Boy, 7, Fatally Hurt Leaving School Bus : Accident: The child, who was riding in the vehicle for the first day, is struck by pickup while darting across street toward friends.

LAGUNA NIGUEL — A 7-year-old boy riding a school bus for the first day was killed Friday when he got off and darted into traffic on Aliso Niguel Road, authorities said.

Thomas Lanni, of Laguna Niguel was taken to Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center, where he died at 7:32 p.m. Friday. The boy’s parents were with him, a school official said.

The child, a first-grader at Marian Bergeson Elementary School in Laguna Niguel, was struck by a pickup at 3:18 p.m. as he tried to run across the street toward some friends, Orange County Sheriff’s Lt. Jay Mendez said.

Because all the children who get off the bus at that stop live on the same side of the street, Mendez said, the bus was not flashing its lights and traffic was not required to stop.

The driver of the pickup, following behind the bus, had crossed the center line of the road as a precaution, Mendez said, but was unable to stop in time. The driver was not cited.

“It was one of those unfortunate accidents,” Mendez said.

Jacqueline Price, speaking for the Capistrano Unified School District, said the boy’s family had just moved to the area. Friday was his second day at school and his first day riding the bus, Price said. On Thursday, his parents had dropped him off at school and picked him up.

“When he got off the bus, he saw some friends on the opposite side of the street, and he ran out in front of the bus to see them,” Price said.

“Anytime that there is an accident that involves any one of our students, particularly a young child, we view it as a real tragedy for our entire community,” Price said. “Our thoughts and our best wishes are with the family of this child.

“This is a reminder to all children and their parents of the importance of being aware of safety practices, in terms of crossing streets and exiting school buses or cars or anytime you’re in a traffic situation,” she added. “We can never reinforce that enough as adults with our children.”