What are NYC’s deadliest neighborhoods for pedestrians?

NEW YORK (PIX11)—With Sammy’s Law moving forward, New York City could lower speed limits to 20 miles per hour, which advocates say could make a huge, life-saving difference.

Sammy’s Law, which Gov. Kathy Hochul secured in the FY2025 state budget this week, is named after Sammy Cohen Eckstein, a 12-year-old who was fatally struck by a car in Park Slope in 2013.

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The neighborhood has seen seven pedestrian fatalities since 2013, according to NYC Crash Mapper, which tracks injurious and fatal crashes using city data.

But Park Slope is not New York City’s deadliest neighborhood for pedestrians. New York City’s deadliest neighborhood for pedestrians in 2023 was Borough Park, which had six deadly crashes involving trucks and cars, the data show.

The Upper West Side, East Harlem, Williamsburg, Flushing, Ozone Park, and Woodside, were the next deadliest neighborhoods for pedestrians, each with three fatalities in 2023. Many neighborhoods, like Harlem, Hell’s Kitchen and Soho, had none.

On a borough level, Queens had the highest number of pedestrian deaths — 31 — in 2023 followed by Brooklyn with 26 and Manhattan with 19. The Bronx had 12 pedestrian deaths in 2023, and there were four in Staten Island.

Over the last 10 years, Brooklyn has seen the most pedestrian deaths. Citywide, over 1,400 pedestrians have died in crashes between 2013 and 2023, over 400 of which were in Brooklyn, city data show.

Pedestrian fatalities decreased by 22% in 2023 as compared to the year before, but there was a slight uptick in pedestrian injuries.

A zoomed-out picture tells a different story. Over the last 10 years, pedestrian deaths and injuries have both decreased.

Since 2013, pedestrian deaths have dropped by over 40% across New York City, according to the Department of Transportation. Overall, traffic deaths have decreased by over 12%, according to the DOT.

In 2020, pedestrian injuries and deaths significantly dropped, but they slightly increased in the years following. Even with the increases, deaths and injuries have not risen to pre-2020 peaks.

In 2014, the city prioritized traffic safety through an initiative called Vision Zero. The initiative aims to eradicate traffic deaths and injuries through education and infrastructure improvements, such as street redesigns, signal installation, protected pedestrian and bike infrastructure, and more.

“While pedestrian fatalities across the U.S. are increasing, pedestrian fatalities in its most populated city are decreasing,” a representative of the DOT said in February. “Drivers are by far the largest threat to pedestrians, and their speed is the leading factor between life and death.”

Just this week, a driver accused of speeding through a crosswalk and killing an 8-year-old boy was indicted in connection with the March 13 crash, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.

Sammy’s Law will make a real, immediate impact on crashes like this, advocates said.

“Lower speed limits save lives, and I am overjoyed that Sammy’s Law will finally pass in the state budget. This means so much to not only my family, but countless families across New York who’ve been fighting for this for years,” Amy Cohen, mother of Sammy Cohen Eckstein and co-founder of Families for Safe Streets, said in a statement.

Even still, advocates say there is more work to be done.

“Our work is not finished. We won’t stop fighting until everyone can travel around New York City without fear of death or serious injury,” said Transportation Alternatives executive director Danny Harris.

PIX11 News reached out to the DOT for a statement but did not receive a response.

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter from Los Angeles who has covered local news for years. She has been with PIX11 since 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.

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