More than $12,000 has been raised for the family of a teenager who suffered a serious brain injury after being hit by a car at a Huon Valley intersection that locals say is long overdue for safety upgrades.
Jake Kirkpatrick, 17, was struck in late February while crossing the Huon Highway after stepping off his school bus from Hobart.
His aunt, Tanya, said he was with his two identical triplet brothers when the incident happened at the Mountain River Road intersection in Grove.
The collision left Jake with serious brain trauma, forcing doctors to place him in an induced coma in the Royal Hobart Hospital’s intensive care unit.
It was only earlier this month that he regained consciousness and was able to speak with his family.
“Jake has a traumatic brain injury and will take weeks or months of rehabilitation but he is alive, now breathing on his own and answering basic questions,” a GoFundMe set up for his family reads.
Locals have long raised concerns about the dangerous intersection, where children regularly disembark from buses.
The site has been earmarked for safety improvements for years.
Following the incident, the Department of State Growth has confirmed it is looking at several upgrade options, including reducing the speed limit.
“A consultant is currently developing concept designs for different options to improve the safety for all road users,” the department said.
“We are fast-tracking the design and construction of this project to get the intersection upgraded as soon as possible.”
The state government has committed $3 million specifically for pedestrian and bus stop safety at the site, with potential access to an additional $40 million in federal funding.
