Community Corner

Fourth Ave Tied for Third Most Dangerous Road in Brooklyn for Peds

The Tri-State Transportation Campaign rated the notorious speedway the third most dangerous road in the borough with four fatalities since 2008.

We all know Fourth Avenue is hard to cross safely, but thanks to a transportation organization, now we know it can be fatal.

The Tri-State Transportation Campaign released its analysis of federal traffic fatality data with a fact sheet and a map that outline when and where pedestrian were killed in Brooklyn. In total, 139 pedestrians died in the borough from 2008 to 2010.

The non-profit organization found that Fourth Avenue is tied for third place (with Eastern Parkway and Avenue U) as the most dangerous road for pedestrians with four fatalities from 2008 to 2010.

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The data shows that the first pedestrian killed on Fourth Avenue was an 86-year-old man on August 25, 2008 when he tried to cross the avenue at 15th Street. 

The second death on the same avenue occurred on July 22, 2009 when a 28-year-old man was killed near the intersection of 39th Street.

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The third accident where a pedestrian was hit by a car and died was on Jan. 13, 2009 when a 75-year-old man lost his life on Fourth Avenue between 44th and 45th streets.

The last death recorded by Tri-State Transportation Campaign was on Jan. 17, 2009 when a 58-year-old man was killed while crossing the avenue at 79th Street.

The data also revealed three deaths in Park Slope:

  • A 27-year-old man was killed on Third Avenue and Degraw Street on Jan. 29, 2008.
  • A 38-year-old woman was killed on Flatbush and St. Marks Avenue on March 11, 2009.
  • A 78-year-old man died while crossing Third Avenue and Union Street on Oct. 16, 2010.

The Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s analysis shows that Kings Highway and Atlantic Avenue, both with seven pedestrian fatalities, are tied for the most dangerous road in Brooklyn. Brighton Beach Avenue and Ocean Parkway, both with six deaths, are the second most dangerous roads.

, the Senior Advisor to the Borough President and , said that the rating is obvious.

“You don’t need a rating system to know that Fourth Avenue can be a treacherous place for pedestrians, especially kids who attend one of the many schools along the avenue,” Scissura wrote in a statement to Patch. “Statistics like these are a sobering reminder of why we need a comprehensive plan to improve Fourth Avenue from Atlantic Avenue to the Atlantic Ocean. As the Chair of Borough President Markowitz’s Task Force on Fourth Avenue I look forward to working with elected officials, community groups and community boards to address these safety concerns as soon as possible.”

Do you feel save crossing Fourth Avenue? What other streets do you think are dangerous for pedestrians?


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