Brooklyn pedestrians are facing danger when they walk along the streets, according to some local parents concerned about the traffic near a gas station on Fourth Avenue. The service station is located near an elementary school in the Sunset Park neighborhood, and parents say that children and families walking to and from the school a block away often must dodge cars racing to get gas. Many times, the cars actually drive up on the sidewalk in violation of traffic laws.
Parents have expressed their concern that children walking by themselves are especially at risk for motor vehicle accidents caused by cars that drive in reverse to exit the station or that suddenly pop up on the sidewalks. Some families have complained that there has been insufficient action from the gas station and even the city in order to prevent potentially dangerous accidents. There are, for example, no concrete barriers, poles, blocks or even painted lines that clearly differentiate between the gas station parking lot and the public sidewalk. This lack of signage or blockades makes it easy for cars to enter and exit via the sidewalk.
School officials have noted that the traffic around the service station has generated complaints throughout its 10 years of existence. The location of the station means that numerous kids pass by walking on their way to or from school. The school has 593 students, ranging in level from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade.
Pedestrian accidents in Brooklyn can lead to severe personal injuries and even death. An individual who has been injured in a motor vehicle accident as a pedestrian can retain a personal injury lawyer. The attorney could help the victim seek compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering and other damages.