KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A father is begging for something to be done after his 17-year-old son was severely injured at a trail crossing in Kissimmee.

What You Need To Know

  • Kevin Silva was hit and injured while crossing the Shingle Creek Regional Trail/Kissimmee Trail Loop at Hoagland Boulevard in August

  • Kevin’s father, Flavio, says more safety improvements are needed at the crossing

  • Osceola County have added more flashing lights to its crossing sign since the crash

Flavio Silva says his son, Kevin, was riding his bike in August on the Shingle Creek Regional Trail/Kissimmee Trail Loop when he was hit crossing Hoagland Boulevard.

“He went to the trail, bike trail, and when he was crossing North Hoagland, he was hit by a car,” Silva said.

Kevin suffered a traumatic brain injury, a broken femur and a dislocated pelvis.

Immobilized, Kevin now relies on his parents for everything.

“We miss him with us at the table. You know, we miss taking him to the school. We miss him going to the gym every day, and his laughs, and you can't imagine," Silva said. "The list goes on and on."

Silva says that crash and those injuries could have been prevented.

“My son was coming this way,” Silva said, pointing to an area of the trail crossing on Hoagland Boulevard just south of U.S. 192. “Then he pressed the button here. And when he crossed the car got him, he was hit over here.”

There are warning signs at the Shingle Creek Regional Trail/Kissimmee Trail Loop crossing, but as Silva demonstrated, it is not enough to get the attention of speeding Hoagland Avenue drivers.

“They don't stop," he said. "They don't have time to stop."

Back in August, Silva said the advance beacon was covered in a garbage bag.

Osceola County spokesperson Nicky Vasquez said the sign was installed in July, but due to communication inconsistencies it was bagged until repairs and reconfiguration could happen.

A month after Kevin was hit, the beacon to warn southbound drivers was back up and running.

After the incident, Silva said the beacon was moved closer to the crossing. He said he believes that’s a mistake, because drivers need to be alerted to the spot before a curve in the roadway.

“How can someone be so stupid to approve a change like this?" Silva asked. "It's supposed to be back so they can see it. No, they put it closer."

The county installed more flashing lights to the southbound beacon since the day Silva visited the crossing with Spectrum News. In the two months since the flashing lights were installed, Bike/Walk Central Florida, found more drivers are yielding to the crossing — about 70% of drivers.

Silva wants that crossing to be even safer, because he doesn’t want another family to suffer.

“We are trying to get our lives back, but it's being really tough, because, you know, he needs 24-hour care,” he said.

As part of a long-term plan, Bike/Walk Central Florida is recommending the addition of a median refuge and more pedestrian signs at the crossing.

Officials say they are continuing to monitor this spot, and if the 70% driver yield rate drops, they may recommend a quick-build solution like adding flexible delineators to the median of Hoagland at the crossing.

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