Brighton Beach Car Accident - Drivers Mows Down 6 People

We just received word that a driver lost control of his car, jumped the sidewalk and struck ~~six~~ four (or six) people on Brighton Beach Avenue, ~~possibly~~ leaving one pedestrian in critical condition. (Updates at end of post.)

The accident happened at approximately 1:45 p.m., between Brighton 4th Street and Brighton 5th Street, and emergency personnel responded quickly.

After hitting the pedestrians, the car also slammed into the recently opened storefront of Best Buy International Food (411 Brighton Beach Avenue), shattering the glass. It does not appear anyone inside the store was injured.

Our tipster, Mikhail B., was on the scene and sent us the photos and the following information:

Guy was in middle of street reversed very fast onto sidewalk. Hit 6 people. Few had cuts one looked very critical. Covered in blood not moving. Accident on Brighton between Brighton 4th and 5th.

We are awaiting further details from the NYPD.

UPDATE (2:33 p.m.): We just got off the phone with Yelena Makhnin, executive director of the Brighton Beach Business Improvement District, who arrived on scene after the accident.

According to Makhnin, four people were taken away by ambulance. Three were taken to Coney Island Hospital with minor injuries. The fourth, a female senior citizen, was taken to Lutheran Medical Center for more serious injuries, though her wounds are not expected to be life threatening.

It’s believed the driver of the car, a man Makhnin said was more than 80 years old, mistakenly hit the gas instead of the brakes. He was also taken to the hospital.

UPDATE (2:46 p.m.): Another tipster, Erica K., contacted us to say she also heard six. We know that four were taken to the hospital. It is possible that the other two turned down medical treatment at the scene.

This is a breaking news story and may contain inaccuracies. We will update it as more information becomes available. If anyone has more information or additional photos, please send them to tips (at) sheepsheadbites (dot) com.

Tags: accidents, brighton beach, brighton beach ave, car accidents, pedestrian struck

http://twitter.com/bkjenka Jennifer K-Milo

this is why elderly people should not drive!!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

My father drove quite well into his eighties and his reflexes were better than a lot of younger drivers. He only stopped driving when he was paralyzed by cancer.

Laguardia

One anecdotal example doesnt prove anything.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

Neither does one accident. Fact is, one doesn’t need anecdotal evidence to establish that there are a number of very competent drivers over the age of 80. The mere fact that this accident is not an everyday occurrence establishes that.

http://www.brucebrodinsky.com Bruce B

Don’t you know you need an internet link (it matters not the source) to prove your point?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

I suppose a you tube video would suffice. In today’s society people want to be entertained while they learn. Most would prefer to omit the learning part.
BrooklynBus

I guess a source from a book (what’s that) wouldn’t qualify.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

Some of our readers have never seen a book.

Tanzy

ANECDOTAL!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! SIX PEOPLE WERE HURT!!! MY BROTHER IS ONE OF THEM!!!!! ANECDOTAL!!! PEOPLE SHOULD NOT DRIVE WHEN THEY ARE OVER 80 YEARS OLD!!!

Tanzy

LET’S NOPE AND PRAY THAT THE WOMAN WHO WAS CRITICALLY HURT SURVIVES!!!

Anonymous

it was an elderly driver?
Anonymous

Be nice to grandpa! :P
http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

You beat me to it! Old People have no fucking right to drive!

BrooklynBus

Thank God it wasn’t worse.

JR

I thank god for making me an atheist – Ricky Gervais

http://www.brucebrodinsky.com Bruce B

I know I’ve typed this in the past, but again:

”I’d be an atheist, but they have no holidays” (Rodney Dangerfield)

Tired of the motoring mayhem

How do we know it was an “accident”?

BrooklynBus

You think it was on purpose? You have been watching too much television.

Tired of the motoring mayhem

The opposite of “accident” is not “on purpose”.

If something is accidental, it means that it probably was unavoidable, unpreventable. Many times car crashes are relegated to just “accidents”, when in fact most of them are preventable, and capable of being address by enforcement or engineering improvements — either the driver was speeding, distracted, reckless, etc.

