Accident @ LSL
 

Any word on the pedestrian vs car today @ LSL? There was a lot of Sheriffs, etc there. I don't think it was a fatal, but it was pretty serious. A State Trooper took over the investigation.

whenever there is a traffic accident on a road or street...the highway patrol is called.

Can't figure out why. I'm sure the Sheriff's are qualified to investigate accidents. Seems like a waste of State resources.

Maybe there are state and not local funds designated for accident investigation, as to why they are called in.

I'm thinking this is correct! IF there is a bigger question re: this...call the Sherrif's office and ask instead of speculation. It's more than likely a state law.

As an aside to this unfortunate accident...it is bound to happen here. We all see folks walking, stepping out into traffic looking neither way. THAT with "some" folks who drive as if they're "late for a very important date". Add...the folks who are so involved with their phones rather than looking where they're going....ALL these are recipes for an accident.

I believe in cases of fatalities or those that may become fatalities later, the State Police are called in to investigate. They have more experience and resources.

Last week I had two women step off the curb in front of my golf cart. The first time I stopped and the woman didn't even turn around. To this day she has no idea how close she was to getting seriously injured or killed.

Two days later another one step in front of me and turned to look after she stepped off the curb. I hit my brakes and she jumped back onto the sidewalk.

I don't know about all of you, but my mother taught me to look both ways before crossing a street.

I was taught to also look both directions before crossing a street ~ walking or driving!

Look both ways twice. Maybe a few tickets issued to those walkers might bring attention to the issue.

It's bound to happen. When learning to drive, I was taught to be on the look out for possible kids or other pedestrians that might run or step out onto the road. Years of driving in Vermont taught me to be on the look out for wildlife that might step/run out. I was also taught to know where the other vehicles around me were and to know my possible "outs" should I need one. It's saved me from mishaps many a time.
I knew of a women who swerved to avoid a raccoon and ended up flipping her car and ended up paralyzed from the neck down. Driving is a heady adult responsibility. Glad so many people pay attention and for the slower speed limits especially with all the visitors we get and those with slower reactions or awareness here. I bet it's still much safer here then in many places.

I agree, that as a pedestrian you have to be cautious. but no mention so far as to the inconsiderate and reckless drivers who simply ignore the requirement to stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. It is not a courtesy in Florida. It is the law. And it applies to golf cart drivers also.

I agree, pedestrians do have the right of way at crosswalks, but if we could just get them to use the crosswalks. How many times do you see people step out and cross from between parked cars/carts without even looking and get upset with a car/cart driver because they almost got hit. Pedestrians in The Villages think they have the right of way any time/place.

I think that many of us, when walking, do not understand the law. A driver MUST stop for a pedestrian ALREADY in a crosswalk. But the pedestrian IS NOT permitted to ENTER the crosswalk when traffic is approaching. I think many pedestrians are unclear on this and therefore feel they are entitled to just walk out into the crosswalk and expect traffic to stop for them. Either that or many are just oblivious to their surroundings