An 11-year-old boy on his way to Mater Academy’s Davenport campus was hit by a vehicle yesterday morning and airlifted to a local hospital, according to authorities. Deputies said the child suffered minor bruising and is expected to survive, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office determined the crash was accidental and did not cite the driver.
Parents at the charter school say the stretch of Ronald Reagan Parkway outside the campus is a problem waiting to happen, pointing out that it has no marked school zone and no crossing guards. They are now demanding immediate safety upgrades before another child gets hurt.
As reported by WKMG ClickOrlando, deputies said the boy was struck after he got out of his mother’s car in the designated drop-off lane and tried to cross toward campus. The station noted that traffic on Ronald Reagan Parkway was moving “at high speeds” during the morning rush and reported that the posted speed limit there is 45 miles per hour. According to WKMG, parents say they have been asking the district and the county since November to establish a school zone, but say they have not received a response…