Report: Children In Low-Income Areas More Likely To Be Struck By Cars
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A new report from the group Transportation Alternatives suggests pedestrian crashes occur more frequently in low-income communities and children in those areas are most at risk.
The report, which focused on neighborhoods on Manhattan's East Side, found that children are most often struck by drivers near public housing.
The report comes less than a week after a 12-year-old girl was struck and killed by a minivan on Delancey Street.
EXTRA: Click here to read the full report
A pedestrian or bicycle crash victim in East Harlem is over three times more likely to be a child than in the neighboring Upper East Side, according to the report.
The deadliest intersection for child crashes in all of Manhattan is in East Harlem, at East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue, according to the report.
"We need immediate action to address dangerous driving habits and must improve traffic patterns in high risk areas," City Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito said.
"Streets are public spaces that belong to everyone and should be safe for everyone," said Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. "The NYPD must protect these children and hold dangerous drivers accountable."
Viverito suggests implementing an educational program promoting safe and responsible driving and a campaign within the community to raise a level of awareness among pedestrians.
