Weprin Votes, Neighbors Bleed: Demand Streets That Don’t Kill

Albany lawmakers push Assembly Bill 590 to force 16- and 17-year-olds on Citi Bike e-bikes to wear helmets. Critics warn helmet laws slash ridership and invite biased policing. The bill moves forward despite evidence of harm to vulnerable road users.

Assembly Bill 590, sponsored by Amy Paulin (D-Westchester), advanced in a Transportation Committee hearing on May 7, 2025. The bill would require 16- and 17-year-olds riding Class 1 or 2 e-bikes, including Citi Bikes, to wear helmets. Committee Chair William Magnarelli (D-Syracuse) defended the bill, stating, "My only concern is the safety of the people riding the bike." The bill summary notes, 'studies have shown [helmet mandates] can dramatically reduce ridership of the city’s bike share system.' Experts warn such laws lead to fewer cyclists and open the door to discriminatory enforcement, especially against youth of color. Seattle dropped its helmet law in 2022 for these reasons. Despite evidence that helmet laws hurt vulnerable road users, the committee advanced the bill without addressing these harms.

• Teen Helmet Mandate for E-Citi Bikes? Albany Lawmakers are Up to No Good Again, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-07

A car mounted the sidewalk at Liberty Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard. Metal twisted. Glass shattered. Nine people hurt—pedestrians, bus riders, car passengers. The bus stop became a scene of chaos. Sirens wailed. All survived. The street held the scars.

According to ABC7 (published April 4, 2025), a crash at Liberty Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard in Queens left at least nine people injured. Police said a 79-year-old woman, turning left, 'allegedly veered onto the sidewalk' to avoid a stopped Q10 bus, striking both the bus and its shelter. Four people waiting at the bus stop were hurt, as well as two bus passengers and three people inside the car. The article notes, 'Police stated that none of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries.' All were taken to Jamaica Hospital in stable condition. The incident highlights the danger when vehicles enter pedestrian space and the risks at crowded bus stops. The investigation continues.

• Car Jumps Curb, Injures Nine In Queens, ABC7, Published 2025-04-04

A Ford pickup hit a 29-year-old man on 133rd Street near Liberty Avenue. Blood spilled onto the asphalt. The man stood, stunned, his leg torn open. The driver never stopped. No brake lights, no pause, just a truck vanishing west.

A Ford pickup truck struck a 29-year-old man on 133rd Street near Liberty Avenue, according to the police report. The man, described as 'playing in the roadway,' suffered severe lacerations to his lower leg and stood in shock as blood spilled onto the street. The report states the pickup did not stop after the collision—'No brake lights. Just gone.' The vehicle, registered in New Jersey, showed no reported damage and was traveling west. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The driver’s failure to remain at the scene is a central fact. The victim’s behavior is noted as 'playing in roadway,' but this is only mentioned after the driver’s actions. The collision left the pedestrian injured and abandoned, underscoring the lethal consequences when drivers fail to stop after striking a person.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800723, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan slammed into a moped on Hillside Avenue, metal grinding metal. A 20-year-old man, helmeted, was crushed, pain radiating through his body. He stayed conscious. The street bore witness to the violence of careless force.

A violent collision unfolded on Hillside Avenue near 185th Street in Queens when a sedan struck a moped, according to the police report. The impact left a 20-year-old male moped passenger with severe crush injuries to his entire body. The report states he wore a helmet and did not lose consciousness, but the pain was overwhelming. Both vehicles were reported as going straight ahead before the crash. The police report does not specify contributing factors or assign blame, listing them as 'Unspecified.' However, the narrative details the sedan striking the moped, with the moped absorbing the force at its center back end and the sedan’s left front bumper taking the hit. The violence of the impact underscores the ever-present danger vulnerable road users face when sharing streets with heavier vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795796, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A pickup truck barreled down Grand Central Parkway, smashing a sedan mid-turn and crushing a parked SUV. Blood pooled on the asphalt. A 56-year-old man, semiconscious, bled from his head as sirens screamed through Queens’ night.