BrooklynBus

The dictionary definition of accident is unintentional or unplanned. So unless the driver had some sort of medical condition which could have predicted such an occurrence it indeed was an accident. If the driver was as you say speeding, distracted, reckless, etc then he would be at fault, but it still is an accident. Being old by itself is not a crime. He made a mistake and that coud have happened whatever his age. If he wasnt fit to drive, is another possibility, but any way you look at it, it was an accident, preventable or not unless he intentionally wanted to hit someone and here is no evidence of that.

Andrew

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) disagrees:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/airbags/Archive-04/PresBelt/crash_accident.html
BrooklynBus

Wrote my response before viewing your link.
Tired of the motoring mayhem

Again, you’re not quite getting it. “Accident” assumes there was nobody at fault. With this crash, we don’t know either way, but to immediately use the word “accident” is to automatically excuse the driver. With the carnage on our streets, that’s not something we can afford to do.
http://www.brucebrodinsky.com Bruce B

I agree. I’m tired of people driving vehicles that weigh in the tons, automatically excused with “accident”. I’m not passing judgment on this particular case, but perhaps behavior is being modified negatively by the fact that drivers know (consciously or subconsciously) that any incident will be labelled “accident”.
BrooklynBus

I am also tired that too many people are excused because of “accidents”. Perhaps filing charges means just too much paperwork and it is a lot easier to let people off. But I can’t find anywhere that an “accident” means that no one was at fault.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

I agree with your point strongly but the problem is not the word “accident” but rather how we don’t punish people for the irresponsible actions that lead to some of them.

TITANIUMDX

Now that this happen, this old fart’s license should be permanently revoked.
This guy is obviously a clear and present danger to pedestrians.
80 years old should be the maximum age limit for a license, but I’ve heard of people who are 100 years old, driving around, scary.

BrooklynBus

I’m sorry I don’t agree. Some of these people need their cars. True their eye sight or reflexes aren’t what they once were. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be allowed to drive somewhat. Most of these people know their limitations and neve drive on highways or after dark. Unfortunately, some refuse to give up their car when they shouldn’t drive at all.

The answer is periodic testing for those over 75 and restrictive licenses shoud be given depending on the individual, much like learners permits have restrictions.

levp

Actually, I would favor re-testing all drivers at the time of every or at least every other license renewal (every 8 or at least 16 years). Vehicles change, people’s brain changes, etc.

Andrew

Traffic laws also change, and drivers may not even be aware of existing laws that aren’t regularly enforced. Periodic retesting is a good idea, at any age.

levp

Speaking of laws, they are sometimes different in different parts of the same state, let alone different states. How many Long Islanders or Upstaters keep making right turns on red in NYC?
BrooklynBus

You sort of wonder why this has never been required. Think of all the additional fees goverment could charge.

TonyDanza

And we wonder why it takes cops over 2 hours to respond sometimes? They have to respond to one car accident after another, delaying their response time to actual emergencies.
http://www.bigapplesewer.com/ Master Plumber

People are quick to say that the elderly shouldn’t drive anymore or should have restricted licenses. What about the drivers, young and middle aged, that drive like complete asses. Speeding. Weaving in and out of lanes. This seems to be fine but when an old man crashes its his age to blame. I doubt you would ever find a young driver to mistakenly hit the gas instead of the brake. Give me a BRAKE.

Barkingspider07

This is true, but the elderly folks are more prone to accidents because of slow reflexes, refusal to look in their mirrors, impaired hearing, easily distracted – I have had enough of these experiences with my father, who nobody will drive with any more. I can tell you stories that would make your hair stand on end about elderly family members causing accidents and making unforgivable mistakes while behind the wheel. And the funny thing – it’s always the other guys fault!

BrooklynBus

“Only one car going the wrong way? There are a whole bunch of them going the wrong way.”

But seriously you are correct. I’ve yet to see someone get a ticket for changing lanes 15 times in 30 seconds and that is no exaggeration and going 10 mph faster than anyone else. And I see this virtually every time I am on the highway.
http://www.bigapplesewer.com/ Master Plumber

Well I guess its the elderly peoples slow reflexes that at least keep them at the scenes of these accidents unlike the countless cowardly teenage and middle aged drivers who would take out a sidewalk full of pedestrians and keep it moving.

