DEBARY, Fla. – Residents along Azalea Drive in DeBary are calling for safety improvements, saying ongoing speeding and reckless driving have made the roadway increasingly dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.
Neighbors say the issue has persisted for years, with motorists frequently using the road as a shortcut and, at times, treating it like a “raceway.”
“There’s a lot of speeding, a lot of carelessness,” Ashley Gonz said. “Animals get hit right here.”
Concerns intensified after a recent crash involving a Volusia County Sheriff’s deputy. According to the sheriff’s office, the deputy was traveling along Azalea when an oncoming vehicle entered her lane. The deputy slowed to a stop but was unable to move off the roadway due to a mailbox. The other driver sideswiped the patrol vehicle. Authorities said the other driver was found at fault.
For some residents, the crash underscores a broader pattern of unsafe driving in the area.
“There is nothing I can do to try to prevent it,” said Gonz, who has tried placing cones along the road and even standing outside to slow drivers. “People don’t seem to care.”
Residents say the problem is particularly concerning given the presence of a nearby school, which brings increased traffic and more children to the area.
“It’s very dangerous,” Gonz said. “You have a lot of kids right here. They come out and ride their bikes, and you have cars swerving.”
Some neighbors are urging the city to install safety measures such as speed bumps or “Children at Play” signs, while others say drivers simply need to slow down and be more attentive—especially around a curve in the road that residents say is a frequent trouble spot.
News 6 has reached out to city officials to if any specific safety plans along the street are being considered, as residents say they hope action is taken before someone is seriously injured.