According to the police report, a pickup truck traveling straight on Grand Central Parkway near 150th Street collided forcefully with a sedan that was making a right turn. The impact pushed the pickup into a parked SUV, crushing its rear. The report details that a 56-year-old male driver of the sedan was left semiconscious, suffering severe head bleeding. The narrative states: 'A pickup slammed into a turning sedan, then crushed a parked SUV. A 56-year-old man lay semiconscious, blood leaking from his head.' Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The crash data lists no victim behaviors as contributing factors. This collision highlights the deadly consequences of driver inattention and improper turning maneuvers on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795524, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan’s front bumper smashed a woman’s leg near Jamaica Avenue. Blood pooled on the street. The driver looked away. Metal screamed. A parked Ford shuddered. The woman, conscious, lay torn and bleeding in the gutter.

According to the police report, a 36-year-old woman was struck by a Hyundai sedan near 127-03 Jamaica Avenue in Queens at 1:27 a.m. The report states she was outside the crosswalk when the vehicle hit her, splitting open her leg and causing severe lacerations. The impact was so forceful that a parked Ford SUV was also slammed. The police report explicitly lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor, indicating the driver looked away before the crash. The sedan’s right front bumper bore the brunt of the collision. The woman was conscious at the scene, her injury classified as severe. No contributing factors related to the pedestrian’s behavior are cited in the report. The crash underscores the danger posed by distracted drivers on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4772041, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Queens lawmakers slammed e-scooters, calling them chaos. They claimed danger, but city data shows no deaths or serious injuries. Council Member Ung introduced a bill to ban the program. Gennaro and Schulman support it. DOT says the program is safe and popular.

On September 17, 2024, Council Member Sandra Ung announced a bill to ban the Queens e-scooter share program. The bill, co-sponsored by Council Members James Gennaro and Lynn Schulman, follows a press conference where lawmakers denounced the program as hazardous. Gennaro said, "The program, as designed, leads to chaos." Ung called her bill a last resort. Assembly Members Sam Berger and David Weprin, and Community Board 8 Chair Martha Taylor, joined the opposition, citing sidewalk clutter and lack of outreach. However, DOT data contradicts their claims: since the program's June launch, 37,000 riders have taken 290,000 trips with no reported serious injuries or deaths. DOT says it held 35 briefings and implemented parking corrals in dense areas. Despite high ridership and safety records, the bill seeks to end the program, centering political frustration over proven outcomes.

• Queens Pols Have Lots of Claims About the Evils of Scooter-Share, But Few Facts, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-17

A 14-year-old boy pedaled west on 103rd Avenue. An eastbound sedan struck him head-on. Crush injuries tore through his body. He was conscious when found. Police cite improper lane usage by the driver. The street swallowed another child.

According to the police report, a 14-year-old boy riding a bicycle was struck head-on by an eastbound Acura sedan at the corner of 103rd Avenue and 130th Street in Queens at 10:46 p.m. The report states the boy suffered crush injuries to his entire body but remained conscious when first responders arrived. The sedan's center front end bore the brunt of the impact. Police list 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the contributing factor, placing responsibility on the vehicle driver for failing to maintain proper lane discipline. The report makes no mention of any cyclist actions contributing to the crash, but notes the boy was not wearing a helmet. The collision underscores the lethal consequences of driver error on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738843, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Governor Hochul scrapped congestion pricing. The MTA lost a billion a year. Lawmakers scrambled. Senator Liz Krueger rejected a payroll tax hike. The MTA faces a funding cliff. Subway upgrades, elevators, and clean buses now hang in the balance.

On June 6, 2024, Governor Hochul’s sudden reversal on Manhattan congestion pricing sparked chaos in Albany. The plan, set to start June 30, would have charged drivers $15 to enter below 60th Street, raising $1 billion yearly for transit. Hochul proposed a payroll tax hike instead, but State Senator Liz Krueger opposed it, saying, "I do not think we have an appetite for that in the Senate." The bill’s fate is uncertain as the legislative session ends. The MTA board, city officials, and business groups all voiced concern. Projects like the Second Avenue Subway, subway accessibility, and zero-emission buses now face cancellation. No alternative funding plan exists. Vulnerable riders—those who rely on transit—stand to lose the most.

• Gov. Hochul’s congestion toll flip-flop spurs mad scramble at NY Capitol, gothamist.com, Published 2024-06-06

Council members slam Hochul’s last-minute NYC tax hike to replace congestion pricing. Transit funding hangs in limbo. Liz Krueger says the tax lacks support. Riders and workers face uncertainty as lawmakers reject new burdens and demand fairer solutions.

