Report

Boy, 9, dies after being struck by vehicle near Las Vegas school

A 9-year-old boy riding his bicycle was killed Friday afternoon after he was hit by an SUV near a south Las Vegas Valley middle school, police said. The boy was hit about 2:35 p.m. in a residential neighborhood behind Silvestri Junior High School, near East Silverado Ranch Boulevard and South Maryland Parkway. He was riding his bike north in the southbound lanes of Jack Leavitt Street when a dark-colored Toyota SUV turned right from Riverdance Avenue and hit him, Metropolitan Police Department traffic Sgt. Paul McCullough said. The boy died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. "In this case here, we've got a young kid. Perfect angel, as we expect all of our children to be, and just very sad circumstances," McCullough said. The SUV stopped at a stop sign and then turned right, hitting the boy in the process. The driver wasn't expecting to see the bicycle while turning, he said. The driver had her child in the car at the time of the crash. She was cooperative with police, and officers didn't think she was impaired or driving fast, McCullough said. "Obviously, under these circumstances, she's very distraught and upset," he said. McCullough didn't know whether the boy was wearing a helmet, but he was thought to be riding alone. It wasn't immediately clear who was at fault in the crash, but McCullough said the crash was preventable, regardless, as it happened in a residential neighborhood with a child riding a bicycle near a school. A small, black bike with pegs stood next to the SUV, which had its front passenger door swung open. Pink clothes were piled on the ground just behind the front driver's side tire left by a person who tried to help the boy, McCullough said. Several children in the neighborhood saw the crash or the aftermath, he said. "Our prayers to the families for those involved and for the folks that had to witness this," McCullough said. Police closed the intersection while they investigated. They expected it to remain closed until Friday night. The Clark County coroner's office will release the boy's identity once his family is notified.
Framing Counterfactual Accident Object Agency Focus
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This report was generated on 9/8/2024, 7:38:15 PM

Problems

    Framing 1 issue

    Article lacks thematic framing. Thematic framing helps contextualize a car crash and draw attention to the bigger picture. By including thematic elements such as road design, statistics and trends, quotes, and safety initiatives, readers are more likely to understand that car crashes are foreseeable and preventable. [Learn more about framing issues]
    A 9-year-old boy riding his bicycle was killed Friday afternoon after he was hit by an SUV near a south Las Vegas Valley middle school, police said. The boy was hit about 2:35 p.m. in a residential neighborhood behind Silvestri Junior High School, near East Silverado Ranch Boulevard and South Maryland Parkway. He was riding his bike north in the southbound lanes of Jack Leavitt Street when a dark-colored Toyota SUV turned right from Riverdance Avenue and hit him, Metropolitan Police Department traffic Sgt. Paul McCullough said. The boy died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. "In this case here, we've got a young kid. Perfect angel, as we expect all of our children to be, and just very sad circumstances," McCullough said. The SUV stopped at a stop sign and then turned right, hitting the boy in the process. The driver wasn't expecting to see the bicycle while turning, he said. The driver had her child in the car at the time of the crash. She was cooperative with police, and officers didn't think she was impaired or driving fast, McCullough said. "Obviously, under these circumstances, she's very distraught and upset," he said. McCullough didn't know whether the boy was wearing a helmet, but he was thought to be riding alone. It wasn't immediately clear who was at fault in the crash, but McCullough said the crash was preventable, regardless, as it happened in a residential neighborhood with a child riding a bicycle near a school. A small, black bike with pegs stood next to the SUV, which had its front passenger door swung open. Pink clothes were piled on the ground just behind the front driver's side tire left by a person who tried to help the boy, McCullough said. Several children in the neighborhood saw the crash or the aftermath, he said. "Our prayers to the families for those involved and for the folks that had to witness this," McCullough said. Police closed the intersection while they investigated. They expected it to remain closed until Friday night. The Clark County coroner's office will release the boy's identity once his family is notified.

    Include at least 5 thematic elements.

    Road design is perhaps the most important factor contributing to car crashes. Articles should mention relevant road design factors based on the circumstances. Look at the list below and incorporate a few relevant statements.


