Pedestrian Accident

A notoriously dangerous intersection on County Road 46-A that has been the scene of at least 60 auto accidents in the last three years is going to be reconfigured, according to Seminole County officials. The intersection of Hartwell Avenue and County Road 46-A in Sanford is near two schools and hundreds of homes and apartments and has been a major concern for area residents for years. One nearby resident, Sonja Reddick, hears and sees accidents at the intersection on a regular basis.

“I’ve witnessed a whole bunch. I can sit in my house and hear, ‘Crash!’ I know what happened,” she said recently after learning about the planned overhaul.

The county recently announced that work will begin soon on the $1.5 million renovation of the intersection, which will include adding a middle left turn lane that should significantly reduce the number of rear-end collisions at the intersection.

Another Sanford resident, Dick Hedges, avoids the intersection whenever possible, citing the difficulties and dangers of making left-hand turns.

“There should be a turning lane there, I believe. You just have to wait for the light and dart and take your chances,” he said.

At least 17,000 motorists travel through the intersection every day, but they are not the only ones at risk. Pedestrians must also brave the intersection on their way to school, their homes and other nearby destinations, and many have been struck and seriously injured or killed at the intersection in recent years. Last September, an 11-year-old was struck by a car and critically injured while crossing the intersection.

Ask any Orlando personal injury attorney about the most dangerous intersections in Central Florida, and the intersection of Hartwell Avenue and County Road 46-A ranks near the top of any list. People who are injured in accidents at this and other notorious intersections often seek the counsel of Orlando personal injury lawyers such as James O. Cunningham to help them seek damages against negligent drivers. Since 1977, Mr. Cunningham has helped countless injured people receive the fair and just compensation they deserve through negotiated settlements and court awards. If you or a member of your immediate family has been injured in an accident and you have questions about your rights and the law, call Mr. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

Florida Highway Patrol officers are requesting that those who may have seen a recent fatal hit-and-run pedestrian accident come forward with any information they may have. Accident investigators say that the accident occurred near the intersection of Semoran and Old Cheney Highway in east Orange County. They say an adult male pedestrian was crossing Semoran east-to-west when he was struck and killed by a black Jeep Wrangler. They say that after the jeep struck the man, the driver immediately fled the scene to avoid taking responsibility.

The pedestrian was taken to Florida Hospital for treatment but died of his injuries shortly after arrival. FHP troopers say that charges are pending in the accident, which remains under investigation. They are asking anyone who may have witnessed the accident or knows anything about it to call the Florida Highway Patrol at 407-737-2213 or Crimeline at 407-423-8477.

Since he began practicing law in 1977, Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham has seen the Orlando metropolitan area grow significantly in size and population. He has also seen the number of pedestrians injured and killed in pedestrian accidents climb steadily over the years and the metro area become the nation’s most dangerous for anyone walking or biking along roadways. Regular readers of this blog will know that a report issued last year named our area the worst in the country for pedestrian accidents after years of steadily increasing and tragic accident statistics. There are many reasons for this ignominious distinction, including the following:

• Infrastructure designed for automobiles
• Very large intersections
• Lack of sidewalks
• Large number of drivers who run red lights
• Talking and texting on cell phones while driving
• Intoxicated drivers
• Drivers who deliberately try to intimidate pedestrians and bicyclists

Pedestrians who survive being struck by an automobile often face a very long and expensive road to recovery. That is one of the many reasons why so many injured people choose Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham to help them seek damages against the negligent driver who injured them. Mr. Cunningham has a proven record of success, gives each client and case the individual attention they deserve and works hard to help clients receive the fair and just compensation they need to pay medical bills and recover from their injuries. If you would like to speak with Mr. Cunningham in a free consultation, call him today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000.

Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham is following developments in a recent pedestrian accident that seriously injured two women walking in downtown Orlando. A spokesperson with the Orlando Police Department reports that the two women were walking near the intersection of Colonial Drive and Edgewater Drive shortly after 4 p.m. on October 25 when they were struck by a car. The women were taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries, and Orlando Police have launched a full investigation into the accident.

The police are withholding most details while their investigation continues and are reportedly trying to determine why the driver of the car crossed four lanes of traffic to strike the pedestrians. Police say the women were standing on a sidewalk when a car of unknown make and color veered through traffic and struck them. An article in the Orlando Sentinel about the accident did not state whether or not the driver remained at the scene or fled to avoid taking responsibility for his or her actions.

Sadly, accidents like this only add to the Orlando metropolitan area’s reputation as the country’s most dangerous place for pedestrians. Readers of this blog know very well that Florida in general and our area in particular lead the nation in numbers of people killed and injured in pedestrian accidents. Experts cite a combination of circumstances that contribute to this sorry distinction, such as lack of sidewalks, an infrastructure built specifically for automobiles, drivers who are ignorant of state laws, busy roadways, wide intersections and others. Despite local efforts to raise awareness about pedestrian safety and increase the number of sidewalks and other safety measures, much remains to be done to make area roadways safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Perhaps most distressing of all are recent reports of some drivers who deliberately try to intimidate walkers and bicyclists by driving too closely to them, braking suddenly, trying to run them off the road and other aggressive acts. If you or a close family member has been struck and injured in a pedestrian accident and you would like to speak with an experienced Orlando personal injury attorney, call James O. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000. Mr. Cunningham has a proven record of success helping injured people receive the fair and just compensation they deserve and gives each client and case the individual attention they deserve. Call today to get an aggressive Orlando pedestrian accident lawyer on your side!

