NYC Drivers Injured 1,226 Pedestrians and Cyclists in January, and Killed 14

Eighteen people died in New York City traffic in January, and 4,317 were injured, according to City Hall’s Vision Zero View crash data map.

City Hall reported 14 pedestrians and cyclists killed by city motorists last month, and 1,226 injured, compared to 13 deaths and 1,099 injuries in January of 2016.

Four motor vehicle occupants died in the city in January, according to City Hall, and 3,090 were injured.

Citywide, 13 pedestrians and one cyclist were fatally struck by drivers last month. Among the victims were Thomas Bradley Jr., Darton Besler, Hermanda Booker, Rafael Nieves, Iosif Plazinskiy, Marlon Palacios, Feliks Dadiomov, Henry Boimel, Jose Melogarib, an unnamed male pedestrian in Queens, and an unnamed male pedestrian and two unnamed female pedestrians in Brooklyn.

[Update: An SUV driver killed a 90-year-old woman in the crosswalk at Gravesend Neck Road and E. 14th Street, in Brooklyn, on January 19. The victim’s name was not released. NYPD reportedly filed no charges and cited “glare” as a contributing factor in the crash.]

Motorists killed at least eight nine seniors in January: Darton Besler, 73; Rafael Nieves, 85; Iosif Plazinskiy, 70; Feliks Dadiomov, 88; Henry Boimel, 67; Jose Melogarib, 68; a 65-year-old male pedestrian in Queens; a 67-year-old unnamed female pedestrian in Brooklyn; and a 90-year-old unnamed female pedestrian in Brooklyn.

Across the city, 1,050 pedestrians and 176 cyclists were reported hurt in collisions with motor vehicles. Per NYPD policy, few of these crashes were investigated by trained officers.

Of 13 fatal crashes on surface streets reported by Streetsblog and other outlets, one motorist was known to have been charged for causing a death. Historically, nearly half of motorists who kill a New York City pedestrian or cyclist do not receive so much as a citation for careless driving.

After six fatal crashes in January, NYPD defended the motorist or blamed the deceased victim in the press.

Hermanda Booker was walking to work when she was hit by two motorists -- one of them operating a school bus -- in or near a crosswalk on Nostrand Avenue in Midwood. NYPD filed no charges and blamed the victim.

A hit-and-run box truck driver fatally struck Rafael Nieves on Grand Street in Brooklyn in the middle of the day. Though witnesses banged on the truck as he left the scene, the driver told police he was unaware he had run someone over. NYPD filed no charges.

A motorist in East Flatbush drove an SUV into five cars and hit Marlon Palacios as the victim walked to pick up his young son from day care. NYPD attributed the crash to a “medical episode” and filed no charges.

NYPD filed no charges against the hit-and-run truck driver who ran over an unidentified woman on Caton Avenue in Flatbush, leaving her body in pieces on the street. Police defended the driver in the press before he was located.

An 85-year-old drove onto the sidewalk in Brighton Beach, hitting a building, striking three people, and killing a 67-year-old woman. The driver was not charged or ticketed.

Motorists killed at least five people in January on streets the city knows to be especially dangerous for walking and biking.