When are your children old enough to take on the world on wheels? When it comes to the operation of a motor vehicle, the common age is 16. However, what about bicycles? There is no motor, so the operation is arguably safer, but what about the vulnerability of the child? Parents have different ages when they feel comfortable trusting their children to be okay on a bike alone near street traffic or even on a neighborhood’s safer residential streets.
Perhaps the leniency comes from the necessity for children to get to and from school. Other people are nearby, crosswalks are usually guarded, motorists are aware of children on or around the streets, and caution is regularly enforced with brightly flashing lights and signs.
Then add to the awareness a trash truck driver. Such a commercial driver should be aware of limitations to visibility due to the truck’s size as well as limitations due to driving in an area with increased child-sized pedestrian activity. On the way to school you would not worry too much about the trash man, right? They, of all people, would exercise caution routinely traveling this area on their routes.
Perhaps not, as indicated by a fatal accident involving a trash truck and an 8-year old boy with a bicycle near Newport Heights Elementary School, where the boy attended third grade.
The family of this child is no doubt struggling emotionally. The driver of the truck may be held accountable on a criminal level or at least, on a financial level. The company employing the truck driver may also be held responsible. A California truck accident attorney can stand by the side of the grieving family and advocate for them. Don’t suffer alone. You don’t have to.
Source: NBCLosAngeles.com, “Boy Struck, Killed By Trash Truck In Newport Beach,” Jason Kandel, May 25, 2016