Thai school to compensate family for running over boy after dropping him at home

[webfact]

School to compensate family for running over boy after dropping him at home
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- A Chonburi school is still negotiating a settlement after one of its school vans ran over a 4-year-old student in front of his home last month.

School van driver Kitti Leelathanaporn, 46, said he did not see the kindergartner, identified as “Smart,” who he’d just dropped off on Nov. 11, when Smart ran in front of his vehicle. Amazingly, Smart escaped mostly unharmed.

After he realized he might have hit the child, Kitti immediately got out of the vehicle at the same moment the child’s nanny, 33-year-old Pattareeya Supanpong, ran out of the house at the sound of his scream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul2GyZreZlc

In footage captured by another motorist, the van is seen rolling over Smart’s body before the boy, appearing a bit dazed, sits up on his own. [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2014/12/18/school-pay-guardian-after-school-bus-ran-over-kindergartener


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-12-18

[kurnell]

Good god, what a monkey! How the fark do you hit a child that you have just dropped off???

[Just1Voice]

Good god, what a monkey! How the fark do you hit a child that you have just dropped off???

By being untrained, stupid, and lacking in a single iota of common sense.

[Changoverandout]

''He immediately stopped''

No he didn't. Unbelievable!

[NeverSure]

I liked two things. First, they didn't run away. Second, they ran back very fast and concerned and showed the child a lot of attention and affection. (Even though perhaps dangerous medically.)

It's very fortunate that the child wasn't badly injured.

[manarak]

I wouldn't be too quick in assigning full blame to the driver - from the video it seems the van started to move before the boy, who probably started running to cross the street very close in front of the already moving van. In this scenario, the driver had no chance to see the boy.

We should not expect too much common sense from the very young, but running just centimeters across the front of an accelerating vehicle is a bit extreme, even for a 4 year old.

But driver training would help to avoid such situations, i.e. start driving only when the dropped off children are in sight.

[draftvader]

I liked two things. First, they didn't run away. Second, they ran back very fast and concerned and showed the child a lot of attention and affection. (Even though perhaps dangerous medically.)

It's very fortunate that the child wasn't badly injured.

I would reckon that in England 50% + of people would know NOT to move somebody following an accident. Here it is like they believe it will fix everything if they're standing up. I watched a pillion (no helmet) come flying off a motorbike and hit metal barriers at 20 kph +. Though she moved she immediately grabbed her arm then touched her leg so I knew she'd been hurt. Before I know it the driver of the car that knocked her off (50/50 in my eyes, the bike was passing in the wrong lane and the car didn't indicate) is out getting her to stand. I couldn't bear it and got the policeman to stop them (he did looked confused but I was emphatic). This only lasted for 30 seconds before they tried to get her to walk. I told the policeman that I thought she should go to hospital to check the leg (by now she'd forgotten the sore arm) but they insisted to put her on the bike. I shrugged my shoulders and asked if I could leave. The policeman wai'd me, thanked me and I went on my way. Even as a trained first aider I really don't like to interfere here as often the goodwill can be misjudged...in this case the policeman's first question was whether I had been involved...luckily my bike's position showed I was nowhere near. Lots of things could be improved in this situation but I have learned not to be surprised.

We know we only have to wait a short while before we'll hear another story about one of these kindergarten vans.....

[Chang_paarp]

So, was the 4yo dropped on the side of the road? or put in the care of an adult? or a responsible person?

In my job (taxi driver for disabled people) we have a duty of care to ensure the passenger is left in the care of a responsible person. To this end I had to sit with a customer for 20 minutes outside the basketball on Saturday as her carer was late arriving.

[iReason]

"After he realized he might have hit the child, Kitti immediately got out of the vehicle..."

Immediately? 50 meters down the road?

Doesn't look like that to me.

What I see is the van driving away and maybe the kids inside told him to stop.

I see the driver the last one on the scene as he casually walks up.

While a woman and a child from the bus come running from the same distance as him and assist the poor kid.

Edited December 18, 2014 by iReason

[chasntong]

So, was the 4yo dropped on the side of the road? or put in the care of an adult? or a responsible person?

In my job (taxi driver for disabled people) we have a duty of care to ensure the passenger is left in the care of a responsible person. To this end I had to sit with a customer for 20 minutes outside the basketball on Saturday as her carer was late arriving.

I would not want to be the last kid on your bus I would not get home until midnight

[connda]

These idiot van drivers have hit and killed 4 dogs and a cat within 50 meters of our house over the last three years. Narrow road, blind curves, and idiots driving at speeds in excess of 80kpm on a road that should be rated at less than 40kph. These idiots round the blind curves driving in the middle of the road, or worse, over taking another car and passing in the oncoming lane. There are no shoulders on our section of the road. Freaking dangerous.

I'm waiting for the first human to get their clock cleaned in front of our place, most likely a child or elderly person.

[garrya]

This was a bizarre scene. How on earth could this happen?

[rawhod]

Lucky he didn't reverse back to see what had happened...

[Commerce]

I wouldn't be too quick in assigning full blame to the driver - from the video it seems the van started to move before the boy, who probably started running to cross the street very close in front of the already moving van. In this scenario, the driver had no chance to see the boy.

We should not expect too much common sense from the very young, but running just centimeters across the front of an accelerating vehicle is a bit extreme, even for a 4 year old.

But driver training would help to avoid such situations, i.e. start driving only when the dropped off children are in sight.

