The driver of a Chevrolet Colorado truck failed to notice her son and began to move forward, striking him on the scooter at a low speed, Minnish said.
“My son bounced off the hood of the truck and then landed on his backside on the pavement,” Minnish said. He was later checked out at Kettering Health Main Campus.
Her son was found to be the primary one who erred in that accident as he had been on a scooter in the crosswalk, as well as failed to yield to traffic, according to the Kettering Police Department.
Minnish’s son wasn’t charged, but she is advocating for drivers to bear more of the responsibility for collisions involving minors in school zones.
Police say it’s important for everyone in school zones to do their part to keep children and themselves safe.
“Safety in school zones is a shared responsibility,” said Officer Cynthia James, public information officer for the Kettering Police Department.
Drivers already have legal obligations in school zones and crosswalks, James said, adding the department is increasing its enforcement around traffic violations in school zones.
“Creating a safe environment isn’t just about penalties and punishing people. If it does happen, it’s about educating them and being aware of your surroundings and changing behaviors that are able to be changed,” James said.
Drivers, according to Ohio law, must:
- Slow to 20 mph when required, including during school recess, when children are arriving or leaving school, when children are reasonably visible near the roadway, and when school‑zone signs or flashing beacons indicate the reduced limit. Even if it the flashing beacons are not there, this rule still applies when children are visibly present.
- Obey all school‑zone signs and signals.
- Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, which also applies when pedestrians are on your half of the roadway or approaching closely.
- Stay vigilant for children and buses by avoiding distractions, expecting sudden stops, and watching for school buses, crossing guards, and children entering roadways unexpectedly.
- Follow all temporary or extended zone markings.
‘Adults have years of driving experience’
Minnish asked city leaders to consider shifting more of the legal burden of negligence away from minors to the adult drivers, at least as it relates to school zone, she said.
“I firmly believe that Kettering needs to change the Kettering city law so that it states that children under the age of 18 are expected to walk their bikes and scooters across all crosswalks, but if they fail to do so in a school zone, then the driver that hits them will be charged accordingly,” Minnish said.
“...Adults have years of driving experience and should know to be on high alert in a school zone,” Minnish went on to say. “On the other hand, children are prone to not appreciating the full danger that surrounds them.”
Minnish also advocated for additional signage and lighting, particularly around Kettering Middle School.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
In 2025, Kettering had eight crashes involving a pedestrian in a school zone and the driver was found to be at fault in just two of them, according to the Kettering Police Department.
Citywide, there were 19 crashes in Kettering last year involving a pedestrian, bicyclist, and/or person on a scooter, according to police.
This is slightly up from the total 17 of those types collisions in 2024 but still down from the high of 27 similar collisions in 2022, according to police.
With bicyclists and scooter riders acting as pedestrians, drivers have a more difficult time trying to anticipate the path and actions of the bicyclist or rider on a scooter, according to police.
“Pedestrians who are moving at the speed of vehicles but acting as pedestrians don’t really mix well. There’s going to be a lot of confusion there,” James said.
Bicycles and scooters move faster than pedestrians on foot, which reduces the driver’s reaction time if they see someone entering their path, James said.
It’s the law for people crossing the street to dismount from their bikes or scooters, James said.
“It gives the drivers more time to see them and react appropriately, and it also gives the children — or it could be adults, too, on a bike — more control and awareness of their surroundings as they’re crossing," James said.
Recent collision, new road safety campaign
A student walking in a crosswalk near Kettering Fairmont High School was hit early on Jan. 9, but was not seriously injured.
“Events like this serve as a sobering reminder of the importance of road safety,“ Kettering Schools said in a statement shortly after the incident near Fairmont. ”Please know that the safety of our students is our highest priority.”
District officials said they would work closely with city officials in an initiative called, “Cross safe, Kettering.”
“It is a community-wide safety initiative focused on promoting safe crossing practices for students and pedestrians through our city,” Kettering City Manager Matt Greeson said during a recent council meeting.
“The program emphasizes the importance of using crosswalks, being aware of surroundings, and encouraging everyone — drivers, students, and parents — to work together to prevent accidents,” he said.
How children should cross safely in a school zone:
- Use marked or designated crosswalks only.
- Follow crossing‑guard directions and school‑zone signals.
- Stop and pause before crossing the street; look left, then look right, and then look left again; and make eye contact with drivers before crossing.
- Dismount bicycles and electric scooters and walk them across.
- Yield to pedestrians if riding in permitted areas.
- Avoid distractions—no phones or earbuds while crossing.
- Cross only when vehicles are fully stopped, even when children have right‑of‑way. Even though drivers are legally required to yield to children in crosswalks, children shouldn’t assume vehicles will stop.
