Two-year-old critical after being struck by a van in Melbourne

Detective Acting Sergeant Leigh Miller said officers would look at what factors were involved in the collision. Photo / Getty Images

A 2-year-old boy is fighting for his life after being hit by a van while using a pedestrian crossing in Melbourne’s southeast.

The boy was struck by a white van travelling west on Thames Promenade at Chelsea Heights about 9.10pm on Monday, Australian police say.

The boy was on a small balance bike while using the pedestrian crossing and was with his father at the time.

Detective Acting Sergeant Leigh Miller said the pair had a green light to cross at the time.

“The boy has ridden ahead of his father and sadly the car failed to see the boy and he’s been struck,” Miller said.

“Our investigation will be to try and determine whether the driver was paying enough attention and why he failed to see the young boy.

“The lights are operating as far as we can tell, they are operating correctly.”

An off-duty police officer stopped to assist the child, who was treated at the scene before being rushed to hospital with serious injuries. He remains in a critical condition.

The father was not injured.

The driver of the van – a 29-year-old man from Clyde – was arrested at the scene.

He was interviewed and released pending further inquiries.

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