PETITION
PROTECT FLORIDA PEDESTRIANS FROM HIT-AND-RUNs
Demand Florida implement stronger traffic safety measures to prevent
hit-and-run accidents and fatalities.

My daughter, Rachal, was tragically struck and run over by a large SUV
when crossing Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach. The driver did
not stop and left her for dead. My daughter suffered severe wounds and
fought for her life in a hospital for three agonizing weeks before finally
succumbing to her injuries. She left behind parents, two loving children
four amazing grandchildren and five siblings.

Rachal was one of hundreds killed on Florida roads each year due to hit-and-runs. Her untimely passing is a grim reminder of the incredibly unsafe traffic conditions in Florida, especially for pedestrians in Palm Beach County.

Florida currently has one of the highest rates of hit-and-run accidents in the
United States. According to the Department of Florida Highway Safety and
Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), from 2015-2024 there were over a million hit-
and-run crashes which resulted in 2,366 traffic fatalities. In 2023 alone, there were over 100,000 hit-and-run incidences, with 271 fatalities and 871 serious bodily injuries . The majority of hit-and-run fatalities are pedestrians. Of particular concern are the number of incidents that occur on Okeechobee Boulevard, the location of the hit-and-run that killed Rachal and the location of the highest number of accidents in Palm Beach County since 2014. The elevated number of fatalities should serve as a chilling wake-up call to prioritize traffic safety and enforcement mechanisms
in order to prevent hit-and-runs in the future.

The state and county have responsibilities to protect its people. It is essential that stricter policies are implemented to deter negligent driving and hit-and-run accidents. We should encourage responsible driving behavior, increase the consequences for those who fail to stay at the scene of an accident, and offer more investment in traffic safety education and infrastructure. Safety measures should include enhanced crosswalk design, pedestrian bridges and refuge islands (particularly on Okeechobee Blvd), and improved lighting to increase visibility. Enforcement mechanisms should include enhanced penalties, traffic cameras at dangerous intersections and hit-and-run task forces to quickly find perpetrators. Public awareness campaigns and driver education programs are also necessary to educate drivers about the consequences of hit-and-run incidents and the importance to yield to pedestrians.

We are begging to have these issues addressed seriously and urgently by state and county officials to prevent other families from suffering the way ours has.

Please, honor the memory of my daughter Rachal and countless others by pushing for safer roads in Florida, especially in Palm Beach County.

We plead for your signature on this petition to make the roads in Florida safer for everyone. Thank you for your support.

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