A 72-year-old woman who was working as a crossing guard near Oakleaf High School in Clay County, Florida, was struck by a car and suffered minor injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) released the video footage and issued a warning to motorists driving in school zones.
“Please pay attention while driving in school zones. Our children’s safety depends on it. This happened this morning in Clay County. #ChildSafetyFL,” the FHP wrote on Twitter on Aug. 27.
The crossing guard was stepping out to stop traffic near the high school after 7 a.m. local time, News4Jax reported. The guard, in the video, could be seen holding up a “Stop” sign and wearing a yellow reflective vest.
After the collision, other people rush to the area to help her.
The driver, a 16-year-old, will be facing charges in relation to the incident, Jacksonville.com reported. The teen was taken to Vincent’s hospital with non-life threatening injuries. ActionNewsJax reported that the driver is male.
A crossing guard in Clay County is recovering from minor injuries after she was hit by a car on the morning of Aug. 27, 2018. (Florida Highway Patrol in Jacksonville video screenshot)
Clay County Superintendent Addison Davis told ActionNewsJax that the woman got immediate medical assistance, and after she was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Clay County, she’s believed to be in good condition.
The ActionNewsJax report noted that the crossing guard’s name is Barbara Koranda, and she has been a crossing guard for eight years.
Other details about the incident are not clear. The name of the driver was not revealed in local news reports.
Car Crashes the ‘Leading Cause of Death’
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that motor vehicle accidents “are the leading cause of death” for teens in the United States.
“In 2015, 2,333 teens in the United States ages 16–19 were killed and 235,845 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes. That means that six teens ages 16–19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries,” according to the CDC’s statistics.
It stated: “In 2013, young people ages 15-19 represented only 7 percent of the U.S. population. However, they accounted for 11 percent ($10 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries.”
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that speeding is a factor in 31 percent of teen driver deaths which occur. In 2016, the last figures on deaths, 2,082 teen drivers were involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents, the agency says. And about 20 percent of teen drivers involved in deadly accidents had alcohol as a factor.
“Novice teen drivers are twice as likely as adult drivers to be in a fatal crash. Despite a 46-percent decline in driver fatalities of 15- to 18-year-olds between 2007 and 2016, teens are still significantly overrepresented in fatal crashes,” the NHTSA says.
It adds: “NHTSA research tells us that immaturity and inexperience are primary factors contributing to these deadly crashes. Both lead to high-risk behavior behind the wheel: driving at nighttime, driving after drinking any amount of alcohol, and driving distracted by passengers and electronic devices.”
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
