VINEYARD, Utah — After an auto-pedestrian crash left a child in critical condition Tuesday night, locals in Vineyard are raising concerns about traffic safety in their community.
The Utah County Sheriff’s Office says the child was crossing Center Street on an e-scooter around 8 p.m. when they were hit. In an update Wednesday, the office said the child is recovering well and expected to go home in the next day or two.
“My heart goes out to them; I can’t imagine, as a mother, receiving that kind of news,” said Jamie Sarmiento.
Sarmiento has watched her community swell in size over the years.
“I’ve lived in Vineyard for about 15 years, and it’s grown exponentially from there,” Sarmiento said.
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As a local teacher, she sees the dangers posed by that growth twice a day.
“I sat and watched some drivers here this morning, and the speeding, the people on phones, the distracted driving; it’s not great,” said Sarmiento.
Local officials say the intersection where the crash happened isn’t a problematic area. But neighbors want to see more steps taken to effect change throughout the city.
“A lot of the moms in my neighborhood have kind of had it,” said Sarmiento. “We’re upset. We want to protect our kids.”
“I drive slow because I know there are kids everywhere,” said resident Marisa Vaiaoga. “We should have more signs, we should have awareness campaigns, we should have more enforcement visible.”
Vaiaoga says her son, Darius, frequently walks to Utah Lake, and even that has become a worry.
“I’ve just accepted it as a fact of life that a car is going to be a meter behind me at all times when I’m crossing,” said Darius, noting that cars seldom wait for him to cross the street before moving.
Sarmiento says speed limits have been adjusted over time. But for her, it’s not been enough.
“Some of our neighborhoods have gone from 25 to 15,” said Sarmiento. “Are drivers following that? Absolutely not.”
Mayor Zack Stratton said his public works team will look into more ways to make their community safe. In the meantime, Sarmiento wants anyone who’s passing through town to take it slow.
“I think everybody has a responsibility to drive safe, to be aware,” said Sarmiento.