A 71-year-old man was critically injured Monday evening after being struck by a car in Sheepshead Bay, police reported. The collision occurred around 6 p.m. near Ocean Avenue and Avenue S, and the driver fled the scene.
Officials said the victim suffered traumatic head injuries and was rushed to NYU Langone in critical condition, according to News 12 Brooklyn. The crash occurred close to the Ocean Avenue and Avenue S intersection, and investigators have not yet released any description of the vehicle or the driver.
Sheepshead Bay's recent collisions
The hit-and-run is the latest in a troubling run of serious pedestrian crashes in the neighborhood, where several high-profile incidents have heightened fears about street safety. In September, the NYPD released images after a hit-and-run that left a 76-year-old woman critically injured at Ocean Avenue and Avenue U, highlighting how often seniors are bearing the brunt of these crashes.
Citywide safety picture
City officials point to Vision Zero street redesigns and targeted enforcement as key reasons overall traffic deaths have dipped in recent years, even as individual corridors remain stubbornly dangerous. Reporting by amNewYork notes that traffic fatalities fell in the first nine months of 2025, while advocates continue to push for more aggressive fixes on local arteries like those cutting through southern Brooklyn.
Advocates call for fixes
Transportation and street safety advocates have long pressed the city to go further, calling for more protected lanes, expanded speed camera enforcement, and redesigns that make streets effectively "self-enforcing" so drivers are nudged to slow down and pay attention without constant police presence. Those ideas are central to a broader platform promoted by Transportation Alternatives and partner groups, as detailed by Transportation Alternatives.
The NYPD is investigating Monday's hit-and-run, and detectives are asking anyone with information to come forward. Early details about the crash were first reported by News 12 Brooklyn, and police are expected to release more information as the probe continues.
