mother says they’ll need to have it checked out when his stitches are removed.
She urges parents to teach their children the rules of the road, how to recognise road signs and to keep a close eye on traffic. She says children should also have emergency numbers with them at all times and learn to notify their parents immediately in case of an accident.
