Nekoosa boy struck by vehicle
A young teenager from Nekoosa was struck by a vehicle in Wood County Tuesday night.
According to various news reports, the 13-year-old was standing on the side of a road after a deer was struck by a car on State 73.
“The boy was listed in stable condition early Wednesday morning after Spirit Air Helicopter took him to Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield, according to a Wood County news release,” an article posted on Wisconsin Rapids Tribune’s website reads. “Wood County deputies were investigating a car-deer crash on State 73, near Wood County Z, in Saratoga at 7:08 p.m. Tuesday, according to the report. While a deputy investigated, an approaching vehicle slowed and began to pull to the side of the road, hitting a 13-year-old boy standing there.”
A 25-year-old Nekoosa woman was also reportedly injured and transported to Aspirus Riverivew Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids.
Pedestrians are still in a world dominated by motorists and collisions with motor vehicles do occur. Some 60 pedestrians are killed each year in Wisconsin, and more than 1,600 suffer injuries, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Children ages 5-9 and adults over 75 years old are particularly vulnerable to these collisions. Injury prevention and travel safety begins with a mutual respect between both motorists and pedestrians.
The DOT says children can be difficult to protect since they lack the skills and experience that most adults have come to take for granted. They may also have a difficult time judging the speed of approaching cars. Their smaller stature also makes them harder for motorists to see.
Deer-vehicle crashes continue to be a major concern for Wisconsin motorists, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The majority of deer-vehicle collisions occur during the months of October and November when deer are most active during the breeding phase. Many collisions also occur during May and June during spring fawning, when yearling deer are seeking out new home ranges.
According to compare.com, if you hit a deer with your vehicle, it’s important to pull over in a safe place and call the police to report it.
