DAVENPORT, Fla. – Parents at Mater Academy in Davenport are demanding safety changes after an 11-year-old boy was hit by a car while walking to school Wednesday morning.
The story came to News 6 after a concerned parent contacted the newsroom through the News 6 Neighborhood Network.
News 6’s Jayna Manohalal spoke with parents who said they have spent months asking for added protections near the school, including a designated school zone and crossing guards.
“I’m very angry. I’m honestly, I’m very disgusted,” parent Joselyn Rivera said.
The crash happened near a crosswalk along Ronald Reagan Parkway outside the school.
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News 6 observed traffic moving through the area at high speeds Wednesday morning. The posted speed limit on Ronald Reagan Parkway is 45 miles per hour, and there is no marked school zone near the campus.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the 11-year-old boy was hit by a vehicle after getting out of his mother’s car while she was in the drop-off lane, and attempting to walk to school.
Deputies said the child suffered minor bruises and was airlifted to a local hospital. Investigators said the boy is expected to survive.
The sheriff’s office said the driver was not cited or arrested because the incident was determined to be an accident.
“We have reached out to the district. We have reached out to the whole county to obtain a school zone, and we have had no response since November,” Rivera said.
Parents also told News 6 that this is not the only Mater Academy campus in Central Florida. They said three other Mater Academy locations already have school zones in place, but the Davenport campus does not.
While driving around the school Wednesday, News 6 did not observe any school zone signs warning drivers that children may be crossing nearby. The only visible roadside sign near one area stated “No parking, stopping or standing.”
News 6 has reached out to Polk County to determine which agency is responsible for establishing school zones in the area.
Meanwhile, parents received a message from the school principal, informing families that the injured student was receiving medical care and asking people not to share videos or information related to the incident on social media.
Rivera said that message frustrated some parents.
“I was honestly rubbed the wrong way. It was pretty much stating us to keep quiet and to not inform anyone, to keep it under wraps,” Rivera said.
Parents say they now want immediate action before another child is hurt.
“Stand up for our children. Keep our children safe. Our kids come first,” Rivera said.
News 6 has reached out to Mater Academy for comment regarding what steps the school plans to take moving forward. As of Wednesday evening, the school had not responded.