What is wrong with this rat?

There was a rat on the street infront of my house. It was just lying there, hardly moving (I knew it was still alive). I didn't want to leave it there because I don't want to get run over by a car and I really don't need to see rat guts all over the street. I tried to move it away lightly with a broom and it got up and began running toward my house. I put the broom in it's way to make it change direction and I guided it to my neighbor's bushes across the street. The rat has been lying down there for a few hours and has now moved to the sidewalk and is just lying there. What's wrong with this rat? Could it be sick or hurt? It seemed as if there was a shiny substance underneath it on the road, so I'm not sure if this came from the rat or if it was already there. I feel bad because I live near a high school and I don't want the poor thing to be abused by the high school students tomorrow morning or for it to be run over by a car. What should I do? I also don't want to touch it because I'm not sure if it's diseased or anything. I've never seen a rat before in my neighborhood.