CLERMONT, Fla. — A dangerous crossing in Lake County is raising new concerns about pedestrian and bicyclist safety. At CR-455 and the South Lake Trail, fewer than 40% of drivers are yielding to people trying to cross.
Safety advocates said this is a problem that can no longer be ignored.
“I come from Winter Garden, and this is how far I come and turn around specifically to avoid the dangers of this intersection and the complications on this end of the trail,” Thomas Palmer, a bicyclist, said.
For people like Palmer who use the South Lake Trail daily, crossing CR-455 can be a dangerous part of their journey. The numbers show just how often drivers aren’t stopping here.
According to Best Foot Forward, 60% of drivers are not yielding to pedestrians at this crossing.
That has resulted in a pedestrian being killed at this crossing in September 2026. A bicyclist also lost their life here in March 2022.
“I saw the aftermath of it, as I was coming up to this intersection,” Palmer said. “It really struck home when you see if firsthand. It has a different impact than seeing it on the news. You see it.”
All this, despite warning features designed to alert drivers that someone is crossing.
“Even when the flashing beacons are going, warning lights, there’s other features that are trying to get drivers to slow down,” Vince Dyer, Best Foot Forward Program Director, said. “They are just going so fast and not paying attention.”
Tuesday, community advocates took action and reminded drivers to slow down and yield.
Advocates said it shouldn’t take another tragedy to get drivers to pay attention.
“There are a lot of trail users here crossing, they’re vulnerable, everyone needs to slow down,” Dyer said.
Florida law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians in marked crosswalks when they are crossing. If they do not stop, they can face a citation.
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