A lollipop man has received substantial compensation after being knocked down and injured on a primary school crossing. The car which hit him had been knocked forward by another vehicle which had failed to stop and then fled the scene.

The 74-year-old, who was employed by Kirklees Council, suffered multiple injuries including a fractured wrist, fractured tibia and a back injury in the collision which happened in November 2008.

The case highlights the dangers to adults and children caused by reckless or criminal driving, even at a highly visible supervised crossing point next to a school.

The accident happened so quickly that the vehicle which caused the accident was able to flee the scene before its registration number was noted. The accident was investigated by the police but the vehicle and driver responsible has never been traced.

Thompsons Solicitors made claim for compensation

A compensation claim was made by Thompsons Solicitors on behalf of the injured lollipop man to the Motor Insurance Bureau which deals with accidents caused by untraced or uninsured drivers.

Mike Duffy of Thompsons in Manchester said:

“This could have been a very tragic accident. There were children on the crossing just moments before the car struck. Thankfully my client has made a good recovery from his injuries although at times he still suffers from painful symptoms. What happened to him underlines the reckless and criminal behaviour of some drivers who can cause even a supervised road crossing at a school to become a dangerous place.”