On June 6, 2024, State Sen. Liz Krueger (District 28) and other lawmakers responded to a proposed New York City tax hike meant to replace the indefinitely postponed $15 congestion pricing tolls. The measure, debated as Bill 28, has not advanced in committee and faces strong opposition. The matter, described as 'a last-minute funding move that drew fierce opposition,' has Krueger stating, 'I think it does not have support.' Assemblyman Brian Cunningham echoed, 'No new taxes.' The proposal would raise the payroll mobility tax, already increased last year, to fund the MTA. Rep. Jerry Nadler and business groups argue the tax unfairly targets NYC, while congestion pricing would have spread costs regionally. With the legislative session ending, MTA projects remain at risk. No safety analyst has assessed the impact on vulnerable road users.

• Outrage mounts as Hochul pushes last-minute NYC tax hike to replace congestion tolls: ‘Insulting joke’, nypost.com, Published 2024-06-06

A sedan slammed into an SUV on 107th Avenue. Metal twisted. Blood streaked a driver’s arm. The air reeked of alcohol. One man hurt, conscious, bleeding in the dark Queens night. Two cars, one crash, danger unchecked.

According to the police report, a sedan struck the back of a sport utility vehicle on 107th Avenue near 111th Street in Queens at 1:06 a.m. The report notes 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor in the crash. The sedan’s front end collided with the SUV’s rear, crumpling metal and causing severe bleeding to a 32-year-old male driver, who remained conscious. The narrative describes the scene: 'Metal crumpled. Blood ran down a 32-year-old man’s arm. He stayed conscious. The night smelled of alcohol.' Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead at the time of impact. The data does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the presence of alcohol and the violent impact that left one driver injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728519, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Steel collided at 120th Street and 107th Avenue. An SUV struck a sedan. Metal screamed. Doors buckled. A man’s shoulder crushed, a woman’s body broken. Both survived, conscious. The right-of-way was denied. Failure to yield left two people injured, pain echoing through Queens.

At the intersection of 120th Street and 107th Avenue in Queens, a Ford SUV collided with a northbound sedan, injuring two occupants. According to the police report, the SUV 'struck a northbound sedan. Metal screamed. Doors buckled.' A 26-year-old man suffered crush injuries to his shoulder, while a 30-year-old woman endured injuries across her entire body. Both remained conscious at the scene. The police report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The report states, 'The right-of-way was not given.' The data does not indicate any contributing factors related to the victims’ behavior. The crash underscores the consequences of driver error and the persistent threat at city intersections when right-of-way is denied.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4720541, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A motorcycle tore through the intersection at 114th Street and Liberty Avenue. It struck a 52-year-old woman. She died there, blood pooling on the asphalt. The bike’s front end crumpled. The street fell silent. Lives changed in an instant.

According to the police report, a motorcycle traveling south on 114th Street struck a 52-year-old woman as she crossed the intersection with Liberty Avenue. The impact was severe, causing fatal head injuries; the woman died at the scene, bleeding from the head. The report notes the motorcycle’s center front end took the brunt of the collision and was left crumpled. The narrative describes the aftermath as quiet and grim. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the vehicle and the pedestrian, providing no evidence of victim error. The motorcyclist was 'going straight ahead' at the time of the crash. The report makes no mention of the pedestrian’s actions contributing to the crash. The focus remains on the lethal consequences of a motorcycle striking a pedestrian in a city intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712116, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Ford pickup turned left at 120th Street and 101st Avenue. Its bumper hit a man crossing with the signal. He collapsed, broken and unconscious. He died in the street before dawn. Driver inattention marked his final moments.

A 47-year-old man was killed at the intersection of 120th Street and 101st Avenue in Queens when a Ford pickup truck turned left and struck him. According to the police report, the pedestrian was 'crossing with the signal' when the vehicle's 'left front bumper' hit him. The report states the driver was making a left turn and lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The man collapsed, unconscious, suffering injuries to his entire body, and died at the scene. The police report makes no mention of any pedestrian error or unsafe behavior. The fatal impact occurred while the victim was lawfully in the crosswalk, underscoring the lethal consequences of driver inattention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709148, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A third lawsuit strikes at the MTA’s congestion pricing plan. David Weprin and conservative lawmakers claim the review was weak. They want the toll halted. The MTA stands firm. Transit advocates call the suit a distraction. The fight delays safer, quieter streets.

