88th Precinct Steps Up Traffic Enforcement And Requests DOT Help

Although April saw a slight decrease in the number of car crashes, accident-related injuries, and drivers leaving the scene of accidents, the 88th Precinct is stepping up enforcement at red lights and targeting pedestrians and drivers who are using cell phones.

According to Captain Benjamin Lee, executive officer of the 88th Precinct, pedestrian collisions have stayed about the same from month to month, but about half of them have been people running into traffic and between parked cars. For example, an incident on April 3 at around 6:30pm reportedly saw a pedestrian run into traffic on Park Avenue between Carlton and Adelphi, resulting in “a bad crash” and injury.

As a result, Lee said he and the precinct “have asked the Department of Transportation (DOT) to assess the possibility of installing railings [in the middle lane divider] to discourage running across the street.” The DOT has agreed to conduct the survey to see if that would be viable, although there is no start date yet set.

Another DOT request is for new lane/pavement markings all along Flatbush Avenue, particularly where lanes merge onto the thoroughfare. The DOT has yet to respond to that request, which was initially made this past winter before being repeated this month, but as Lee notes that “a lot of [crashes] are merges onto Flatbush,” they’re hopeful for a positive response.

In other traffic news, there is more red light enforcement as drivers continue to attempt to speed through yellow lights. The neighborhood has four red light cameras: at Atlantic Avenue, Tillary Street, Classon Avenue and Park Avenue.

There are no permanent speed cameras in the area yet.

Bike summonses also rose 600 percent last week, possibly as more sunshine means more bicyclists take to the roads.