Girl's death spurs calls for pedestrian safety
Activists are calling for innovations in pedestrian safety after a little girl was struck and killed by a driver turning from a one-way street onto another this week. A car struck and killed 3-year-old
News 12 Staff
•
May 19, 2016, 5:51 AM
•
Updated 2,899 days ago
Share:
Activists are calling for innovations in pedestrian safety after a little girl was struck and killed by a driver turning from a one-way street onto another this week.
A car struck and killed 3-year-old Mariam Dansoko while she was crossing Gerard Avenue at East 164th Street with her mother and sister Monday morning.
So far, police have not charged the driver, who remained at the scene.
Police say the girl was walking between 10 and 12 feet behind her mother at the time of the accident. They were walking against the pedestrian signal.
Erwin Figueroa, an activist with Transportation Alternatives, has proposed a so-called split-phase signal that would give pedestrians a special light before allowing cars to turn.
The Department of Transportation seems open to the idea.
"We will inspect the intersection of East 164th Street and Gerard Avenue to see if any further safety enhancements are needed," the DOT said in a statement.
