Toddler critically injured

Police at the scene where a toddler was run over in a driver. Photo / Daniel Hines

An 18-month-old girl was in a critical condition last night after being run over in a driveway.

A neighbour said the child's mother went to the garage and the toddler ran after her at the home in Massey Rd, Mangere.

"The older boy called out 'watch out for the baby' but the driver didn't hear," the neighbour said. "The car hit the baby. Everyone started screaming."

The garage is across a concrete front yard, which doubles as a turning bay for residents' cars.

The child was taken to Middlemore Hospital with serious injuries, but was later transported to Starship.

It is the fourth time a child has been run over in the past eight months. Two weeks ago 3-year-old Valentina Grace Warren was killed by a vehicle in her Te Atatu, West Auckland, driveway. In March, toddler Mila Tamihana was found in her Cartmel Ave driveway in Massey with fatal injuries after being hit by a car.

Family members rushed the 18-month-old to Waitakere Hospital. Doctors tried desperately to revive her, but her condition deteriorated quickly and she died.

Te Manawa Whetuki Renata, 23 months old, died after being hit by a vehicle in the driveway of his Papatoetoe, South Auckland home in April.

According to Safekids, one child on average is hit by a car every month in Auckland driveways and five children a year are killed in driveway accidents across the country.