PD: Teen seriously injured after being hit by car in Laveen

Teen seriously injured after being hit by car in Laveen outside school

14-year-old was hospitalized after being hit by car outside Betty H. Fairfax High School. FOX 10's Nicole Garcia reports.

LAVEEN, Ariz. - A 14-year-old boy was hospitalized after he was hit by a car in front of his school near 59th Avenue and Baseline Road in the Laveen area of Phoenix.

Crash happened near high school

According to Phoenix Police, the crash happened just after 8 a.m. on Aug. 3 outside of Betty H. Fairfax High School, as students were arriving on campus.

Police say there was a lot of traffic in the area, and several cars were stopped. That's when the student decided to cross the street to get to school, and while walking in between vehicles, a car heading northbound hit him.

According to police, the student was not in a crosswalk, and did not see the oncoming vehicle.

Sgt. Vincent Cole with Phoenix Police says there was heavy traffic.

"Because of the heavy traffic there was a backup of vehicles he crossed in between some of the stopped vehicles he was struck by a vehicle going northbound," Cole said.

The teen, according his mother, is in critical condition. The driver did stay at the scene, and wasn't cited. Police say speed and impairment were not factors in this case. The names of the student and driver were not released.

The Phoenix Police Department says this is a good reminder for drivers to be more aware while in school zones and for pedestrians to also be extra cautious, and to use crosswalks.

Parent says crosswalks are needed

Parent Larry Straughn says he want to see more crosswalks along 59th Avenue.

"Seriously, they should have two or three crosswalks here personally. That's their only safety, is to put a crosswalk in, and it can't just be a small crosswalk, I think it should be a 20-30 feet wide crosswalk because you have several thousand students over here," Straughn said.

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