UPDATE 9/3/24 6:30 p.m.
TRAVERSE CITY — We talked to Michigan State Police about safe driving after an 8-year-old boy was hit and killed by a car on the first day of school Tuesday.
It happened at King’s Court Mobile Home Park in Garfield Township.
“You just want to always drive as if your kids were present,” said Community Service Trooper Andrew Sysko. “The best thing is always to be on the defense. And the best way to be on defense is to have both hands on the steering wheel and try to block out whatever distractions are present.”
As the school year starts across Northern Michigan, there are more kids out on the road in the early morning, even before the sun rises.
“Especially with the smaller kids, some of these larger SUVs, pickup trucks, you can’t even see them above the engine block itself,” said Trooper Sysko.
While it’s important for drivers to pay attention on the road, MSP said it’s also important for parents and guardians to talk to their kids about safety.
“If you have kids that are at bus stops or walking home from school,” said Trooper Sysko, it’s important for them “to stay on sidewalks, to cross at only clearly-marked intersections with stop signs.”
MSP and the Sheriff’s Office are still investigating Tuesday’s deadly crash.
9/3/24 12:30 p.m.
TRAVERSE CITY — The Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office said an 8-year-old boy was hit and killed by a car on the first day of school Tuesday.
Deputies and EMS were called to Ray Boulevard and Charles Place in Garfield Township around 7:30 a.m.
They said the driver and law enforcement attempted CPR, but the boy ultimately died from his injuries at the hospital. Deputies said they don’t believe the driver was speeding or intoxicated.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.