A 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy were struck while walking through a crosswalk in Orange County on Saturday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The girl was hospitalized with serious injuries and the boy with minor injuries, officials said, while the driver who hit them stayed at the scene.
Troopers were dispatched to the area of East Colonial Drive and Cricket Club Circle in Orlando around 6:45 p.m. Saturday, according to FOX 35 Orlando. A 2019 Toyota Highlander had been traveling along Cricket Club Circle toward the crosswalk when it struck the two teens, officials said.
The Highlander's driver told officials he had a green light and was beginning a turn onto East Colonial Drive when the collision happened. The 14-year-old girl was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, while the 16-year-old boy was treated for minor injuries, per the station's report. The crash remains under investigation.
A Busy Stretch of Road for Pedestrian Crashes
East Colonial Drive has seen other serious pedestrian crashes in recent years. In March 2023, a pedestrian was killed in a crash around 8:35 p.m. at East Colonial Drive and Sandy Creek Lane in Orlando, according to ClickOrlando.
Saturday's crash also comes amid a string of incidents involving teenagers struck by vehicles around the Orlando area. Just a day earlier, a separate crash near UCF sent eight teenagers to area hospitals after a Honda Fit rear-ended a Honda Civic, which was then pushed into a group of teens walking on the sidewalk, ClickOrlando reported. The eight injured in that crash ranged from 15 to 18 years old, and one was transported as a trauma alert, per the outlet.
Calls for Safer Streets Near Schools
The crash adds to broader concern in Orange County about pedestrian safety for students. After a separate fatal crash in which a teen was struck and killed while walking to Oak Ridge High School, FOX 35 Orlando reported that the posted speed limit outside the school is 45 miles per hour and that there isn't a school speed zone in place. Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe pushed for change following that crash, seeking both a school speed zone and traffic enforcement cameras near the campus.
No further details on the circumstances of Saturday's crash have been released, and investigators have not indicated when their review will be complete.
