A 47-year-old woman was seriously injured when she was struck by a speeding car that spun out of control on Fourth Avenue and 85th Street on July 15, 2018. The car jumped the curb and rammed into the victim as she was walking down the street.  She suffered a fractured pelvis, several broken bones, rib fractures and a scalp laceration, police said.

In another crash, an alleged drunk driver made a U-turn on Fifth Avenue and 86th Street, lost control of the car, and smashed into the storefront of the American Greetings card store at 8511 Fifth Ave. on June 2, 2018. He was not injured, but he was arrested when he refused to take a breathalyzer test, according to police.

On May, 10, 2018, a 63-year-old woman driving an SUV on 73rd Street and Ridge Boulevard struck and critically injured a 29-year-old man riding a bicycle.

Councilmember Justin Brannan, a Democrat who represents Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and parts of Bensonhurst, wrote to Police Commissioner James O’Neill last month to request that additional cops be put on the streets. Brannan also asked the Department of Transportation to conduct a public educational outreach to remind drivers and pedestrians of the rules of the road.

In addition to reckless drivers running stop signs or texting while driving, car crashes may be happening because of the configuration of streets and the placement of stop signs. Spectrum News NY1 reported that one of the Jan. 14 crashes took place at a Dyker Heights intersection with stop signs on all four corners. The signs are confusing to drivers who don’t know when they’re supposed to yield.

Gounardes said that while he is pleased to see the NYPD paying increasing attention to the issue of pedestrian safety, more needs to be done.

“What we need is not just a ‘few’ more speed cameras and countdown signals to be put in place, but a complete overhaul,” he said.