An 11-year-old boy was transported this morning to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition following after being hit by a car on Northeast Sunset Boulevard.

According to Renton Regional Fire Authority Interim Chief Rick Marshall, firefighters were called to the scene at the intersection of Northeast Sunset and Aberdeen Avenue Northeast a little after 7 a.m.

Marshall said the vehicle left the roadway, went up on the sidewalk and struck the boy. Marshall said initial reports indicated the vehicle was attempting to avoid an accident.

Though the boy’s injuries were serious, Marshall said they were not life-threatening and his transport to Harborview was “mostly precautionary.”

Marshall said the accident, which occurred prior to sunrise this morning, is a good reminder to all that seasons are changing and “mornings are getting darker” and that rain also impacts visibility and stopping distance.

“Drive with caution and care,” he said.