A woman walking to her car at Orlando’s Festival Bay Mall on International Drive was struck and seriously injured by a vehicle, adding to the Orlando area’s reputation as the most dangerous place in the country for pedestrians. The investigation is still ongoing, but police say that the accident occurred on September 29 around 4:40 in the afternoon. The woman’s age and address have not yet been released by Orlando Police, but they say she was struck and run over in the mall’s parking lot and was trapped beneath the car that struck her for some time until rescuers were able to free her. She was taken to an Orlando-area hospital with undisclosed injuries and is listed in serious condition. Police say charges are pending against the driver who struck her.

Between 2000 and 2009, more than 5,000 people were struck and killed in pedestrian accidents in our state. A well-publicized report issued by transportation group Transportation for America earlier this summer listed Florida as the worst state in the country for pedestrian accidents as well as bicycle accidents. Around 11.1 percent of all people killed in pedestrian accidents and 17.4 percent of people killed in bicycle accidents are killed in Florida each year. Making matters worse, Transportation for America found that the Orlando-Kissimmee metropolitan area is the most dangerous place in the country for pedestrians.

There are a number of reasons why our area has earned this unfortunate distinction, including the following:

• Lack of sidewalks
• A transportation infrastructure designed and built specifically for automobiles
• Heavy traffic on area streets and highways
• High speeds
• Poor public awareness about the scope of our area’s pedestrian accident problems

All of these factors contribute to making our area dangerous for people who walk and bike to get around, but the single-largest factor is drivers who engage in negligent behavior such as the following:

• Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
• Speeding
• Running red lights
• Driving aggressively to intimidate pedestrians and bicyclists
• Talking or texting on cell phones while driving

Have you or a close family member been injured in a pedestrian accident caused by a negligent driver? If so, you may be entitled to receive damages to help pay medical bills, replace lost wages and compensate you for pain and suffering and other damages. If you would like to speak with an Orlando personal injury lawyer who believes in giving each client and case the individual attention they deserve, call James O. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a consultation. He has law offices throughout Central Florida and has a proven record of success helping injured pedestrians. Call him today!

An autistic six-year-old girl is in the hospital and clinging to life after a car struck and severely injured her on the evening of July 28. A spokesman with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said the pedestrian accident occurred on Tivoli Drive in Deltona. The investigation into the pedestrian accident is ongoing, but early reports claim the little girl ran out of a house and into the path of a passing vehicle. First responders airlifted the girl to Arnold Palmer Hospital, and her condition is unknown.
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The Orlando Sentinel reports that an unmarked Orange County Sheriff’s unmarked van struck and killed a 44-year-old woman recently. The pedestrian accident occurred around 11 p.m. as the woman crossed North Orange Blossom Trail near Sadler Road, a bit north of Zellwood and south of Mount Dora. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 30-year-old sheriff’s deputy was reportedly driving northbound in an unmarked Orange County Sheriff’s Office van on North Orange Blossom Trail when he struck the woman with the van.

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Boston.com reports that a well-respected and prominent cardiologist from the Boston area was struck and killed recently while jogging in an Orlando pedestrian accident. The 63-year-old was the director of Advanced Heart Disease at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and was in the area to attend the Orlando for the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2009 Conference.

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The Gainesville Sun reports that a car driven by a 20-year-old woman from Gainesville struck and killed a 24-year-old Gainesville resident, who was described by family and friends as a knowledgeable, caring person. Police investigating the accident said that the accident occurred around 6:45 in the evening of November 2 as the victim was walking south in the 2300 block of Archer Road. She was not in a crosswalk. The driver of the car was eastbound on Archer Road and told police she had just moved into the center lane of the three-lane road to avoid hitting a group of pedestrians when she struck the victim.

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An Orlando man accused of causing an auto accident that claimed the life of another man entered a guilty plea recently. The accused was allegedly involved in an illegal street race that killed a bystander watching the race.

“I want to say I’m so sorry to (the victim’s mother),” the man said after sentencing. After the accused made that statement, Judge Roger McDonald made an unusual request that stunned many in the courtroom—including the accused man’s mother.

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An article published recently in the Orlando Sentinel describes a hit-and-run pedestrian accident that claimed the life of a 16-year-old Leesburg High student from Okahumpka. A car hit the young man as he walked along County Road 33 on October 4 while talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone. After the pedestrian accident, the victim was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center where he died when taken off life support.

The victim’s mother has urged law enforcement authorities to investigate the pedestrian accident, but the lack of publicity in the case has made her uncertain whether or not the police were looking for the driver who struck the young man and fled from the scene. She went public recently with her dissatisfaction about the lack of cooperation and communication in the case.

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