Initial investigations indicate that the driver in the Manacor accident was not traveling at excessive speed.

ManacorThe mayor of Manacor, Miquel Oliver, explained that the accident that claimed the life of a nine-year-old boy on the Paseo de Ferrocarril on Thursday night "is being investigated" by the local police and the courts, with the collaboration of municipal technicians, to determine what could have happened that led to the accident. "When an accident occurs, it's not just due to one cause, but rather a combination of several. Most accidents are multifactorial; we're now investigating what factors may have been involved, and based on that, we'll determine whether technical measures should be taken" by the council to improve the road.

The young driver who fatally struck the boy claimed she was blinded by the sun. According to her account after the accident, she didn't see the four siblings—aged three, nine, 16, and 18—crossing the pedestrian crossing. The vehicle struck two of them. He was again thrown several meters and struck hard in the head, killing him almost instantly. The younger sister, aged three, suffered minor injuries and was rushed to a hospital in Manacor to be checked for internal injuries or bleeding.

The officers gave the driver an alcohol and drug test, which came back negative, and initial investigations indicate she was not speeding. After giving a statement, the young woman was released.

It was around 8 p.m. when everything happened very quickly. Several witnesses called the emergency services, and some provided first aid to the victims. Four ambulances and patrol cars from the Manacor Local Police and the National Police quickly arrived at the scene. The paramedics confirmed that the child was in cardiac arrest and tried to revive him for three-quarters of an hour, without success. 112 activated a psychologist to assist the family.

"A weapon weighing many kilos"

Regarding the frequent speeding incidents on Paseo del Ferrocarril, where more than 25,000 vehicles pass daily, Oliver stated: "Failing to comply with the speed limit is the driver's responsibility; failing to pay attention to the road is also the driver's responsibility. From there, maintenance is the City Council's responsibility. When an accident occurs, it is aligned; it is the responsibility."

The mayor added: "We must also be clear that, when we drive a vehicle, we are carrying a weapon that weighs many kilos, and that should make us even more aware of the danger it poses. Manacor City Council has an obligation to maintain the roads in good condition, as well as the signage, and from there, they become valuable."

Minute of silence

Around one hundred people gathered this Friday afternoon outside Manacor Town Hall to observe a heartfelt minute of silence in memory of the nine-year-old boy who died Thursday afternoon after being hit by a car while crossing one of the pedestrian crossings on Paseo del Ferrocarril with his siblings, near the La Salle sports hall.

The event was attended by representatives from the Manacor City Council, members of the teaching staff from the Simó Ballester school, where the boy attended, as well as a small representative of the North African community, to whom both the Mayor and the First Deputy Mayor, Núria Hinojosa, wished their health.