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Family fears at danger road
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| DOUBLE LEG BREAK: Lacey Murphy-Lewis is recovering from the accident F6205 |
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PARENTS of a schoolgirl run over on Portland are shocked nothing has been done to make the road safer.
Lacey-Marie Murphy-Lewis, 11, suffered a double break to her leg when she was hit by a car on Weston Road, Portland in October.
Her stepfather, Peter Robinson, is concerned the road is not classed as an accident black spot.
He said: "It's very wide and long so it strikes me as dangerous but obviously it's not dangerous enough.
"There's a large gap in the railings where she crossed the road and it's tempting to a child in a hurry.
"You never know when a small child is going to leap out in front of you."
Lacey had her plaster cast removed in April but needs physiotherapy because her right leg is shorter than her left.
Mr Robinson said that despite permanent scarring and muscle wastage, she has dealt with it very well and is back to normal. He said: "She's been brilliant and inspirational and her grandmother and mother would have fallen apart if she hadn't been so brave."
He added: "We want to say thank you to the paramedic and the dental nurse Miss Long, who helped her.
"Apparently the intervention of the paramedic prevented it from being worse than it was as she could have lost her leg."
If Lacey's legs do not naturally recover she may need hormone treatment on her left leg to stop it growing when she is 14.
Lacey and her family have moved to Dorchester but Lacey is still concerned about her friends on Portland.
Mother Samantha Robinson said: "It's all housing estates with lots of children near that road so it's very important.
"The problem is that you've got Royal Manor Arts College and a primary school nearby."
Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's spokesman for transport Christine James has urged drivers to monitor their speed in residential areas.
"I sympathise with the young girl and it must be awful for the parents to have a child knocked down.
"I don't know what the council can do as it's a long stretch of road and you can see whether a car is coming."
"It's the parents' responsibility to make sure their children know how to cross the road safely."
Lacey was still on crutches when she started at her new school in Dorchester in January.
Lacey's former headteacher at St George's Primary School, Trevor Jameson, said the school reacted to her accident by raising awareness of road safety.
The school held assemblies to educate pupils on the green cross code and where to cross safely.
Mr Jameson added: "Lacey's accident helped the children to understand it could happen to them."
10:25am Monday 5th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: anneofportland, Portland on 1:11am Tue 6 May 08
Our roadis very dangerous, like a racetrack sometimes with no thought of the old and the young crossing the road. Who is this hard woman Miss James
"It's the parents' responsibility to make sure their children know how to cross the road safely." Certainly not the caring face of the council is she.
Our roadis very dangerous, like a racetrack sometimes with no thought of the old and the young crossing the road. Who is this hard woman Miss James
"It's the parents' responsibility to make sure their children know how to cross the road safely." Certainly not the caring face of the council is she.
Posted by: dunketh, Portland on 3:53pm Tue 6 May 08
Ms James is right!
Its a perfectly straight road which you can see up and down perfectly unhindered. The kid didnt look before she crossed. Simple.
Nobodys fault, just kids being kids.
Cars do go very fast down there but then thats why you always take extra care when you cross.
Have you not seen the hedgehogs on the telly?
Ms James is right!
Its a perfectly straight road which you can see up and down perfectly unhindered. The kid didnt look before she crossed. Simple.
Nobodys fault, just kids being kids.
Cars do go very fast down there but then thats why you always take extra care when you cross.
Have you not seen the hedgehogs on the telly?
Posted by: Elizabeth, Weymouth on 6:11pm Tue 6 May 08
Whilst i agree with Ms James that it is, in part, the parents responsibility, i do not agree fully with her comment. Perhaps if she knew more about the incident and the family she would reserve her judgements against the parents. I would like to point out that some children, do not, for whatever reason, live with their parents. Lacey has only just, due in part to this accident, moved back with her parents.
Lacey was not the 1st child to be injured on this road, and I'm sure she will not be the last. Whoevers fault/lack of judgement this accident was due to, it doesn't change the fact that cars regularly speed down this long, straight, stretch of road, and there is a 3 metre gap in the railings which would be tempting to anyone in a hurry, let alone a child.
Whilst i agree with Ms James that it is, in part, the parents responsibility, i do not agree fully with her comment. Perhaps if she knew more about the incident and the family she would reserve her judgements against the parents. I would like to point out that some children, do not, for whatever reason, live with their parents. Lacey has only just, due in part to this accident, moved back with her parents.
Lacey was not the 1st child to be injured on this road, and I'm sure she will not be the last. Whoevers fault/lack of judgement this accident was due to, it doesn't change the fact that cars regularly speed down this long, straight, stretch of road, and there is a 3 metre gap in the railings which would be tempting to anyone in a hurry, let alone a child.
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