New Port Richey Teen Hit By Car

A teenage girl was struck by a car in New Port Richey and was airlifted to a hospital as a trauma alert.

The accident happened around 10:45 a.m. Monday morning on Madison Street.

Residents believe a narrow sidewalk on a busy street is at least partly to blame.

Pasco County Fire Rescue says the teenage girl suffered from a head injury and was flown to a hospital as a trauma alert.

Residents say this is the second student to be struck by a car on Madison Street this year.

Residents agree that speeding is a problem on the busy street.

There is currently no update on the teen’s condition or who is to blame for the accident.

In 2016, 5,987 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes across the United States. These statistics mean that on average, one pedestrian is killed every 1.5 hours. Every year in the United States, at least 100 children are killed in collisions while walking to or from school. Nearly half of all pedestrian deaths of children in or near school zones involve kids who are 15 or older.

Around Florida schools the speed limit is 20 mph. Special speed limit signs are posted around schools to alert you as you enter the zone. These signs have flashing lights to tell you when the lower speed limit is in effect, and there is a sign to indicate when you have left the school zone.

When drivers failure to obey the school zone speed limits, accidents can and do occur. When traveling 20-25 mph, the stopping distance for an average vehicle and a driver with average reaction times is at least 56 feet. At 35 mph, the stopping distance is at least 95 feet. When drivers travel at a normal speed instead of slowing down in school zones, they add 40 feet to their stopping distance.

According to Florida’s State Uniform Traffic Control Law, a pedestrian is defined as any person travelling on foot. Pedestrians are required to obey the instructions of any traffic control device or police officer. Pedestrians are also required by law to use a sidewalk when provided and are not permitted to walk on the paved road. If there is no sidewalk present, pedestrians are required to walk only on the shoulder on the left side of the road facing traffic approaching from the opposite direction.

If your child or teen is walking to or from school or bus stops, especially in heavy traffic areas, it is extremely important to go over safety points with them, including:

• Do not walk distracted. Keep your head up and stay off your phone, so that you can keep an eye on traffic at all times.
• Do not wear headphones and turn any music off. It is very important to be able to hear what is going on around you like screeching tires, horns, sirens, or other audible indicators an accident might occur.
• Always use crosswalks when they are available. Look left and right before crossing and continuously scan traffic while crossing.
• Be alert and watch oncoming traffic when crossing roadways, even when you are legally crossing in a designated crosswalk with the walk sign lit. Not every vehicle will stop behind the white line, so it is important to pause at each lane and make eye contact with the driver to make sure that they see you and are stopping to allow you to pass.
• When sidewalks are not available, walk facing traffic, as far from the road as possible. Look out for oncoming traffic that may swerve, because the driver is distracted or engaging in any type of dangerous driving behavior.

In any pedestrian accident, it is almost always the person walking who suffers the worst. When a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle, they are at risk of:

• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Back Injury
• Broken Bones
• Facial Injuries
• Internal Injuries

Those who were injured or have loved ones who were involved in a pedestrian accident should speak with our Pasco County Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton. We can advise injury victims on whether or not they have a personal injury case for financial compensation, as well as what steps to take next. We can immediately begin investigating your case and start collecting and preserving any pertinent evidence to help prove your injuries were caused by a negligent driver. We urge you to get us involved right away so that no evidence gets lost or destroyed.