The forty small children playing at the Choo Choo Xpress Day Care and Learning Center in Cibolo had no idea that some of them would soon be on the way to the hospital. But that’s what happened shortly before 11:00 a.m. on February 3 when an SUV driven by a seventy-two-year-old woman crashed into their building.
According to reports, the terrifying crash left some of the children and one of the center’s employees briefly trapped under the SUV.
In photos showing the aftermath of the crash, the extent of the damage can be clearly seen. The SUV crashed through the front wall of the building and continued about twenty feet into the day care center. It was just luck that no one was hurt more seriously or killed in the crash.
All but one of the injured children, all between the ages of five and eighteen months, were home from the hospital that same day. Most only had bumps and scrapes. But one child, an eleven-month-old, was injured more severely, suffering broken ribs, a lacerated liver, and a collapsed lung. He was said to be recovering quickly, and was released from the hospital about three days after the crash.
On the day of the crash, a police spokesman said that it was unlikely that charges would be filed, although their investigation was not complete. It appears that the crash is being treated as just an unfortunate accident, and the driver admitted that she had stepped on the gas instead of the brake by mistake while parking.
But if this kind of incident is truly an accident, it’s a preventable one. Not only should drivers be held responsible when they make errors like this and put lives at risk, but the danger of this sort of thing happening can be minimized by property owners. That, at least, is what one organization, the Storefront Safety Council, believes.
According to data that they’ve collected, a motor vehicle crashes into a building about sixty times in an average day. In a typical year, these crashes injure more than 4,000 people and kill as many as 500. And these numbers are just for commercial properties: Residential buildings might account for double or triple that number of crashes.
They have also been urging for several years that businesses install safety bollards—simple concrete and steel posts—to prevent vehicles from crashing into buildings and customers. This action, they assert, can prevent many injuries and save many lives.
Despite the damage done to the building and the injuries sustained by the children, this day care center was able to re-open just days after the crash. That’s not always the case, as property damage and physical injuries can be severe.
If you’ve been on the receiving end of this type of crash or if you’ve been harmed in any kind of motor vehicle accident, it’s important to have experienced help on your side as you work to recover compensation for your injuries and any property damage caused. The attorneys at Colley & Colley, LLP understand the practice of automobile accident law, whether the case is as simple as a two-car collision, as complicated as a multi-vehicle pileup, or as convoluted as a car crashing into a building. We offer every client a free consultation to discuss the unique nature of their case. Give us a call at 1-877-411-2001 or contact us online through the form below to schedule an appointment.
15511 W Highway 71
Suite 110-142
Austin, TX 78738
(512) 477-2001
512-477-3335
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