Child a victim of Volusia beach driving.

Last weekend, another preschooler was run over on a Volusia County beach.

Four-year-old Antonio Vazquez had just emerged from the surf when he was run over by a Dodge Ram 1500.

He was still in critical condition Wednesday.

The story is any parent’s nightmare and yet all too common in Volusia County, one of the few places that invites motorists to drive cars on the same beaches where families relax and children frolic.

In 2010, two 4-year-olds were killed within a few months of each other.

One of them spied his father a few feet away and excitedly proclaimed “Daddy!” before being run over by a pickup.

The other was walking toward the ocean, hand-in-hand with her great-uncle, when a silver Lincoln clipped her and sent her flying.

In all, more than 50 people have been struck since 2006, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

“It’s going to happen again and again.” That was the prophetic headline of a story we ran seven years ago, quoting the parent of yet another child, killed 20 years before that.

The practice is obviously dangerous. But it continues because people in Volusia like the convenience of driving on the beach, because local leaders don’t want to deal with the hassle of providing traditional parking — and because some folks there simply consider driving on the beach a proud “tradition.” Well, it’s also a deadly one. Yet anytime someone is struck or killed, beach-driving defenders go in attack mode, blaming the victim, the parents, the driver — any individual they can think of to distract from the practice itself. Sure, blame away. But the bottom line is that people don’t get run over on beaches when cars aren’t invited to drive on them — which is why most American beaches don’t allow it.

This is not a joke

This week’s maddening-government headline comes from the Jacksonville Times-Union:

“Sheriff ’s Office wants family to pay $314K to look for public records in their case against problem cop who killed pedestrian.”

Yes, a guy got killed by a deputy — one with a history of complaints.

And when the family’s attorney asked for public records related to the officer’s work history, the office gave him an estimate of more than $300,000.

The office now says it is working toward a more amicable solution. But First Amendment Foundation leader Barbara Petersen had it right when she told the Times-Union that record fights with public agencies often boil down to this:

“When they want you to have

“When they want you to have it, you get it. When they don’t want you to have it, you have to go through hell and back to get it.” Barbara Petersen, First Amendment Foundation president

it, you get it. When they don’t want you to have it, you have to go through hell and back to get it.”

Putnam vs. Corcoran

The 2018 governor’s race seems to be heating up. And so far, most of the excitement seems to be among Republicans.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is certainly the darling of the GOP establishment.

But House Speaker Richard Corcoran’s interest in running is making many of those folks nervous — especially since Corcoran recently hired a former pollster for Gov. Rick Scott and President Donald Trump.

That pollster, Tony Fabrizio, suggested to Politico that Putnam’s campaign could be reminiscent of the 2010 governor’s race when fellow GOP insider Bill McCollum ended up losing to a previously little-known candidate named Rick Scott .

He conceded that Putnam had lots of money, but claimed Putnam lacks grassroots support, saying: “Putnam is Bill McCollum without the conservative credentials.” Ouch.

In completely unrelated news — we’re sure — Putnam seemed to attempt to burnish his conservative credential this week by vowing to push to allow guns on college campuses — something that some moderate Republicans have rejected … along with almost all college presidents and campus-police chiefs.

Political storm

Did you see where forecasters are now watching two tropical systems — Don and Hilary?

I’m no meteorologist, but I’m guessing Don will be mostly hot air while Hilary won’t ever get organized enough to make an impact.