    Element
    Speed limit Speed limits play a role in car crashes and are worth mentioning in the article. There is a direct correlation between vehicle speed and crash severity. Many speed limits are established via the 85-percentile rule, meaning the "appropriate" speed for a road is based on what 85% drivers perceive as safe, not what is safe for all road users.
    No. of lanes The number of traffic lanes should be observed in articles. While residential roads may only consist of one lane each way, roads with more traffic may contain more lanes, including a median turn lane. The author should highlight equity disparities; for example, bicycle fatalities have occurred on roads which have five lanes for cars, but have no sidewalks or bike lanes.
    Lane width There is a direct correlation between how wide travel lanes are and how fast drivers operate their vehicles. Wider lanes are known to make drivers feel safer, hence the faster speeds. Authors should draw attention to when residential lane widths are wider than highway lane widths.
    Crosswalks The presence of crosswalks should be noted when pedestrians are involved. When pedestrians do not use crosswalks, the author should attempt to identify if there were any nearby. For example, some injuries and fatalities have occurred where people attempt to cross a road where the nearest crosswalk was unreasonably far away. Also consider nearby complementary facilities such as bus stops where departing riders may need to immediately cross the street.
    Sidewalks The presence of sidewalks should be noted when appropriate, similar to crosswalks above. If articles mention a pedestrian walking in the roadway, journalists should make a quick effort to identify if that road had sidewalks available for use; in some cases, pedestrians have no other option but to walk in the roadway. Local ordinances regarding riding a bicycle on a sidewalk may also be relevant.
    Bike lanes For articles related to bicyclists, details should be mentioned about the presence and parameters of bike lanes. Differences between bike lane facilities should be discussed, such as whether the bike lane is protected via bollards, is physically separated from the roadway or integrated, etc.
    Lighting conditions Many injuries and fatalities occur in the evening when it is darker outside. Street lighting therefore plays a significant role in keeping all road users safe. If reporting on a crash after sunset, attempt to identify the presence and adequacy of street lighting.
    Other design elements Speed bumps, "sharrows", curb-outs, chicanes, road signs, crossing guards, rectangular rapid flashing beacons, speeding cameras, etc.

    Agency 1 issue

    Sentence lacks agent. Sentences with agents make the actions of the perpetrator clear and reduce victim blaming. [Learn more about agency issues]
    A 9-year-old boy riding his bicycle was killed Friday afternoon after he was hit by an SUV near a south Las Vegas Valley middle school, police said. The boy was hit about 2:35 p.m. in a residential neighborhood behind Silvestri Junior High School, near East Silverado Ranch Boulevard and South Maryland Parkway. He was riding his bike north in the southbound lanes of Jack Leavitt Street when a dark-colored Toyota SUV turned right from Riverdance Avenue and hit him, Metropolitan Police Department traffic Sgt. Paul McCullough said. The boy died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. "In this case here, we've got a young kid. Perfect angel, as we expect all of our children to be, and just very sad circumstances," McCullough said. The SUV stopped at a stop sign and then turned right, hitting the boy in the process. The driver wasn't expecting to see the bicycle while turning, he said. The driver had her child in the car at the time of the crash. She was cooperative with police, and officers didn't think she was impaired or driving fast, McCullough said. "Obviously, under these circumstances, she's very distraught and upset," he said. McCullough didn't know whether the boy was wearing a helmet, but he was thought to be riding alone. It wasn't immediately clear who was at fault in the crash, but McCullough said the crash was preventable, regardless, as it happened in a residential neighborhood with a child riding a bicycle near a school. A small, black bike with pegs stood next to the SUV, which had its front passenger door swung open. Pink clothes were piled on the ground just behind the front driver's side tire left by a person who tried to help the boy, McCullough said. Several children in the neighborhood saw the crash or the aftermath, he said. "Our prayers to the families for those involved and for the folks that had to witness this," McCullough said. Police closed the intersection while they investigated. They expected it to remain closed until Friday night. The Clark County coroner's office will release the boy's identity once his family is notified.

    Add the missing agent to the sentence.

    • A bicyclist was struck and killed by a driver on Tuesday night.
    • A bicyclist was struck and killed on Tuesday night.

    Focus 1 issue

    Sentence places focus on VRU. When a vulnerable road user is the focus of the sentence, readers blame them and dismiss preventative measures. [Learn more about focus issues]
    A 9-year-old boy riding his bicycle was killed Friday afternoon after he was hit by an SUV near a south Las Vegas Valley middle school, police said. The boy was hit about 2:35 p.m. in a residential neighborhood behind Silvestri Junior High School, near East Silverado Ranch Boulevard and South Maryland Parkway. He was riding his bike north in the southbound lanes of Jack Leavitt Street when a dark-colored Toyota SUV turned right from Riverdance Avenue and hit him, Metropolitan Police Department traffic Sgt. Paul McCullough said. The boy died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. "In this case here, we've got a young kid. Perfect angel, as we expect all of our children to be, and just very sad circumstances," McCullough said. The SUV stopped at a stop sign and then turned right, hitting the boy in the process. The driver wasn't expecting to see the bicycle while turning, he said. The driver had her child in the car at the time of the crash. She was cooperative with police, and officers didn't think she was impaired or driving fast, McCullough said. "Obviously, under these circumstances, she's very distraught and upset," he said. McCullough didn't know whether the boy was wearing a helmet, but he was thought to be riding alone. It wasn't immediately clear who was at fault in the crash, but McCullough said the crash was preventable, regardless, as it happened in a residential neighborhood with a child riding a bicycle near a school. A small, black bike with pegs stood next to the SUV, which had its front passenger door swung open. Pink clothes were piled on the ground just behind the front driver's side tire left by a person who tried to help the boy, McCullough said. Several children in the neighborhood saw the crash or the aftermath, he said. "Our prayers to the families for those involved and for the folks that had to witness this," McCullough said. Police closed the intersection while they investigated. They expected it to remain closed until Friday night. The Clark County coroner's office will release the boy's identity once his family is notified.

    Change the focus to be on the driver.

    • A driver struck a pedestrian.
    • A pedestrian was struck by a driver.