'Not A Single Excuse' For Crash That Killed 3-Month-Old, Pols Say

BROOKLYN, NY — A wrong-way crash that killed a 3-month-old and hurt three others in Brooklyn over the weekend would have been prevented had long-sought traffic safety policies been in place, according to elected officials.

Elected officials and advocates gathered Monday at the Clinton Hill street corner where the baby, her mom and a relative were hit on Saturday to demand street safety upgrades, including refunding a city program they say would have prevented the 28-year-old man who had been driving the wrong way down Gates Avenue from being on the road.

The driver, Tyrik Mott, had racked up 160 traffic violations between 2017 and the time of the crash, when he collided into another car near Vanderbilt Avenue and sent both vehicles hurdling toward the mom and relative as they pushed the baby in the stroller, according to police and a New York Post analysis.

"We're tired of doing these conferences, we're tired of comforting parents experiencing their worst nightmare, we're tired of reading the reports about yet another child lost to vehicle crashes," Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said. "...There's no reason this vehicle was still on our streets."

The city promised to refund the reckless driver legislation, known as the Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program, earlier this year, but details about when it will be put in place have remained slim, according to Streetsblog.

Saturday's crash killed the 3-month-old girl and sent her mother, 33, to the hospital in serious condition, according to police. The relative, a 36-year-old man, was also taken to the hospital, along with the 49-year-old driver of the second Honda. Both are in stable condition.

Mott, who tried to steal another car to get away from police after the crash, has since been arraigned on robbery, grand larceny and other charges, according to the District Attorney. More charges are expected as the investigation continues, a spokesperson said.

On top of the reckless driver legislation Adams and other elected officials also pointed to the need for policies known as the Crash Victims Rights and Safety Act and a push to have speed zone cameras activated at all hours of the day.

Adams, who is the Democratic nominee to replace de Blasio, said Monday that advocating for the traffic safety policies and other street safety upgrades would be a priority when he all-but-surely takes over the city.

The Brooklyn crash comes as New York City moves toward its deadliest year for traffic fatalities since 2014, when Mayor Bill de Blasio's began his "Vision Zero" quest to eliminate traffic deaths. There have been 188 people killed across the five boroughs so far this year, officials said.

"Every single one of these deaths is preventable — there is not a single excuse on this whole earth to justify the death of a 3-month-old," state Sen. Andrew Gounardes said at Monday's rally. "I hope and pray that we don't have to do this [rally] again because this shouldn't have happened in the first place."