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NYPD: No criminality suspected in accident that injured traffic cop

NWS HYLAN NEW DORP
A pedestrian was struck at 4:53 p.m., Monday evening and was transported to SIUH North, Ocean Breeze, with minor injuries, according to an FDNY spokesman. According to a witness, the man struck was an NYPD traffic agent. (Staten Island Advance/Andrew Simontacchi)
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Maura Grunlund | grunlund@siadvance.comBy Maura Grunlund | grunlund@siadvance.com 
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on December 22, 2015 at 6:32 AM, updated December 22, 2015 at 11:08 AM
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The driver of a car that struck and injured an NYPD traffic agent directing traffic on Hylan Boulevard in New Dorp has not been charged in connection with the accident, according to police.
The driver remained at the scene and no criminality is suspected, an NYPD spokesman said. The NYPD's Highway Collision Investigation Squad did not probe the crash and the officer's injuries were not life threatening.
The traffic agent was struck at the intersection of Hylan Boulevard and New Dorp Lane during the Monday evening rush-hour, a witness told the Advance.
The witness said the agent was directing the intersection's traffic when an elderly woman, who appeared to be making a left turn onto New Dorp Lane from the Tottenville-bound side of Hylan, struck the agent.
There seemed to be confusion as the agent was directing drivers to stop although the light appeared to have just turned green, according to the witness.
After striking the agent, who appeared to suffer a leg injury, the driver pulled into the 7-Eleven parking lot, the witness said. 
According to an FDNY spokesman, EMS responded to the scene at 4:53 p.m. and transported one male patient to Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze.
The accident happened hours after New York City's Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and Thomas Chan, transportation chief for the New York Police Department, visited Hylan Boulevard and New Dorp Lane on Monday morning to promote driver safety throughout the city this holiday season.
What we really need from Vision Zero (commentary)
What we really need from Vision Zero (commentary)
A message that all of us are responsible for traffic safety: Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists alike.

Traffic fatalities nearly doubled on Staten Island this year, going from 11 in 2014 to 21 so far in 2015.
Chan and Trottenberg said their departments have been working closely to address issues on Hylan and across Staten Island.
  
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NavVet
NavVet
Turn some of these drivers licenses into metro cards and maybe then people will realize. It's funny just thinking that in states like Virginia there rules of the road are so strict. There state police and city cops have zero tolerance and that's the way it should be here. Zero Tolerance!!!!
siny246
siny246
If this is the traffic agent who is regularly there then I must say he does a great job at that intersection. He's actually one in a few that get the traffic moving a long that stretch of roadway that is a disaster. Hope he gets well soon!
greatkills37
greatkills37
In Jersey they don't test eyes periodically if you are over a certain age ....here they do......I think after a certain age road testing should be done to protect the driver as well as the other people on the road......it would cost a lot of additional funding......but so what .....
SPopper
SPopper
As a resident of the New Dorp area I can attest to the fact that elderly drivers are a real danger in the area.  I am shocked this hasn't happened more, although I believe there was a terrible accident at the entrance/exit to Shoprite not long ago.  There are many elderly residents in the area that drive dangerously slow, stop abruptly, don't signal, go through stop signs etc.  I don't know what it is going to take for the DMV to realize at a certain point, driver's licenses need to be reevaluated.  The elderly, who I respect, just reach an age where they should not drive.  I don't know if I am more afraid of being in a vehicle accident or run over when I walk.  I see it everyday over there.  Especially elderly folks driving large SUV's and minivan's when you can hardly see them over the steering wheel.  The community should call to reevaluating driver's licenses for drivers over 62 at the least.  
asteriod
asteriod
@SPopper Wait till you reach age 62...I know drivers who are over the age of 62. Some at the ripe age of 72. Very good and polite drivers. So your argument is moot.. They are not in the majority when there are accidents. Now take the young on Staten Island? Different story. It's called entitlement. Once they acquire a license? Watch out. Not vilifying all young drivers. But when you read about accidents? Yep there it is. And let's not forget the middle aged drivers...You know the ones that need to get to work and back home faster than anyone else?...Now these traffic agents? They're pretty good at directing traffic. They should be given more pay. Dangerous job and one has to have eyes all around the head so to speak. 
We have mass transit here on this Island. Albeit not so hot in some places. But that is an alternative to you.
Trump Card is correct. More taxes and fees. I would think we have enough of that, don't you think?Unless you have a large barrel of disposable income?