Friends and family of Jupiter resident Dawn Bajak, 50, say they’re shocked and devastated by her sudden death, which occurred after a tragic accident in which a driver ran a red light.
Authorities say Bajak was jogging around 5:40 AM on Monday, November 30, when she was hit by a pickup truck driver who ran a red light at Central Boulevard and Donald Ross Road. Investigators say she was in the crosswalk at the time of the accident. Sadly, Bajak died from her injuries.
Bajak leaves behind a husband, Tony Bajak, and her two teenage children. Friends describe her as a devoted wife and mother and a kind, selfless individual.
Although accidents at this intersection are not uncommon, Palm Beach County Traffic Division, Engineering and Public Works Department say that since January 2017, there has only been one other accident there in which a driver ran a red light. That happened in May 2017 and did not result in a fatality. In 2017, there were 19 accidents at the intersection, 26 in 2018, and 20 in 2019.
Questions left unanswered in the wake of this tragic crash
While that doesn’t necessarily make that intersection “dangerous”, it does raise questions about what the driver was doing in the moments leading up to the wreck. At that time of the morning this time of year, it’s still dark out. But was the driver distracted? Was the driver listed as “at fault” on the traffic report? These are all questions that the surviving family will want to investigate and get answered.
Location aside, a driver running a red light is one of the most common causes of car accidents in the US. Every year, this problem causes about 90,000 accidents nationwide. In the state of Florida, more people are hurt in accidents where the driver ran a red light than any other type of crash.