Short summary: Three teenage boys, ages 16, 17, and 18, were killed and four other people were hurt when a Cadillac Escalade and a Honda HR-V collided on the Belt Parkway in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn late Tuesday night. If you were a passenger hurt in a crash like this, you generally have a claim that is separate from whatever caused the crash, and it is worth getting advice now.
It happened just after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday on the eastbound Belt Parkway near 65th Street. NYPD says a 2002 Cadillac Escalade carrying five people collided with a 2024 Honda HR-V carrying two.
Three of the five people in the Escalade, all teenage boys, died. Two more in the SUV were taken to Maimonides Medical Center in stable condition. The two women in the Honda, ages 47 and 43, were taken to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn and were listed in stable condition. No arrests have been made, and the cause is still under investigation.
Why this crash is different if you were a passenger
Five people were riding in that Escalade. Three didn't survive. If you're a passenger hurt or killed in a crash, your case doesn't hinge on proving who was at fault the way a driver's might.
You were doing nothing but riding in the car. That generally means you have a claim against whichever driver (or drivers) caused the crash, no matter who was behind your own wheel.
What families of passengers should do first
- Get a copy of the police accident report once it's available. It will name both drivers and the insurance information on file.
- Don't assume "no arrests yet" means no one will be held responsible. A criminal investigation and a civil claim run on separate tracks.
- Start medical treatment and keep every record. For surviving passengers, gaps in treatment get used by insurers to argue an injury wasn't serious.
- Ask about a rental car if a family vehicle was totaled. See our guide on rental car coverage after a crash.
The Belt Parkway keeps showing up in these headlines
This is a fast, unforgiving highway that cuts through several Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods, and high-speed multi-vehicle crashes there tend to be more severe than a typical city-street collision. When a crash happens on a highway like this, evidence like skid marks, speed data, and dashcam footage can disappear or get overwritten fast, which is part of why early legal advice matters even while a family is still absorbing the loss.
If you or someone you love was hurt as a passenger, start with our guide on what to do after a car accident in New York, and if you're facing an insurance adjuster's call already, read what they're actually paid to do before you speak with them.
Questions New Yorkers ask us
If I was a passenger, can I still have a claim if my friend was driving?
Generally, yes. Passengers are almost never at fault for a crash, and your claim usually isn't reduced just because a friend or family member was driving. It may involve that driver's own insurance policy, which can feel awkward, but the coverage exists for exactly this situation.
What if the crash is still under investigation and no one's been charged?
A criminal charge isn't required for a civil injury claim to move forward. Insurance companies generally have to respond to a claim regardless of whether police have made an arrest, though the outcome of the investigation can affect how the case unfolds.
How long do I have to file a claim after a fatal crash like this?
Deadlines vary by the type of claim and who's involved, which is exactly why it's worth getting advice now rather than waiting. Our guide on the 30-day no-fault deadline covers the clock that starts fastest.
Not sure where you stand after a crash? Get your free case review or call (347) 526-1246. A real person answers, 24/7.
Reporting: FOX 5 New York.