Pingback: Автомобильная авария на 411 Брайтон Бич Авеню
Pingback: Автомобильная авария на 411 Брайтон Бич Авеню
levp

Regardless of whether the driver is young or old, what does it really mean “lost control of his car”? I read it all the time in reports like this.

Is a car some kind of a wild animal that you tame, which sometimes just spontaneously disobeys and attacks everybody?

Anonymous

True Story
Local Broker

Yeah and did you hear guns kill people too.

levp

Concealed cars? With extended… fuel tanks? Its worse than I thought…

BrooklynBus

He gave it some gas instead of using the brake. Guess he meant to give it some water to quench its thirst and instead gave it some salty meat instead.

levp

LOL What’s wrong with these people?! PETA will be very angry.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

Everybody tells me that cars have personalities. So I guess they must be sentient, and therefore, trainable.

This is why trucks require special licenses. It is very difficult to train a wild truck.
http://www.brucebrodinsky.com Bruce B

OOOOOOOOOO, Christineeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee….

Barkingspider07

Actually, I’m on the side of the folks here who think that elderly people should not drive. Now, before you all draw your pistols, hear me out. I took my father to his relatives house in LI and told him that we have to leave by a certain time, because I did not want to drive on the Southern State Pkwy at night. My night vision is not great. Anyhow, Pops would not move his butt to leave and we ended up leaving at 11PM. He volunteered to drive and like a dumb butt I let him. HE PULLED ONTO THE SOUTHERN STATE, GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!!! Then, to add insult to injury, when I screamed, he pulled across the median to go the lane that he was suppposed to be in. I made him pull off, and when the cops came, I told them what happened. I was hyperventilating, and my heart was pounding out of my chest. That night, I aged about 20 years. This is a man who used to be a truck driver. This is only one reason why old folks should be passengers, and not drivers.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

Specific to your father, I’d agree. But not generally.

BrooklynBus

Getting people to stop driving when they are no longer able to or realize their limits is a big problem which is why we need periodic retesting. My uncle drove his whole life until he had a minor accident at 81. When that happened he told everyone that he shoud have given it up three years earlier and shouldn’t have been driving. At least he realized what was happening.

It’s worse in Florida. When someone stops short at a red signal, there are automatically 14 rear enders.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

I quit driving years ago because there were too many terrible drivers, many of whom were probably of an age where it was simply a matter that these people were lousy drivers. The idea of defensive driving doesn’t appeal to me. One has to wonder whether the road test needs to be made more difficult.

Since the average age in Florida is well over 100 these days it’s understandable that there would be a environment where accidents would become more common. Everyone drives there, because public transportation is horrendous there. That certainly compounds matters. If everybody drives it’s logical to assume that there will be more drivers that shouldn’t be drivers. But since there is no other way to get around they do so at the peril of others. Even pedestrians have to be extra careful in Florida, which is a good reason not to live there.

BrooklynBus

There is a problem with making the road test more difficult. No one would get a license. Few people drive well when they are first licensed. Good driving comes through experience where you learn judgment from your mistakes. You just have to manage not to kill or injure someone in the process.

I am a big supporter of defensive driving. Some of those points I learned over 40 years ago I still use every day and am a better drive for it. Defensive driving needs to be taught more and should be a requirement in retesting.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

I thought the road test I took was way too easy. There were no really challenging situations to deal with. The road test should include places like the intersection of Flatbush and Avenue U. Granted, some people avoid those places but situations can come up that one does not anticipate.

Defensive driving is necessary. Which meant for me that I was never relaxed driving, which was not a good thing at all.
http://www.brucebrodinsky.com Bruce B

i’m with Lisa. The driving test I took was a joke. The road test I took was at Coyle Street by the football field. I don’t think i saw a single car moving during the road test. Once around the block, one park, one K-turn, that was it.

      The eccentric tester asked me if I knew a foreign language. I remembered some Dewey French from Ms. Faytell’s class, spoke it, and he passed me, probably based on that.

