As mentioned in previous blog posts, pedestrian accidents plague Florida roadways and often result in catastrophic injuries or death due to the lack of protection for the pedestrians involved.

This past weekend, a fatal accident took the lives of three young individuals in South Florida. On Saturday, in the early morning hours, a 22-year-old from Fort Lauderdale and a 22-year-old from Sunrise, Florida, were in an accident that apparently involved a tree. This happened sometime around 4:30 a.m., according to police. At that time, authorities say a 24-year-old man from Plantation, Florida stopped to help them.

As they assessed the damage caused from the one-vehicle accident, a passing car struck and killed them, authorities said. It is not clear whether the three victims died at the scene of the crash or were transported to nearby hospitals before passing away.

According to a news story, 11 people have died after leaving their car in five separate incidents during the last year. Some of the accidents were due to people being in minor crashes and others involved those who stopped to help another person.

Police say those who exit their car while on the side of the road have to be especially careful and try their best to protect themselves by staying behind guardrails. Unfortunately, this is not always a possibility in every situation and although pedestrians have responsibility to keep themselves safe, drivers are expected to act responsibly when pedestrians are on the side of the road. In many states, drivers are instructed by law to move into another lane away from cars stopped on the side of the road.

It is unclear whether the driver involved in the fatal crash will face charges.

Source: Sun Sentinel, "South Florida roads prove dangerous for people not in their cars," Robert Nolin, Jan. 23, 2012