Investigator Says Carver Elementary Crash Was a 'Freak Accident'

The thought of your child being struck by a vehicle is often described as a parent's worst nightmare. And last week, a mother and her 5-year-old daughter went through that during an early morning drop-off at in Cerritos.

In what traffic detective Tim Britt described as a "freak accident," a woman and her child were struck by a car at about 8:35 a.m. on Sept. 22 in the school's parking lot located at 19200 Ely Ave.

According to the Sheriff's Department, a parent who had just dropped off his child at the school was backing out his car when his flip flop got stuck under the gas pedal, causing him to lose control and crash into a woman and child who were walking to school.

Both victims were taken to Long Beach Memorial Hospital -- the woman with broken ribs and the girl with a broken leg and minor head injuries, according to the Sheriff's Department.

"It was a very much a 'freak accident' that no amount of enforcement or prior planning could have avoided," Britt told Patch. 

Nevertheless, Britt said things like this can happen when you don't wear proper foot wear while driving.

"Flip flops can dislodge from the foot and things like that can happen," he said. "It would be safer if people didn't wear flip flops (while driving), but there's currently no law against it."

Tip: Walk Your Child Into School If Possible

Last week's accident triggered a flurry of concern from local parents over pedestrian and motorist safety around schools, and Britt believes there is a simple solution to curtailing the risks of such accidents.

"The best thing for parents to do is to park a block or two away from the school and walk your child in," he said. "That would alleviate 99% of the traffic issues that these schools have."

Britt added that schools within the district are simply not designed to effectively and safely allow parents to drop off and pick up their children curbside.

"The schools were designed when kids walked to school and rode their bikes. These areas aren't designed for heavy vehicle traffic in the morning and after school," he added.

"That's the best and safest recommendation I could tell anyone, unfortunately people just don't want to do it," Britt said.

For more information and tips from the Cerritos Sheriff's Station-Community Safety Center on how to help improve traffic safety and make our school zones safer, .