Brad Aaron
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.
Recent Posts
NYPD: 1,304 Pedestrians and Cyclists Injured, 13 Killed in Traffic in October
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Twenty people were killed in New York City traffic in October, and 4,542 were injured, according to the latest NYPD crash data report [PDF]. Citywide, at least 12 pedestrians and one cyclist were fatally struck by drivers: three pedestrians in Manhattan; one pedestrian in the Bronx; three pedestrians and one cyclist in Brooklyn; four pedestrians […]
Margaret Chin and 1,000 Citizens Ask NYPD to Investigate Pedestrian Death
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Council Member Margaret Chin’s office has joined those calling for a full investigation into the death of Kwok Fu, the 82-year-old man who was struck by the driver of a National Guard truck on Canal Street. A convoy of National Guard trucks was on its way to the Javits Center to pick up Sandy relief […]
Unlicensed Hit-and-Run Killer Gets Six Months for Death of Brooklyn Child
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An unlicensed driver who killed a 14-year-old child in Brooklyn will spend six months in jail and lose his license for a year. Paul O. Griffin was driving a Ford work van on the evening of January 4, 2012, when he struck Davonte Jeffers on Flatlands Avenue. Griffin sped from the scene and refused a […]
Three NYC Traffic Deaths, Three Very Different NYPD Investigations
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Police are still looking for a cyclist who appears to have been involved in the crash that killed Kyle Larson, the 20-year-old skateboarder who last week was run over by the driver of a delivery truck on Union Square West. If the cyclist is believed to have contributed to the crash, police should try to bring […]
Union Square Skateboarder Was Killed on Rejected Pedestrian Plaza Space
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The crash that killed a skateboarder near Union Square yesterday occurred on a block that DOT intended to use as a part-time pedestrian plaza until the agency capitulated to neighborhood NIMBYs. At around 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, the 24-year-old victim, whose name had not been released as of this morning, was run over by the driver […]
Bronx Toddler Apparently One of Many Unreported NYC Pedestrian Deaths
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Based on NYPD crash data and media reports, it appears that a toddler who was hit by a driver in the Bronx earlier this year soon died from his injuries. On March 27 at around 4:40 p.m., a 2-year-old boy was chasing after an ice cream truck on Taylor Avenue in Parkchester when he was struck […]
Jason Williams Killed by Hit-and-Run Driver in East Flatbush
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A Brooklyn man was killed in a hit-and-run crash in East Flatbush over the weekend. Jason Williams, 23, was struck by the driver of a red SUV at Nostrand and Foster Avenues at approximately 3:37 a.m., according to reports. He was pronounced dead at Kings County Hospital. Police told the Post that Williams was “running […]
Eyes on the Street Redux: 28th Precinct Still Putting Harlem Cyclists at Risk
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Former Streetsblog reporter Noah Kazis noted in 2010 how NYPD had commandeered sidewalks and bike lanes outside Harlem’s 28th Precinct, on St. Nicholas Avenue between 122nd and 123rd Streets. “These aren’t just squad cars positioned for a speedy exit in case of emergency,” Noah wrote. “Many of the cars appear to be personal vehicles bearing police union […]
Hit-and-Run Kills One Pedestrian, Injures Another in 90th Precinct [Updated]
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A man was killed and a woman was seriously hurt in a hit-and-run crash in Williamsburg this morning. Police told the Times that two pedestrians were crossing Borinquen Place near Keap Street at approximately 5 a.m. when they were hit by the driver of a Chevy Malibu, headed east. The two were thrown into the westbound […]
Is the Truck Driver Who Killed Roxana Sorina Buta Still Behind the Wheel?
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NYC DOT has not responded to Streetsblog queries concerning the death of Roxana Sorina Buta, the woman allegedly struck and killed by a DOT truck driver in a hit-and-run crash near Union Square. On May 24 at approximately 1:30 a.m., Buta was walking across Broadway at 14th Street, in the crosswalk and with the light, […]
National Guard Says It Is Not Investigating Fatal Chinatown Crash
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Accounts of last week’s fatal crash in Chinatown do not match that of the National Guard, which insists a convoy was following an NYPD escort when the driver of one of the trucks struck an elderly man on Canal Street after reportedly running a red light. The National Guard is not conducting its own investigation into the crash, […]
Honda to Sleeping, Distracted and Aggressive Drivers: Don’t Sweat It.
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Honda’s new “We Know You” campaign includes a series of 16-second spots, presented as a medley of sorts in the ad above, which touts the safety features of the new Accord. The Accord comes with a “drift warning” that alerts the driver when the car has entered another lane, a “forward collision warning” light that […]