Teen struck in Marion Oaks highlights rising concerns over student pedestrian safety

An unidentified woman becomes emotional as she stands at the scene where a vehicle hit a pedestrian on Marion Oaks Trail as the Florida Highway Patrol investigates the accident near the intersection of SW 127th Lane Road in Marion Oaks, Fla. on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2025.

A 15-year-old girl was struck by a vehicle Thursday morning in Marion Oaks and transported under a trauma alert, the latest in a string of juvenile-involved crashes across Marion County in recent weeks.

The collision occurred in the morning hours in the Marion Oaks community. While the teen is homeschooled, sources indicate she may have been escorting a younger sibling to nearby Marion Oaks Elementary School when she was hit on Marion Oaks Trail near Southwest 127th Lane Road.

The Ocala Gazette has previously reported concerns about the lack of sidewalks and the posted 45 mph speed limit on Marion Oaks Trail when Marion Oaks Elementary opened.

At the time of this report, the Florida Highway Patrol was on scene and still investigating the accident.

Other recent pedestrian accidents involving juveniles

The incident comes just days after two students were injured in separate crashes on Nov. 11 in unincorporated areas of the county — one walking and another riding a bicycle.

According to a 911 dispatch record, a Lake Weir Middle School student was hit by an SUV around 8:21 a.m. in the 800 block of Oak Road. The student was also transported under a trauma alert. Details regarding injuries, charges or contributing factors have not yet been released.

The designated bus stop for the area is located at Oak Road and Oak Lane Track, a short distance from where the crash was reported.

Later that afternoon, around 3:14 p.m., another student — a Ross Prairie Elementary 4th grader — was riding his bike home in the 15000 block of Southwest 65th Terrace Road when a car, possibly a gray or silver Toyota, “ran him off the road,” according to a dispatch record.

In that incident, the student’s parents opted to transport the juvenile for further evaluation.

On Oct. 27, 18-year-old Forest High School senior Shannon Rushing was struck and killed while walking along Northwest Old Blitchton Road. Rushing’s death renewed community calls for improved pedestrian infrastructure in fast-growing areas without sidewalks or adequate lighting.

Marion County traffic stats

According to the Florida Highway Patrol’s crash dashboard, as of Nov. 15, Marion County has recorded 113 traffic crashes this year involving pedestrians, 16 of them resulting in death, and 111 involving bicyclists, four of whom died. Countywide, there have been 71 traffic fatalities overall this year.

Several of the most recent student-involved crashes have occurred in neighborhoods where roadways lack continuous sidewalks, street lighting, marked crossings or traffic-calming features.

As of publication, investigators had not released additional details about the Marion Oaks crash or whether school-zone timing, lighting, road conditions or driver behavior may have played a role.