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4-year-old dead after car collides with tree in Phoenix

The child was unrestrained in the lap of a woman passenger at the time of the crash, the Phoenix Police Department said.

PHOENIX — A 4-year-old boy is dead after a car collided with a tree late Wednesday night, the Phoenix Police Department said.

The boy was reportedly was unrestrained in the vehicle, a Chevy Corvette, and was riding on the lap of a woman passenger, the department said. The child was transported to the hospital with serious injuries and was later pronounced dead.

The woman and the man driving the car sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police said. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

The Corvette was traveling southbound on 67th Avenue when it left the roadway and collided with a tree, investigators said. Detectives believe speed was a factor in the collision.

This is a developing story. Tune in to 12 News for the latest information.

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Data from the Arizona Department of Transportation shows that roadway fatalities have been gradually rising in Arizona over the last decade: 

  • 2011: 825 deaths  
  • 2012: 821 deaths 
  • 2013: 844 deaths 
  • 2014: 774 deaths 
  • 2015: 895 deaths 
  • 2016: 952 deaths 
  • 2017: 1,000 deaths 
  • 2018: 1,010 deaths 
  • 2019: 982 deaths 
  • 2020: 1,057 deaths

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) offers driving tips to help keep people safe on the road. 

"There’s always room for improvement when it comes to road safety," the department said on its website. 

ADOT's suggestions include: 

  • Don’t speed or drive aggressively 

  • Never drive while under the influence of substances 

  • Avoid distractions while driving 

  • Wear your seatbelt and make sure all passengers are doing the same 

  • When an emergency vehicle is on the side of the road, move over 

  • Stay extra aware in work zones 

  • Be prepared for weather conditions that make driving dangerous 

Find more tips on the department's Driving Safety Homepage on ADOT's website here. 

"Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov, by calling 511, downloading the AZ 511 app and through ADOT’s Twitter feed, @ArizonaDOT," the department said.

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