Woman Struck And Killed By Car On 4th Avenue

Police are investigating after a pedestrian was struck and killed by a car on 4th Avenue over the weekend.

At about 1:30am on Sunday, May 10, police say a 27-year-old man was driving southbound along 4th Avenue when another vehicle cut him off near 25th Street, causing him to change lanes to avoid being hit, at which point he struck a pedestrian in the crosswalk, who officials have only identified so far as an elderly woman. Emergency responders transported her to Lutheran Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Cops say the driver went immediately to the 72nd Precinct stationhouse, located a few blocks away on 4th Avenue, to report the incident. According to police, the investigation is ongoing, though the Daily News reports the driver has not been charged.

This is the first pedestrian fatality on busy 4th Avenue in some time — Brooklyn Daily notes that six pedestrians were killed and 55 seriously injured between 2009 and 2013. This incident comes after a recent report that pedestrian injuries have dropped by 61% over the portion of 4th Avenue — between Atlantic Avenue and 15th Street — since safety measures, including dropping the number of lanes for cars and widening medians, were implemented in 2013. Similar, but not quite as drastic, results were seen on the section of 4th from 15th Street to 65th Street following changes there. Now, according to Streetsblog, the Department of Transportation is hoping to get to work on a project that will make those changes more permanent, and add more safety measures:

DOT is now proposing to build out the changes in permanent materials, installing a raised median that offers room for tree plantings and protects subway vents from flooding. Benches will be added in the median at pedestrian crossings. Curb extensions will also be added to the south corners of Fourth Avenue and Prospect Avenue, and the sidewalk will be widened on Fourth Avenue between 34th Street and 36th Street, on the side next to Green-Wood Cemetery.

We hope that these changes can help prevent similar incidents in the future, but for now, our thoughts go out to the victim’s family and friends.