Transportation Alternatives & Families For Safe Streets Response to Driver Killing One Child, Injuring Another Child in Crash Outside A Bensonhurst Yeshiva

Third Fatal Crash In Only Four Days of 2021 

“Mr. Mayor, you have one year left. Please protect our children.” - Amy Cohen

BROOKLYN - Today, Monday morning, a driver killed one child and critically injured another child in a crash in Bensonhurst, on 67th Street between 20th and 21st Avenue, as the children were reportedly being dropped off at a school, Yeshiva K’Tana. In the first four days of 2021, four New Yorkers are dead in crashes and this is at least the second crash injuring a child since the year began. 

Statement from Danny Harris, Transportation Alternatives Executive Director:

“Four days into 2021 and drivers have killed four New Yorkers on our streets, including one child. Three are dead in fatal hit-and-run crashes. Two children are injured.  Traffic fatalities rose last year, and this deadly trend seems to only be getting worse as Mayor de Blasio enters his final year in office.”

“Car crashes are the leading cause of injury-related deaths for New York City children ages one through 12.  These crashes are not just a failure in judgement on the part of drivers, but also a failure in leadership on the part of elected officials who have not taken the steps to prioritize human lives over cars. In New York City, we have the expertise, data and tools to prevent death on our streets. Unfortunately, we lack the political will to scale these life saving measures across our neighborhoods. Unless Mayor de Blasio takes immediate action to save lives and save his Vision Zero legacy, more people, including children, will die.”  

“On behalf of Transportation Alternatives, we send our sincerest condolences to the families and communities devastated by these tragic crashes.” 

Statement from Amy Cohen, Families for Safe Streets Co-Founder:

“My heart aches for these children’s families and their community. Nobody should fear death on our streets, especially children on their way to school.”

“Today’s awful crash, like the one that killed my son and countless others, could have been prevented. That is why year after year, in the face of rising traffic violence on our streets, Families For Safe Streets continues to demand accountability from our elected leaders.”

“Mayor de Blasio has talked about Vision Zero since the start of his administration seven years ago. Despite this talk and some important changes, more New Yorkers continue to die on our streets in preventable crashes. The time is now for Mayor de Blasio to turn talk into action, learn from past crashes, and make life saving changes to our streets that will prevent more tragedies across the five boroughs.” 

“Mr. Mayor, you have one year left. Please protect our children.”