Girl, 11, struck by vehicle near school in Brampton

Peel police say an 11-year-old girl was struck by a vehicle near McCrimmon Middle School in Brampton on Tuesday morning.

Officers responded to the area of Brisdale Drive and Sandy Beach Road near Sandalwood Parkway West shortly after 9 a.m.

The girl was conscious and breathing when she was transported to SickKids hospital with serious injuries. Her condition was upgraded to stable shortly after.

The vehicle remained on scene and no charges have been laid.

The girl is believed to have been crossing the street in the middle of the roadway and was hit twenty metres from a side entrance to the school which has a gate and a sidewalk facing Brisdale Drive.

Students of the school tell 680 NEWS that crossing the street from the side entrance is common. There is no crosswalk or crossing guard at that entrance but a representative from the Peel District School Board says a staff member stands at the entrance to tell students not to cross from there.

Const. Sarah Patton says she is not aware of any previous accidents in the area, but while it may not be a known problem area, she says the incident is an important reminder to teach kids to only cross at legal crossings.

“As a pedestrian and also as a parent we should be teaching our children to cross always at crosswalks, following the crossing signs, the crossing guards as they are at those intersections. Do not cross where vehicles are passing through and there is no designated crosswalk for you.”

Roads in the area were closed until police got word of the girl’s condition but have since reopened.