Police and coroner investigating death of Saanich toddler who was tragically hit and killed by her dad’s vehicle in the family’s driveway. Tess van Straaten reports.
A Saanich toddler who was struck by a minivan in the Beckwith Park neighborhood has succumbed to her injuries.
Police say the toddler’s father was leaving his home on Saturday, July 7 at around 3 p.m. when the two-year-old girl was hit in the driveway.
Family, police, and ambulance all performed life-saving measures before the toddler was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
“This is a horrible tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with the family,” Sgt. Jereme Leslie wrote in a statement.
An investigation into the incident is being led Saanich Police and the BC Coroners Service.
According to this report by the BC Coroners’ Service, seven toddlers were fatally injured between 2005 and 2014 by vehicles reversing or moving forward in a driveway.
In fact, almost half of children age one to four in the review period — which looked at pedestrians, cyclists and skateboards — were killed in driveways.
Safety concerns are the reason back-up cameras and warning sensors are now the top-selling item at Sound Advice in Victoria.
“As of 2018, the mandate is for all new vehicles to have factory back-up cameras but there are a lot of older vehicles on the street that do not have it,” explains Joe Reda of Sound Advice. “You have huge, huge blind spots without a camera.”
Sound Advice says they install several after-market cameras every week, which can be added to almost all vehicles.
“When you have a back up camera you can view behind you your blind spots where you cannot see on your side mirrors or right behind you and let’s face it there are a lot of vehicles out there that you can’t see what’s behind you,” says Reda.
The B.C. government also has these tips on how to avoid a driveway accident.
(Courtesy: Gian-Paolo Mendoza/CBC)
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