Female Pedestrian Killed in Hit and Run Accident in Tampa, the Sixteenth Fatality in the Tampa Bay Area in a Week
A female pedestrian died in a hit and run accident outside Tampa recently, marking the sixteenth fatality in a motor vehicle accident in the greater Tampa area in a single week.
According to a report from ABC Action News, this fatality occurred when a woman was attempting to cross U.S. 19 just south of State Route 52 in the town of Hudson north of Tampa at approximately 11:00 p.m. on April 11th. The pedestrian was crossing the road outside of a crosswalk when she was struck by a car that then sped away without stopping.
Nearby witnesses were unable to identify the make or model of the car, but did describe what appeared to be a vehicle with a custom black sparkle paint job and heavily tinted windows. Despite an exhaustive investigation thus far, police have been unable to identify the driver of the vehicle that hit and killed the woman.
The other fifteen fatalities in the greater Tampa Bay area last week included three other pedestrian deaths, five motorcyclists who were killed, and one individual on a bicycle killed by a motor vehicle. Of these sixteen fatalities, several also involved distracted drivers, including one who was texting while driving and did not look up before crashing.
Florida: One of the Deadliest States for Motor Vehicle Accidents in 2017
Crash statistics from insurance industry group the Insurance Information Institute from 2017 reflect that Florida had the third highest rate of fatal car crashes of any state in the United States despite having nowhere near the population of much more populous states like Texas or California. With accident numbers that rivaled California and Texas, nearly 3,000 Florida drivers and passengers are killed in motor vehicle accidents each year according to the Institute. This is only further confirmed by the large numbers of fatalities in a single week in the Tampa Bay area alone. Although vehicle on vehicle crashes form the majority of fatal car accidents in Florida in terms of accident numbers, the death rate in motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists is much higher than in accidents involving two motor vehicles. There are simply less accidents involving bicyclists or pedestrians than there are accidents involving multiple motor vehicles. This is because, compared with the relative protection offered by the enclosed space of a motor vehicle, a pedestrian or bicyclist (even if wearing a helmet) is almost completely unprotected if a car is bearing down on him or her. This was proven by the recent week in the Tampa Bay area, in which 16 people died, a testament to how often Floridians are killed in a variety of different types of car crashes.
Contact the Experienced Accident Attorneys of Lytal Reiter if You Have Been Injured or a Loved One Has Been Killed in a Florida Motor Vehicle Accident
Hit and Run Automobile Accident Attorneys in West Palm Beach
About Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath
Conveniently located in West Palm Beach for 27 years, Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath, LLP concentrates in Personal Injury, Wrongful death, Medical Malpractice, Product Liability and Auto accidents. At Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath, we specialize in helping victims and their families get fair compensation for injuries caused by the negligence or recklessness of others. Our main areas of practice include personal injury, wrongful death, auto accidents, product liability, medical malpractice, and premise liability. We provide each client with the highest quality representation from a top Florida accident and injury lawyer. Call us at 561-655-1990 or Visit us at.
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