When I am planning on going on vacation to a new place I usually think about what clothes to take, where to visit, how to get around, and where I will eat. Something that usually never crosses my mind is how safely people drive in the area or how safe it is – because, let’s face it, that’s not part of our “vacation mode”.
Speed racing takes two lives in Tampa
For Jessica Raubenolt, her husband, David, and daughter Lillian; their trip from Jeromesville, Ohio to Tampa, Florida was so much more than that. David, whom Jessica married a little over two years ago, was supposed to get his certification as a single-engine airplane pilot in Pompano Beach.
On Wednesday May 23, a week before their return to Ohio, Jessica took her daughter on a walk along Bayshore Boulevard; around the same time Cameron Herrin and John Barrineau, recent high school graduates, hit the gas initiating what would become a deadly race. Jessica and her 21-month-old Lillia’s stroller were struck by Herrin’s Mustang as they were crossing the northbound lanes from the sidewalk on the bay towards the neighborhood where her uncle lives.
Meanwhile, back home David was wondering where his wife and daughter were; so he went to look for them. He arrived at the scene and the damaged stroller after Jessica and her daughter had been taken to the hospital – both were taken to Tampa General Hospital where Jessica was pronounced dead soon after her arrival and her daughter Lillia died on Thursday.
Narrowing of Gandy and Howard Ave lanes
City officials had planned on lowering the speed limit to 35mph by October due to the narrowing of lanes between Gandy and Howard Avenue. According to Jean Duncan, the director of transportation and storm water services, the City will now implement the change right away.
Flashing beacons across Bayshore
Besides pedestrian crosswalks with flashing beacons in some streets, there are other plans to make Bayshore Boulevard safer for cyclists, joggers, and walkers. Some projects have been slow due to funding, after hearing about the deaths of Jessica and her daughter Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist directed the county administrator to come up with ways that Hillsborough County can help pay for the flashing-beacons across Bayshore.
What can you do?
There are things you can to prevent tragic pedestrian deaths like these. For example,
- Always be aware of your surroundings as a driver and pedestrian
- Go below the speed limit if conditions demand
- Remember pedestrians have the right of way
- Don’t speed!
- Teach your kids from a young age that speed KILLS!
If you would like to voice your opinion on the changes and plans set to happen contact the Florida Department of Transportation for District 7.
Contact Brooks Law Group
If you, or a loved one, has lost someone close or has been the victim of someone else’s negligence, contact Brooks Law Group today at 1-800-LAW-3030 for a free consultation. Attorneys at Brooks are ready to help you navigate through these difficult times and to fight for you and the compensation you deserve.
