A Mississauga father says he was left with no choice but to find the driver who struck his 13-year-old son and fled the scene, after what he calls a slow police response.
The collision happened the morning of September 8, as Syed Saeed’s son and daughter were walking to Erin Centre Middle School. As they crossed Tenth Line West and Perennial Drive, a left-turning Toyota Sienna hit the boy head-on, throwing him several feet through the crosswalk. He suffered minor injuries and ran home in shock.
Security camera footage shows the van briefly slowing before driving off. Saeed says police initially told him to attend a collision centre, but without a licence plate number, the case appeared to stall. Frustrated, Saeed knocked on doors in the neighbourhood until, with the help of friends, he located the vehicle and confronted the driver on video. The individual admitted hitting the boy but claimed they believed he was uninjured and later contacted the school.
Saeed turned over the information to police on Wednesday. Peel Regional Police confirmed they are investigating but said no arrests have been made. In a statement, police acknowledged the family’s frustration but cautioned residents against taking investigations into their own hands, warning it could interfere with evidence gathering and put individuals at risk.
The incident has intensified calls for safer school zones. Road safety advocates say more than warnings are needed — such as raised crosswalks and curb extensions to force drivers to slow down. A recent CAA survey found 63 per cent of parents consider school zones “very unsafe,” up 12 per cent from last year.
For Saeed, the scare has permanently changed his family’s routine. “Every morning we have to hold our kids’ hands very tight,” he said. “Not a single day I’m letting them go alone anymore. Things have changed.”