A 13-year-old boy is in critical condition after a car hit him Friday at the intersection of 38th Street and 15th Avenue in Borough Park, according to police. The teen suffered head trauma and was rushed to Maimonides Medical Center. The driver stayed at the scene, and the NYPD has opened a collision investigation.
Authorities say the boy was crossing the street when he was struck and was taken to the hospital with serious head injuries, News 12 Brooklyn reports. The station notes that detectives are still piecing together how the crash happened and whether any charges will be filed.
Crash Part of a Worrying Local Pattern
This collision comes amid a string of serious traffic incidents in southern Brooklyn. In March, Streetsblog NYC reported that a cement truck killed a cyclist on nearby 16th Avenue. City crash-aggregation tools show that the 66th Precinct, which covers Borough Park, has recorded hundreds of reported crashes and dozens of serious injuries in recent years, according to CrashCount.
Advocates Call for Protected Lanes and Curb Fixes
Transportation advocates have argued that preventable street design problems are making these crashes more likely. Transportation Alternatives warned that “Double-parking can be prevented by accurately pricing curb space to ensure availability, and by building protected bicycle infrastructure,” a statement quoted in Streetsblog. Local coverage and community leaders have repeatedly pushed for better curb management and protected lanes along busy commercial corridors, as a Borough Park cyclist was run down noted.
The NYPD collision squad continues to investigate and has not released additional details about the driver or the victim’s identity. We will update this report as officials provide more information.
