An 81-year-old woman was badly injured when she was hit by an SUV while crossing the street in Brooklyn on Monday.
Police have not released the woman’s name, but she lives on East 95th Street. Her neighbors said she had walked up the block delivering holiday greetings prior to the crash.
Officers said the woman was on her way home from the scrap yard when she crossed Ditmas Avenue around 2:30 p.m. She was hit by an SUV that was reversing.
Neighbor Susan Neverson said it was dangerous to try to cross that street since drivers don’t slow down.
Police sources told CBS2 the 56-year-old driver of the SUV stayed at the scene and was questioned by investigators.
The elderly woman was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
She lived on the block for decades and neighbors said she was kind to everyone including strangers.
Pedestrian accidents continue to be a serious problem in New York. There have been 117 pedestrian deaths for the year so far up from 115 in 2018.
Last week, four people were hit and killed by vehicles across the city in less than 24 hours.
The NYPD says it has stepped up its efforts against dangerous driving since then. Officers are conducting additional inspections and issuing more tickets for violations.
Officials were hoping that increases in speed cameras and bike lanes in the boroughs would make the streets safer this year.
Now, city councilman Ydanis Rodriguez says the authorities were ready to add more resources in January and take a zero-tolerance approach to drivers who don’t respect pedestrians.
Meanwhile, police in Brooklyn continue to investigate the crash involving the elderly woman. The driver has not been charged with any crimes.
If you or a loved one gets injured in a crash, contact a Buffalo car accident lawyer.
Source: https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/12/23/81-year-old-struck-suv-brooklyn/
