Lubbock rang in 2026 the way it apparently always does: by turning a shopping center parking lot into a danger zone. On Thursday afternoon, police say a 29-year-old woman and her 2-year-old child were struck by a vehicle while walking through a parking lot in the 3000 block of West Loop 289. Because of course it was Loop 289—Lubbock’s unofficial Thunderdome.
According to Lubbock Police, the mother and child were leaving a business around 2:52 p.m. when a 60-year-old driver turned south in front of the building and hit them. The mother suffered moderate injuries; the toddler suffered serious injuries. Both were transported to Covenant Women and Children’s Hospital, turning what should have been a boring New Year’s Day errand into a life-altering nightmare.
Multiple outlets rushed out near-identical updates—same location, same timeline, same awful outcome—while the Major Crash Investigation Unit does what it does best: investigate after the fact. The scene was described as active for hours, which is reassuring in the same way a “wet floor” sign placed after you fall is reassuring.
The investigation is ongoing, which means we’ll eventually get answers about speed, visibility, and whether parking lots in Lubbock are legally required to double as obstacle courses for pedestrians. Until then, drivers will keep driving like it’s Mad Max: West Texas Edition, and families will keep learning the hard way that crosswalks are more of a vibe than a rule around here.
At what point do we admit that in Lubbock, the most dangerous part of leaving a store isn’t the traffic—it’s the parking lot?
https://www.kcbd.com/2026/01/01/2-year-old-seriously-injured-collision-thursday-afternoon/