Despite having less than 2% of the state’s population, Marion County accounts for more than 4.5% of the state’s pedestrian fatalities, with the most recent incident this weekend brining the county’s current total to ten.
Two more individuals lost their lives in fatal accidents over the weekend in Marion County, including an 81-year-old pedestrian walking on U.S. Highway 301. At least 30 individuals have been killed in vehicular accidents on Marion County roadways this year.
On Sunday, the Florida Highway Patrol reported a fatal crash between a sedan and a pedestrian that took place near the intersection of U.S. Highway 301 and SE 169th Street, at around 1:30 a.m.
According to FHP, a 24-year-old Ocala woman was driving a Hyundai Elantra northbound on U.S. Hwy 301, just north of SE 169th Street in the left lane.
An elderly pedestrian who was traveling west across the northbound lanes of U.S. Hwy 301 was struck by the sedan’s left front corner as it passed. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The death marks at least the 10th pedestrian fatality on a Marion County roadway this year.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, at least 53 of the 2,592 vehicle accidents reported in Marion County through June 7 involved pedestrians.
At least nine of those incidents resulted in pedestrian fatalities and around half of them took place on U.S. Highway 441.
Across the entire state of Florida, there have been approximately 4,412 pedestrian crashes resulting in 222 pedestrian fatalities through June 5.
Accordingly, Marion County’s pedestrian fatalities represent over 4.5% of the state’s total number of pedestrian fatalities this year.
The United States Census Bureau reports the population of Florida is approximately 23,372,215 and the population of Marion County is 428,905, which means that the county accounts for approximately 1.8% of the state’s population.
For more information on the fatal accidents that have occurred in the county, or state, this year or any time over the past several years, visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Traffic Crash Reports online.