Yet another death calls attention to pedestrian safety in Tampa
Tampa Bay is one of the most dangerous cities for pedestrians in the U.S. for a reason.
Tampa has consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous cities for pedestrians in the U.S. With pedestrian deaths at a five-year high, and Tampa ranked last year as the second-most dangerous city in the U.S. for pedestrians, walkers, runners, and bikers in the city are right to be wary.
Pedestrian safety remains a problem. On May 3, 2015, another pedestrian was struck and killed in Tampa, on North Florida Avenue and Floral Drive. In the wake of the accident, the victim’s friend called for increased crosswalks on the street. While there are crosswalks on North Florida Avenue, there were none for a mile stretch where the accident occurred. The victim was a 55 year-old who was walking in the bicycle lane. The driver did not see the victim, according to the police report.
The Florida Department of Transportation has initiated a study on North Florida Avenue to determine whether to put in an additional crosswalk. If FDOT does determine one is needed, a subsequent engineering study will determine if the proposed crosswalk would meet federal and state standards.
In the meanwhile, that particular stretch of road remains one among many problem areas in the city. According to one resident who spoke to Tampa Fox 13 after the fatal accident, pedestrians cross the road “all the time” while “traffic goes really fast out here. Because of the red lights being so far away from each other, we hear people speeding and the revving of engines all the time.”
Of course, this is not the only section of the city dangerous for pedestrians. Shortly after the Florida Sheriffs Task Force undertook an initiative to improve pedestrian safety in the city in late 2014, the Tampa Tribune called for even further action to improve pedestrian safety. “Many drivers seem scarcely aware that pedestrians are entitled to cross the road,” the editors wrote, and that “not a day goes by when one can’t see a driver in downtown Tampa turning right on red without even looking for pedestrians.”
Drivers turning on a red light without looking for pedestrians are the leading cause of pedestrian accidents in the city, according to Tampa police.
Help with recovery
Accidents involving pedestrians can be especially tragic. With distracted drivers, drunk drivers, drowsy drivers, and just plain bad drivers out on the road, any accident can turn deadly. But for vulnerable pedestrians, even a slow-moving car can cause significant injury or death.
If you have been injured in an accident while out walking or riding a bike, there is legal help available to recover from your injuries. A personal injury lawsuit can help you to pay for medical bills and make up for lost wages. In a dangerous city for pedestrians, like Tampa, it is also important to the wellbeing of the city that injured pedestrians hold negligent drivers accountable to prevent future accidents.
Keywords: Pedestrian accidents, pedestrian safety, personal injury lawsuit.
