Lawmakers seek to make streets safer after 22nd pedestrian is killed in NYC

New York lawmakers announced new legislation intended to make the city's streets safer after six pedestrians were fatally struck by vehicles citywide this week alone.

If passed, a reckless driving bill would make it easier for district attorneys to charge dangerous drivers. A pedestrian safety rating bill would rate vehicles on how likely they are to cause injury and a crosswalk bill would allow every intersection to be considered a crosswalk with or without the markings.

"When will we say enough is enough. Enough about talking about street safety, and enough about realizing the dream of street safety. When will we finally reckon with the reality as it's first enacted is simply not enough," said New York state Sen. Andrew Gounardes.

The bills are currently in the Senate, where they need a majority vote in order to move to the state Assembly for another vote.

In Brooklyn, three people were killed this week after being struck by vehicles, with two of them being young children. A young boy was killed while crossing the street Thursday in East New York.

Police tell News 12 that 7-year-old Payson Lott is the 22nd pedestrian killed this year. His mother was also injured as they crossed the intersection of Blake and Pennsylvania avenues.

The driver was identified by police as 48-year-old Susan Pierrot, and she has charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian, failure to exercise due care and aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle. News 12 is told she was issued a desk appearance ticket and released. 

Earlier this week, a 10-year-old girl was killed after being hit by a school bus in East New York, and on Sunday, a 26-year-old man was run down while walking from his car in Bath Beach.