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Boy recovering after getting struck by SUV while riding bike in Point Breeze

PITTSBURGH — Kristen Engle has spent almost every minute at Children's Hospital since her 8-year-old son, Ian, was hit by an SUV Monday in Point Breeze.

She says he is getting better, though he still has a fractured skull, a broken clavicle, and road rash all over his body.

"He has far less injuries than I would have ever expected or the doctors would have expected," said Engle Wednesday.

That was the first day she explained to her son what happened Monday.  At first he thought he just went over the handle bars and crashed.

"And I said 'no, you were hit by a car' and he said 'Why would a car hit me?'" Kristen explained.

Ian was riding with his twin sister and his dad when the accident happened Monday.  The driver was not charged but stayed near the accident.  Once Kristen got there and saw the mangled bike she says she was surprised Ian survived.

But the 8-year-old is doing better, she says.  He still has some more tests to undergo but she hopes he will be home soon.

"He hasn't cracked a joke yet, but he has asked about his sister, he's told me I'm the greatest mom in the whole world, and he asks for kisses all the time," said Kristen.

Ian also asked about his bike, that his mother says he got the day before the accident. But she says he has been riding a bike since he was 3 and she doesn't think this accident will stop him from wanting to continue.

Meantime, she hopes more bike lanes will be built for bicyclists off all ages in Pittsburgh.

"I'd like to see those paths where those kids lose their attention and the worst things that happen is, if they have a helmet on, they get a skinned knee," said Kristen.

That's something Bike Pittsburgh Executive Director Scott Bricker also would like to see. Until then, he wants to make sure motorists take note of bicyclists on the road.

"Everyone in a car is a pedestrian at some point and many of them want to be bicyclists at some point but they don't feel safe enough to do so," said Bricker.