Pedestrians in Florida face many challenging circumstances. Even intersections with crosswalks and warning signs may not be enough to prevent a speeding or distracted driver from striking and injuring someone on foot. In motor vehicle accidents involving a pedestrian, there is little chance the pedestrian will escape without serious injuries. Unfortunately, children are some of the most common victims of pedestrian accidents.
One Florida family wants authorities to file criminal charges against the woman who ran over their daughter on a recent Monday morning. The 11-year-old was on her way to school when, according to witnesses, the vehicle struck her, sending the child into the vehicle’s windshield and onto the street. The car then ran over the girl’s legs and left the scene, leaving the child unconscious in the road.
A long recovery
Witnesses say the driver returned to the scene about an hour later, after emergency responders had already transported the child to the hospital. Apparently, she claims she was praying and did not realize she had hit the girl until she got home. State law requires drivers to stop immediately after an accident, and failing to do so is a felony.
The mother of the victim indicated that her daughter’s life will never be the same because of her injuries, and that she will have physical and mental struggles as well as dealing with the emotional trauma of the event. Of the 254 fatal hit-and-run motor vehicle accidents in Florida last year, 63% of them involved pedestrians and bicyclists. Hundreds more accident victims suffered serious injuries, many of which were likely life-changing.