Tragic toll of driveway accidents

A distraught mother screamed for help as her baby lay bleeding and unconscious on the driveway - the youngster tragically hit by a car driven by his own father.

The 1-year-old died in Middlemore Hospital yesterday, the country's latest victim of a driveway accident.

The boy, believed to be called Ivan, was playing on the driveway behind where his father was cleaning the family's new van at their Manurewa home, neighbours said.

The man reversed, unaware that his child was behind him. "The mother came out screaming for me to ring an ambulance," shaken neighbour Nick Herewini told the Herald on Sunday. "He backed it [the van] and the baby must have been behind him." Mr Herewini said the child lay unconscious on the drive after the 9.45am accident as his parents screamed for help.

An ambulance arrived at the Riverton Dr home as the pair prepared to rush their critically injured child to hospital in their own car.

Counties Manukau Police acting senior sergeant Wayne Lambie said police are still investigating the incident and it was too soon to determine if charges will be laid.

"I imagine the family is absolutely gutted. How do you lose a kid like that? It's an absolute shame."

Mr Lambie said factors in the crash were yet to be determined but a child stands little chance if it is hit by a car, even at a slow speed.

"A car weighs at least a ton, rolling over a kid, it's not going to be a good result."

The child's name had not been released last night.

The parents were too upset to speak to the media yesterday but neighbours said they had four children, live a quiet life and go church every Sunday.

The family held a birthday barbecue for their 1-year-old earlier this year with about 30 relatives and friends joining the celebrations.

Relatives returned to the home yesterday evening to clean the driveway and vacuum the house before the family returned from the hospital.

Although many parents in the street were shaken by the accident, dozens of children continued to run around on driveways and the road, throwing balls and riding bikes.

Safekids New Zealand director Ann Weaver said infill housing and new subdivisions with several houses using a single driveway are dangerous for children. Four houses border the driveway where the tragedy occurred.

Many parents remained shaken by the earlier incident.

"It makes me really worry about my kids now," said Mr Herewini, a father-of-three.

Patricia Davison, who babysits her 2-year-old grandchild at a neighbouring home, agreed: "It's frightening because it happens too often. It's so easy, you can't see them [children behind cars] and they move so quickly." Ms Davison said she was thankful her son's property has gates and fences preventing her grandchild from running on to the shared driveway.