A vehicle collision on the corner of Bedford Avenue and Campus Road at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 25 sent three female pedestrians and two motorists to the hospital, according to the NYPD, although the exact identity of the victims, or if any involved were students, is still unknown.
The NYPD currently attributes the accident to “unsafe lane changing.” The driver of the Toyota Sedan, which the NYPD lists as responsible for the crash, had previously obtained 44 tickets, 13 for speeding in a school zone.
All five victims, whose exact identities are unknown, were sent to local hospitals. Some sustained serious injuries, but all were non-life-threatening.
The vehicles remained at the site near the Bensonhurst-bound B6 bus stop for a few hours and were removed shortly afterwards. However, remains of the vehicles, such as parts of the car’s headlights stayed at the scene for hours after the incident, with smaller parts staying behind for days.
This crash is not the first on the intersection. NYPD data shows that just last year, there were nine collisions on Bedford Avenue and Campus Road.
It is also not the first high-profile crash in Midwood. In August, a cyclist was killed on Coney Island Avenue and Avenue L following a car speeding through a red light and a 10-year old boy was fatally pinned to the sidewalk at a bus stop on Ocean Avenue and Avenue L last month.
Under the proposed “Reckless Driver Accountability Act” introduced by Brooklyn Councilman Brad Lander last year, a vehicle with over five annual school zone speeding tickets (such as the Toyota Sedan in the crash) could be impounded or booted.
While the bill currently sits with 31 sponsors in the City Council, it has yet to move forward in the legislative process. According to Lander’s office, there are still “legal and logistical issues” to be worked out before the act can go forward.
“We don’t have an updated timeline right now, but are hoping to be able to share the progress being made next month and still hope to pass the legislation by the end of this year,” said Naomi Dann, Communications Director for Lander’s office.
Brooklyn College and the nearby area are represented by newly-minted City Councilwoman Farah Louis, who has at this point not signed on to the bill and did not answer as to whether she would in the future. Instead, the Councilwoman added that she is currently working with the City’s Department of Transportation (DOT) on “speed reduction measures” to be implemented along Bedford Avenue.
“Thankfully, no one sustained any life-threatening injuries from this incident, however, I am once again calling on DOT to expedite our requests for speed reduction and safety measures that will ultimately improve public safety,” said Louis. “This is an academic community where everyone, particularly our students, should not have to fear for their lives when crossing an intersection.”