Parents call for improved safety at Tampa school bus stops

A little more than a month has passed since seven individuals, who’d all been waiting at a north Tampa school bus stop one morning in November, were crashed into by a motorist. As many of them continue to recover from their injuries, residents of the neighborhood where the incident occurred have begun petitioning city officials to do more to make area roadways and bus stops safer for all.

The father of two girls, one who is 6-years-old and another who is 12, attended a meeting of city council members earlier this month. He recounted how it’s heartbreaking watching his youngest daughter as she recovers from broken bones to her hand, hip, leg and neck.

He was joined by at least 25 other concerned residents at the hour-long meeting. One mom asked why children have to cross the street to get to bus stops. Other parents expressed concerns over how well the Tampa Police Department enforces laws that require motorists to stop for school buses or yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.

The city council member who organized the meeting made sure to invite representatives from the school district and police department to send a message to residents that they’re listening to their concerns.

In the few weeks since the incident occurred, city officials have already approved plans to improve safety along a two-mile section of Bougainvillea Avenue. They plan to make its 30 miles per hour speed limit signs more visible to motorists. The city council member who arranged the meeting says that they’re all working to come up with additional safety measures as well.

The motorist who is alleged to have struck the pedestrians hasn’t yet been charged with any crimes.

Intersections are notoriously dangerous. They tend to be where a motorist is most apt to strike another car, motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrian. These crashes are often caused by distracted, drunk and other types of reckless drivers. An attorney may advise a seriously injured victim of their right to recover medical costs and other types of compensation if their injuries were caused by another motorist’s negligence.