A 13-year-old Hernando girl, Kaitlyn Harper, was struck by a vehicle and died while walking to her bus stop at approximately 6:44 AM this morning. Kaitlyn was on her way to West Hernando Middle School, when the accident occurred. The driver was a 52 year old Hernando County man driving a Dodge pickup, and although the investigation is ongoing, the driver has yet to be charged with anything according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

News reports indicate the accident occurred on an unlit street. Is Ms. Harper another victim of the early school day in which children are forced to wait for buses or walk to school in the early morning hours before the crack of dawn. One life lost is enough but this is happening often enough around the Tampa Bay area, that I dare use the word epidemic.

I understand that parents and children have some responsibility, but they have no choice regarding when the school day starts and many times, no options regarding transportation.

The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control has recently published a study trying to identify strategies for preventing Child pedestrian accidents in the future. This advocacy group is working with other agencies in trying to implement these strategies and prevent these tragedies from occurring.

About the Law Offices of James W. Dodson

The Law Offices of James W. Dodson, a Florida based wrongful death legal firm, has successfully handled Florida pedestrian accidents & personal injury cases for over 20 years in Pinellas County, Pasco County, Manatee County, and throughout Florida.