Ever heard of mirrors and due care and attention? The driver's responsibility was to ensure the child was not dropped in the road, but on the pavement - we are talking a 4 year old child here. Full blame is assigned to the driver, contrary to your belief.

[Commerce]

So, was the 4yo dropped on the side of the road? or put in the care of an adult? or a responsible person?

In my job (taxi driver for disabled people) we have a duty of care to ensure the passenger is left in the care of a responsible person. To this end I had to sit with a customer for 20 minutes outside the basketball on Saturday as her carer was late arriving.

Please define what you actually intend to mean by sitting outside the basketball for 20 minutes on Saturday. Do you mean you had to miss the basketball you wanted to watch, your occupant was a basketball case, or that you are proud of the fact your job involves caring for disabled people, and you were happy to miss the basketball because you like your job so much? Your post somewhat confused me!

[Loles]

But this dumb didn't flee the scene, .... BECAUSE every-one know him there.

[SOTIRIOS]

........the driver and nanny are both irresponsible....

...cannot make an effort to see a 4-year old safely off the bus and into the home....

...how long would it take....all of 2 minutes........

...it is part of their job description...............

[FangFerang]

I watched the video. The van pulls out, runs the kid over, the van stops, A STUDENT JUMPS OUT OF THE VAN AND RUNS TO HIM (WITH THE NANNY FAST PACING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE)TO MAKE SURE THE KID IS ALIVE.... and the driver saunters up in slow motion.

If I thought I hit a child I would stopped and had my cell phone out as I ran. The driver walked up like he was almost concerned.

[Minnehaha]

a child that age should be put in the hands / under care of a responsible adult, not left on the side of the road.

[JOC]

Maybe the kid should change his name from "Smart" to "Lucky"

[inzman]

It's the drivers responsibility to know where the 4 yo is before he drives away. He should not be in charge of children, he seems unaware of his surroundings.

[asdecas]

These idiot van drivers have hit and killed 4 dogs and a cat within 50 meters of our house over the last three years. Narrow road, blind curves, and idiots driving at speeds in excess of 80kpm on a road that should be rated at less than 40kph. These idiots round the blind curves driving in the middle of the road, or worse, over taking another car and passing in the oncoming lane. There are no shoulders on our section of the road. Freaking dangerous.

I'm waiting for the first human to get their clock cleaned in front of our place, most likely a child or elderly person.

Clearly the danger concerns you. Since you are so close to where these events have taken place, have you taken any steps towards ameliorating the risk?

[ChrisY1]

Good god, what a monkey! How the fark do you hit a child that you have just dropped off???

Kids get run over everywhere in similar situations globally..a 4 year old is small......they cannot be expected to have road sense at that age.........tragic as it is, it's not peculiar to Thailand.......many small kids are hit by vehicles reversing out of their driveways...

Edited December 18, 2014 by ChrisY1

[lil fluffy clouds]

So, was the 4yo dropped on the side of the road? or put in the care of an adult? or a responsible person?

In my job (taxi driver for disabled people) we have a duty of care to ensure the passenger is left in the care of a responsible person. To this end I had to sit with a customer for 20 minutes outside the basketball on Saturday as her carer was late arriving.

Society's getting a bit padded isn't it? What happen to the days of being chased by lions and tigers? This put real blood in our veins, gave us character and improved our dna strands....

[timmyp]

The same exact thing happened to me when I was 10 in Chicago. A couple of minutes passed after I got out of the car and I was sitting behind it, looking for something in my backpack. When the car backed into me, I sprawled out to the side, so it just drove over my leg. Freaked me out pretty badly, and the driver, too. I limped for a few days, but I was fine.

I guess I have now left myself open to a bunch of "that's how you got to be that way" jokes.... Maybe the family could use me as proof for why they should be able to sue the driver of the van?

...Anyway, just sayin' it could happen anywhere.

[doremifasol]

Whaaaat? The kid seem to be appearing out of thin air........

This is so weird

[bongoz]

Good god, what a monkey! How the fark do you hit a child that you have just dropped off???

By being untrained, stupid, and lacking in a single iota of common sense.

OH! and Thai...

[kwonitoy]

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Good god, what a monkey! How the fark do you hit a child that you have just dropped off???

By being untrained, stupid, and lacking in a single iota of common sense.

Not so untrained, It can happen quite easily. Kids are short and there's a blind spot directly in front of the vehicle

In Canada and the US there are wide angle mirrors on the front of every school bus after the same type of accidents occurred.

[Norvid]

There should be implemented certain proven in the west precautions:

1. Child Delivery Vehicle has to fully stop with with the semaphore like sign saying STOP to stop all traffic in both direction on the road until child is secure with the waiting for him adult.

2. Child Delivery Vehicle can't proceed before the disembarking child is with adult who has to wait for the child prior to Child Delivery Vehicle arrive.

3. Serious penalty to all drivers disobeying this STOP sign, similar to those who ignore ambulance, fire department, police, etc.

4. Child can be only delivered to a driver's KNOWN adult waiting for the child to avoid kidnapping.

This simple precautions will insure safety of the children and with 4 years old someone should give him a hand all the way from/to such a vehicle and on any road.

[Travelman868]

Good god, what a monkey! How the fark do you hit a child that you have just dropped off???

By being untrained, stupid, and lacking in a single iota of common sense.

I think your being a little unfair. He is a very small boy, if he walked directly in front of the minibus it's quite likely the driver did not see him.

Of course if the driver was on his phone then he deserves to be locked up.