Brooklyn, NY — June 2, 2025, one person was injured in a bus accident at about 6:40 p.m. on East 12th Street in Sheepshead Bay.
Authorities said a pedestrian was in the middle of the crosswalk on 12th Street when he was hit by a Metropolitan Transit Authority bus that was turning off of Avenue Z.
The pedestrian, an 87-year-old man whose name has not been made public, was critically injured in the crash, according to authorities. He was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the crash at this time. The accident is still being investigated.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When someone gets hit by a bus while crossing the street in a marked crosswalk, it raises obvious questions, most importantly, how did the driver not see him?
Based on what’s been reported so far, a Metropolitan Transit Authority bus struck an 87-year-old man while turning onto East 12th Street from Avenue Z. Authorities say the man was in the middle of the crosswalk when he was hit. That’s a crucial detail because it speaks to right of way. Pedestrians generally have the right of way in a marked crosswalk, especially when they’re already in the intersection.
Still, without more information, we can’t say who’s at fault. Was the pedestrian crossing with the light? Was the driver distracted or speeding through the turn? Did poor visibility or traffic conditions play a role? Right now, those are unanswered questions.
In my experience, the key to understanding how these crashes happen isn’t in the public statements; it’s in the evidence. In a case like this, that would mean reviewing any nearby surveillance footage, interviewing eyewitnesses and pulling data from the bus itself. Many public transit buses are equipped with multiple cameras and GPS tracking. Some even have telematics systems that can show whether the driver braked or swerved, and how fast the bus was going.
One more thing that often comes up in similar cases is driver training and oversight. MTA drivers go through professional certification, but that doesn’t mean every driver performs to that standard every day. Was the driver fatigued? Was this part of a pattern? Did the MTA conduct regular evaluations or just assume everyone was doing fine? Those are things only a thorough investigation will reveal.
Ultimately, what matters most is not jumping to conclusions, but doing the work to get answers. That means holding onto every piece of evidence and asking the hard questions, because only then can anyone say with confidence who was responsible and what went wrong.
Key Takeaways:
- A pedestrian was hit while crossing in a marked crosswalk, which typically gives them the right of way.
- It’s not yet clear whether the driver or pedestrian had the traffic signal; that’s a key unanswered question.
- Bus-mounted cameras and vehicle data can shed light on the driver’s actions during the turn.
- Independent investigations can explore factors like driver attention, visibility and MTA oversight.
- Getting to the truth means collecting and analyzing all available evidence, not relying solely on initial reports.
call us 
Email Us 
Text us