A teenager getting a driving lesson from a parent struck three girls who were playing in a driveway in Brambleton, Va., Thursday afternoon, said the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.
The 15-year-old driver apparently accelerated by accident while turning in a cul-de-sac and jumped a curb on Morven Woods Court before striking the children, authorities said.
The youngest victim, 7, was flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital with life-threatening injuries. She is now in stable condition.
An 8-year-old and a 10-year-old were taken to another local hospital with less severe injuries.
"It's a pretty safe neighborhood," said neighbor Mehboob Raha. "It's a dead end. You cannot go outside from this particular area... [P]eople are very sensible here."
The teen driver's father was in the passenger seat at the time of the crash. She had recently obtained her learner's permit.
In Virginia, teenagers can apply for a learner's permit at age 15½. The minimum age to get a driver's license is 16 years and three months.
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