Boy, 9, dies after being hit by car on A92

A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy has died after he was knocked down by a car on a main road in Fife.

The boy was taken to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife. Picture: SWNS

The primary schoolboy was struck by a black Vauxhall Corsa on the A92 on the outskirts of Glenrothes, during rush hour on Tuesday.

Emergency services were called at around 5:40pm to the scene between the Cadham and Balfarg junctions, and the boy – who has not yet been named – was rushed to accident and emergency at Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Infirmary.

However, he was later pronounced dead from his injuries.

The road was closed for several hours between the A92 junctions with Cadham Road and Western Avenue as crash investigators set to work. Residents described the accident as a “tragedy” and said the stretch, a single carriageway with a 50mph limit between two housing estates, was notorious for motorists going “too fast”.

Officers erected signs today at the scene of the crash asking for witnesses to come forward.

The section of road leads from the village of Star to Markinch, on the northern edge of the town.

One local, who asked not to be named, said: “The road goes from a dual carriageway to a single carriageway just before the part where the boy was hit.

“People come off the dual carriageway and they don’t always slow down – and the road leads to another dual carriageway about a mile down the road.”

Another resident added: “We didn’t hear or see anything of the crash itself – just a lot of sirens over the usual traffic noise shortly after.

“It was very, very quiet after that with the road being shut – that is a busy part, especially at that time of the day.”

Police in Fife have urged witnesses to the tragedy to come forward.

Inspector Brenda Sinclair said: “Tragically this collision has resulted in the loss of a young boy’s life and our thoughts are with his family at this harrowing time.

“We are appealing for any drivers or pedestrians who may have been on the A92 at the time of the collision to come forward and help establish the full circumstances of the incident.”

There was additional rush hour chaos further along the A92 between Dundee and Arbroath on Tuesday as a total of 16 vehicles were involved in several crashes and shunts.

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Overall, the cars lined a crash site that measured almost half a mile long over the westbound carriageway of the A92 between Arbroath and Salmondsmuir.

Four people were taken by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital and one 19-year-old man suffered a head injury.

It is understood that a low sun may have played a role in the series of crashes.

The incident began at about 4:45pm when two cars heading towards Dundee — a black Fiat Punto and a black Volkswagen Golf — were involved in a collision.

In response to the crashes, a Police Scotland spokesman said: “Weather is often blamed for causing accidents, but the real cause is often inappropriate driving.

“Following the road traffic collisions on the A92, Arbroath to Dundee road, Police Scotland is again reminding motorists to be aware of road and weather conditions and drive accordingly when out on Tayside’s roads.”

He continued: “Reduced daylight hours and the possibility of inclement weather place additional demands on all road users.

“Low sun can make it difficult to see and a dirty, greasy or damaged windscreen can make this worse.

“Reduce your speed, keep your distance from the vehicle in front and prepare for driving by keeping your vehicle well maintained before you take to the road.”