Central Florida Safety Summit 2025

More than 250 people from 70 organizations attended the Safety Summit, representing all nine counties in FDOT District Five. This included 31 cities and towns, 15 public safety agencies, and the five Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) and Transportation Planning Organizations (TPO) serving Central Florida.

“Target Zero is Florida’s statewide goal to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways,” FDOT District Five Safety Administrator Loreen Bobo said. “The Department and its partners have had a focus on safety for years, but the new Central Florida Safety Strategic Plan allows us to share strategies and best practices more broadly.”

State Rep. Bill Partington was the keynote speaker and State Sen. Tom Wright provided the welcome at the annual event, held this year at Daytona International Speedway. Other speakers shared case studies and best practices centered on the Central Florida Safety Strategic Plan, which guides action steps to develop safer streets and change behaviors.

The summit was dedicated to two residents of the First Step Shelter, a homeless shelter along International Speedway Boulevard in Volusia County. Ashley and Gerald were tragically killed in two separate instances while walking outside the shelter. Efforts by FDOT and Volusia County to make International Speedway Boulevard safer after these tragedies have included adding pedestrian flashing warning signs, as well as ongoing roadway lighting improvements, construction of a new traffic signal, and installation of crosswalks near the shelter. Additionally, a new public outreach program, the WalkWise Safety Outreach project, was created by the FDOT District Five Safety Office and aims to improve safety for the walkers, bicyclists, and public transit riders along U.S. 92 between the cities of Daytona Beach and DeLand.

WalkWise seeks to educate participants about their own role in being a safe road user and about their own ability to improve traffic safety. For example, participants learn about the necessity of wearing bright colors or reflective clothing while walking during dark or dusk hours, and they are taught about the high rate of pedestrian fatalities that occur at night. Another key theme is the importance of situational awareness.

For more information on the First Step Shelter in Volusia County, watch the video below and visit firststepshelter.org

Several awards were also presented to winners throughout the region at the summit. The winners were:

• The City of Port Orange received the Community Award for its approach to engaging their community through hosting and recognizing multiple safety messages and events throughout the year.
• The Palm Bay Police Department received the Public Safety Award for law enforcement officers’ work in keeping everyone safe on our roadways through enforcement, responding to crashes, and interacting with the public.
• Brenda Urias, co-owner of Bicikleta Bike Shop in Sanford and founder of Sanford Tours & Experiences, and board member of Bike/Walk Central Florida, won the Individual Award for her work in fostering a culture of hospitality and inclusivity in the cycling community.  
• The Ocala Marion Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) received the Outreach Award for its Safety Matters initiative and video series, a community-driven effort to promote roadway safety across our county.
• The Children’s Safety Village of Central Florida in Orlando won the Partner Award for its work in preventing children injuries and fatalities through lifesaving education and first-hand experience.
• Orange County won the Project Award for the University of Central Florida (UCF) Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project, which made several improvements to create a safer infrastructure for all users including signalized mid-block crosswalks, upgraded LED roadway lighting, and a 10-foot-wide pedestrian/bike path.