    C’mon on now, if the road test is still like that, it needs to be made more difficult.

   I quit driving at 35 or so because I didn’t need the hassle of a car living where I do. But I would have quit by now due to all the crazy drivers.
BrooklynBus

The road test only tests you to determine if you can handle the controls and to see that you don’t make any unlawful or dangerous maneuvers. It does not test judgement or how well you can handle difficult conditions. Learning how to drive only comes with experience. I don’t know how you could change the test. Do you really want to take someone who can barely drive and take him into a difficult situation right away?

There are so many variables, you couldn’t possibly cover all of them in a road test. Daytime driving, nightime driving, rain, snow, fog, expressway driving. Rural driving is also totally different than City driving. The only way to do this would be to use a simulator which certainly could be done with today’s technology. That’s how they teach motormen and pilots, so why not use them to train and test drivers? They cost money, that’s why.

I was permitted to try the train simulator about ten years ago. It certainly isn’t easy to get the train to stop where you want it to. It’s nothing at all like driving a car. I think I overshot most every station or was too short.
BrooklynBus

The road test only tests you to determine if you can handle the controls and to see that you don’t make any unlawful or dangerous maneuvers. It does not test judgement or how well you can handle difficult conditions. Learning how to drive only comes with experience. I don’t know how you could change the test. Do you really want to take someone who can barely drive and take him into a difficult situation right away?

There are so many variables, you couldn’t possibly cover all of them in a road test. Daytime driving, nightime driving, rain, snow, fog, expressway driving. Rural driving is also totally different than City driving. The only way to do this would be to use a simulator which certainly could be done with today’s technology. That’s how they teach motormen and pilots, so why not use them to train and test drivers? They cost money, that’s why.

I was permitted to try the train simulator about ten years ago. It certainly isn’t easy to get the train to stop where you want it to. It’s nothing at all like driving a car. I think I overshot most every station or was too short.

http://www.brucebrodinsky.com Bruce B

I can sympathize with the people who want to kick elderly drivers out, especially you after such an experience, but what age? I began to see my own father’s driving become somewhat erratic, and he quit driving at only 62, thank goodness the car died and he didn’t feel like getting another one. And this was a man who I don’t think was in an accident in at least 35 years of driving.

But by your logic, we shouldn’t allow anyone under, say, the age of 35 driving. Darn, they’re all texting and on cell phones while driving, and we all know how not a single young young person knows how to drive, don’t we? They’re ALL reckless, aren’t they?

By the way, your story reminds me of one of my own in my driving days. I pulled out of the Green Acres movie theater, was too busy talking to the girl i had in the car, and made a left turn right into the oncoming traffic (eastbound) lane of the Sunrise. So I tried to go up the grass divider to get to the proper (westbound) lanes. The car stalled. God was certainly on my side that moment, since the oncoming cars were stopped at a traffic light a certain distance away. I was able to start the car quickly and mount over the grass barrier into the proper lane. So, maybe that’s why I stopped driving at 34 years old! (I can hear the collective sigh of relief from the participants of Sheepshead Bites)!

JR

CRAZY DRUNK DRIVERS!!!
TZY

PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER 80 YEARS OLD SHOULD NOT DRIVE!!! EVER!!! FOR ANY REASON!!! I WITNESSED TOO MANY ACCIDENTS THAT INVOLVED OLD DRIVERS!!! SIX PEOPLE WERE SERIOUSLY HURT!!! LET’S HOPE AND PRAY THAT THE WOMAN WHO WAS CRITICALLY HURT SURVIVES!!!
us citizen

on highways adequate signage and lighting are essential
Anonymous

“Best Feeling”? What kind of food do is that? And yes,I know it’s a Russian store.
Anonymous

its really called BEST BUY?Did they live under a rock when they named this hole?

Lena

It is called Best Buy International Food

Pingback: The Doctor Is In! 90-Year-Old Bay Doc Resumes Practice After Ground-Breaking Heart Procedure | Sheepshead Bay News Blog

SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

BREAKING: Several People Hospitalized After Brighton Beach Car Accident

Related posts

Categories

Popular Topics

Support our sponsors!

Check out our restaurant guide!