New York Police Department officials said that eight people were injured in the accidents that occurred in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Manhattan at street-dining areas that were permitted by the city for the first time, as officials began to ease restrictions imposed to control the spread of Covid-19.
In two of the accidents, diners sustained minor injuries that required medical attention and property was damaged, according to the officials. In two other cases, property was damaged but no injuries were reported, the officials said.
More than 9,500 restaurants across the five boroughs have been approved for the city’s Open Restaurants program, which began June 22 and temporarily allows more expansive sidewalk and roadway seating than was permitted before the pandemic. More than 6,000 restaurants have been approved to set up tables and chairs in the roadway, according to the city.
The city’s regulations stipulate that roadway cafes must be at least 15 feet from fire hydrants and 8 feet from crosswalks. Barriers must be at least 18 inches wide with reflective tape on the outside corners. Many restaurants have constructed such dining areas to accommodate tables and diners on stretches of city streets that previously saw heavy traffic.
Traffic safety expert Beau Biller, a forensic engineer and accident reconstructionist at the Tallahassee, Fla.-based consulting firm Cummings Scientific, said that drivers could be startled by newly constructed seating areas in roadways.
“It doesn’t surprise me that there have been accidents,” he said. “All of a sudden, there’s something in the roadway with no warning. That’s going to be a problem.”
NYPD officials and representatives for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio couldn’t provide a count of how many times cars have struck the city’s new outdoor dining spaces beyond the four cases confirmed by the NYPD. The officials said the total could be higher.
NYPD officials said that police don’t maintain specific records of such vehicular accidents. Restaurant owners and diners have reported a number of occasions in which vehicles crashed into temporary seating areas on city streets.
Last month, an out-of-control pickup truck struck the outdoor dining area of L’Wren, a cocktail bar in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, injuring three diners and damaging property, according to NYPD officials.
Officials said the driver was moving a truck from one location to another at a low rate of speed when he lost control of the vehicle, which struck the bar’s outdoor dining area, knocking over a barricade and tables where customers were eating and drinking.
The collision occurred around 8 p.m. on July 21, the officials said. The injured diners were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, according to the officials.
L’Wren co-owner Jessica Klaus said she has taken safety precautions in the construction of her outdoor dining area, which can fit up to 12 tables. She said the ability to offer outdoor table services has been of critical help to her business after months of little revenue while restaurants were restricted to takeout and delivery.
“If we didn’t have the outdoor and roadway seating, I think even more people would be filing for bankruptcy right now,” Ms. Klaus said.
New York City officials have completed more than 13,000 inspections of temporary outdoor dining areas and more than 90% of restaurants with roadway seating were in compliance with the city’s rules, according to mayoral spokesman Mitch Schwartz.
Mr. Schwartz said that the program has been a lifeline for city restaurants.
“There’s no higher priority than keeping New Yorkers safe as we reopen our economy, and we’ll continue exploring new ways to help diners enjoy an outdoor meal safely,” he said.