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Criminal Neglect

There would be few around Australia whose heart haven't gone out to the 5 year-old Sophie Delezio so apparently severely injured, again, in Sydney on Friday.

One can only hope and pray that she will pull through this and make a reasonable recovery.

Could the incident have been avoided? A resounding YES if this item in the SMH is correct. People have for years been lobbying for a traffic light to be installed at the crossing. And where have the authorities, yet again, been? Missing in action!

Read this [from the SMH here] and be angry at what can only be described as criminal neglect in failing to instal traffic lights where they were clearly needed.

"Ms Myhre, who has received counselling, has joined in criticism of the crossing, saying she believes its design was a major factor in the crash.

Nearby residents said they had been pursuing authorities to install traffic lights for more than a decade.

Mr Delezio also voiced his support for changes, saying: "Something definitely needs to be done on that pedestrian crossing."

At least two other children have been injured on the site in more than 20 accidents in the past two years.

"From what happened, traffic lights definitely would have made a difference," Ms Myhre said from the Delezio family home.

Andie Lovegrove, who lives next to the crossing said, she had seen 20 minor accidents and three involving ambulances in the past three years.

The mother of two said the crossing was so dangerous locals refused to use it and a six-year-old boy was struck there two years ago. Another neighbour, Bob Spike, said a 10-year-old boy on a bike had been knocked down about six months ago.

Mrs Lovegrove said the sound of screeching brakes was common.

"There are two lanes in the westerly direction," she said. "If you are crossing you need both lanes to stop and there's every chance the second lane won't stop."

Mr Spike said he had successfully lobbied former local MP Peter Macdonald to get zigzag lines installed near the crossing six months ago. But he and Mrs Lovegrove agreed that traffic lights were necessary."

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