ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Community members want improvements on State Road A1A following a head-on collision on Sunday that left two drivers dead.
The fatal crash occurred approximately one mile south of Mickler Road. According to a preliminary investigation by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), a vehicle driven by a 38-year-old motorist crossed the center line into the southbound lane. The vehicle crashed directly into an oncoming car driven by a 20-year-old. Both drivers suffered fatal injuries.
Many say that speeding and reckless passing maneuvers have become the norm.
“I see a lot of overtakes out there,” said local resident Ethan Lee. “Sometimes it gets like a racetrack. It’s just a mess out there over on A1A.”
Another resident, Alma Skratulia, echoed those safety concerns. “Some people are just going over the speed limit, and to me, it is very dangerous,” Skratulia said. “I feel like the safer the town is, the better for everyone. I know some people are just rushing through to get wherever they need to be, but they must follow the rules.”
The recurring dangers on the highway have prompted neighbors to call on officials for swift intervention. However, community members remain split on the best approach to fix the problem.
Some residents believe the solution is in lowering the speed limits to force drivers to slow down.
“It should go down maybe to 45 [mph],” suggested Donna Racanelli.
Others argue that the existing laws are sufficient, but should bring more police presence.
“I wouldn’t change the speed necessarily,” Lee countered. “I would just enforce some more laws out there, make sure the cops are out there seeing if people are driving recklessly.”
FDOT’s statement regarding the tragic fatal crash on A1A/Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway (Ponte Vedra Boulevard):
“Our hearts break whenever we learn of a fatality or serious injury on the roadway. Reviewing crash reports is critical to understanding crash causes and identifying opportunities to improve safety. As the recent crash remains under investigation, FDOT respectfully refers questions regarding the recent incident and any available details to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
“As is standard operating procedure, FDOT reviews all reported crashes on state roadways and interstates – a special emphasis is placed on fatalities and crashes with injuries. While there are no existing plans to improve the infrastructure at the location at this time, if there are improvements that can be made to enhance the safety of the facilities, FDOT will work to implement them. This process includes careful analysis by professional engineers and other evaluations that may be warranted.
“With regard to speed limits, FDOT follows a statutory process that requires speed limits on state roadways to be established through engineering studies. Speed studies evaluate roadway conditions and driving patterns and utilize the 85th-percentile speed, which represents the speed at or below which 85 percent of motorists are traveling. Florida law requires that speed limits on state roadways be established using this methodology, and speed limits cannot be changed upon public request.
“Law enforcement agencies are best positioned to address questions related to speed enforcement activities in the area, including details on recent operations and the number of citations issued for speed-related violations.”
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