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.
Mater Academy Davenport's school directory lists the campus at 318 Ronald Reagan Parkway and describes a structured car line with staff directing both drop-off and dismissal. The school's parent handbook instructs drivers to remain in their vehicles while staff handle loading and unloading in the car line area.
Who Can Set School Zones?
Florida law outlines how school speed zones are created and managed. The Department of Transportation is responsible for installing traffic-control devices on state roads when a local government requests them, while counties and cities handle school zones on county or municipal roads. The statute also limits how low school speed limits can go and requires clearly marked signs or flashing beacons that spell out when reduced speeds are in effect, which can affect how quickly any new school zone can be put into place, according to Florida law.
Parents Demand Immediate Action
Parents told WKMG ClickOrlando that a message from the principal asking families not to share videos or details about the crash only added to their frustration. "I'm very angry. I'm honestly, I'm very disgusted," parent Joselyn Rivera said.
Parents also told the station that three other Mater Academy campuses in Central Florida already have marked school zones and crossing guards in place, and said they want the same protections at Davenport. As of Wednesday evening, the school had not issued a public response to those safety requests.
What Comes Next
Requests to add or change a school speed zone or to assign crossing guards typically require coordination among school administrators, county traffic engineers and, when needed, state transportation officials. Any new school zone signs or flashing beacons must comply with federal standards, and engineering reviews that look at crash history, pedestrian patterns and vehicle speeds often determine whether a lower-speed school zone is approved and how quickly it can be installed, as per MUTCD guidance.
