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Here’s the worst neighborhood for cyclists in Brooklyn

Coincidentally, these maps match up with the "New Headlights Purchased" map.
Coincidentally, these maps match up with the “New Headlights Purchased” map.

Look out, cyclists: there’s one place in NYC where motorcars are gunning to kill you: Clinton Hill and Fort Greene. Auto Insurance Center analyzed traffic collision data from the past twelve months and found that the 88th precinct, home to the Pratt Institute and Susan Sarandon, has the most cyclist injuries (7.7) per 100 collisions, quadruple the city’s precinct average. What’s going on here? Are late-night munchie runs sending student cyclists to the hospital? Is the BAFTA Award winning actress taking out her aggression on two-wheeled vehicles? Or is something else going on?

We peeked at the figures and see there were only 104 collisions in the entire precinct and 8 total cyclist injuries. The next down on the list, the 66th Precinct (Borough Park*), had more than double the amount of total collisions (255) and only 13 cyclist injuries. Why the disparity? Possibly because Borough Park has fewer bicycles to hit. Clinton Hill has at least nine on-street bike thoroughfares; Borough Park, which is double the size, has one — the well-protected Ocean Parkway. The 66th precinct also had 26 pedestrian injuries, making your chances of playing automobile pinball much higher in the southern Brooklyn neighborhood. (Conversely, the 88th precinct didn’t even break the top-ten in pedestrian injuries.)

The report later on says that a whole quarter of all collisions were caused by “driver inattention/distraction.” Maybe they were too busy admiring the landmark architecture of Clinton Hill. Maybe they took Mad Max a little too much to heart. Whatever the case, drivers should figure out how to stop hitting cyclists.

*The report incorrectly identifies the 66th Precinct as Bay Ridge.

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2 Comments

  1. first,this is not geared at all cyclist. There are plenty safe cyclist. But for those Who drive in between cars, drive in front of cars, into on coming traffic, make a left turn onto one way traffic going the opposite way and those who drive two across in two way traffic..there has to be some sort of license for bicyclist. I’ve seen plenty of near misses that were clearly the fault of the cyclist.
    I have a whole different list for the motor bicycles.

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