BENNINGTON, NE. — Families and first responders in Bennington are calling on drivers and parents to be more aware of children on riding bikes and scooters in Bennington.
The renewed plea comes after an 11-year-old struck by a pickup truck while riding an e-scooter Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of 179th and Island Circle in the Newport Landing Lake neighborhood.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing but the crash appears to be a tragic accident. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office responded to the collision along with Bennington Fire and Rescue.
Bennington Fire Chief Dan Mallory said keeping roads safe is a shared responsibility.
"It is a community thing: It's the driver, it's the kids, it's the parents. We all need to work together to improve safety on our roadways," Mallory said.
Neighbors say the crash has them reinforcing safety lessons at home.
Kristen Gotthardt, a Bennington mother, said she is using the incident as a reminder for her 8-year-old daughter, Ivy, to stay alert.
"When you are driving through neighborhoods, whether its your own or somebody else's, go slow," Gotthardt said she tells Ivy before she goes out to ride her bike.
Gotthardt said awareness is central to the safety conversations she has with Ivy.
"Always be aware of your surroundings because you don't know if a car can see you or not," Gotthardt said.
Kathryn Hanks, a nanny for a Bennington family, looks after 4-year-old Alma and 5-year-old Leland, both of whom are learning to ride scooters.
Safety checks are already part of their daily routine.
"They have to look both ways before they cross the street and I look both ways (too), so we are checking multiple times," Hanks said.
Hanks said she hopes the community takes the message from first responders seriously.
"It seems like something so small but it really is (a) bigger picture," Hanks said.
