A woman was giving an 11-year-old boy a driving lesson when he accidentally ran over her in Salt Lake City on Wednesday afternoon, police said Thursday.

The woman was standing next to her car with the driver's side door open and engine running, teaching him how to drive behind a parking garage at 649 E. 100 South when he suddenly released the clutch with the gear shift in reverse, said Salt Lake City police Detective Dennis McGowan.

The car lurched backward and the open door caught the woman, knocking her to the ground. The car then ran her over with the front wheels as it spun in a semi-circle.

The woman suffered a head wound and leg injuries. She was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later was upgraded to serious. The boy is a friend of the family.

McGowan said there was no indication of why she was giving the boy a driving lesson, but he warned people to be careful with children in running cars.

"You never leave a child in the car with the engine running unattended any time under any circumstances," he said. No charges are expected in the case, McGowan said.