On January 18, 2024, Assemblymember David Weprin and the City Council’s Common Sense Caucus filed a federal lawsuit against the MTA’s congestion pricing plan. The case, filed in Manhattan, challenges the environmental review process and seeks to block the $15 daily toll for cars entering Manhattan below 60th Street. The lawsuit claims, 'the city, state, and federal government did not do the proper review to protect citizens.' Council Member Bob Holden called the charge 'insane.' The MTA defends its review and says delays threaten $15 billion in transit upgrades. Transit advocates say the lawsuit is frivolous and congestion pricing’s benefits are clear. The case puts the program’s timeline—and safer streets for vulnerable road users—at risk.

• Congestion pricing | MTA hit with third lawsuit from conservative group seeking to stop Manhattan toll plan, amny.com, Published 2024-01-18

A red moped hit a 56-year-old woman near 107th Avenue in Queens. She stepped from behind a parked car. Metal met flesh. Her hip broke. Blood pooled. She stayed conscious. The pain was sharp and deep.

A crash occurred near 119-12 107th Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, a red moped traveling east struck a 56-year-old woman as she emerged from behind a parked car. The impact broke her hip and caused severe lacerations. She remained conscious at the scene. The police report does not list any driver errors or contributing factors. The woman was not at an intersection when struck. No helmet or signal use is mentioned in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4676491, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Metal screamed on Grand Central Parkway. Three sedans crashed. A KIA lay crushed. A Honda’s rear torn. Blood ran down a driver’s face. Five packed into one car. The road did not forgive. One man, conscious, bled in the wreckage.

Three sedans collided eastbound on Grand Central Parkway. According to the police report, 'Three sedans struck. A KIA lay crushed. A Honda’s rear torn. Metal screamed.' A 51-year-old male driver suffered severe bleeding to his face but remained conscious. Five people rode in one vehicle. The KIA was demolished. The Honda’s left rear quarter panel was hit. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are specified in the data. The report does not mention helmet use or turn signals as factors. The crash left at least one person injured and multiple vehicles destroyed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4670379, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Mazda slammed parked cars on 95th Avenue. Two men, 28 and 34, were flung partway out. Blood soaked the seats. Both stayed conscious. The street fell silent. Metal and flesh met hard. No one walked away clean.

Two men were injured when a 1988 Mazda veered into parked cars on 95th Avenue near 113th Street in Queens. According to the police report, both the driver, 28, and the front passenger, 34, were partially ejected and suffered severe head bleeding but remained conscious. The crash involved a reaction to an uninvolved vehicle, as listed under contributing factors. The Mazda struck a parked SUV and a parked BMW, damaging both. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The police report states: 'A 1988 Mazda veered into parked cars. Two men, 28 and 34, were flung partway out. Blood soaked the seats. Both were awake.' The data lists 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as a driver error. Both injured men wore lap belts and harnesses.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4668951, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 20-year-old on an e-bike was struck by two SUVs on 164th Street. Thrown from his bike, he landed hard. The drivers fled. He died alone, marked by the violence of impact. The street stayed silent. The danger stayed.

A 20-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed after being struck by two SUVs on 164th Street. According to the police report, 'A 20-year-old man on an e-bike was struck by two SUVs. Thrown from the saddle, he hit the street hard. His body bore the mark of impact. The drivers kept going. He died there, alone.' The crash involved a Mercedes SUV and a Jeep SUV, both traveling south. The police report lists 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor. The e-bike rider was ejected and suffered fatal injuries to his entire body. The drivers left the scene. No other contributing factors were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4645408, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Mercedes hit a box truck head-on at Lefferts Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue. The front of the car folded. A 36-year-old man in the passenger seat died, belted in place. The night was silent. Metal and glass marked the spot.

A deadly crash unfolded at Lefferts Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, a Mercedes sedan struck a box truck headfirst. The sedan’s front end crumpled. A 36-year-old man, riding as a front passenger and wearing a seatbelt, was killed. The report states, 'A Mercedes slammed headfirst into a box truck. The front crumpled like paper. In the passenger seat, a 36-year-old man died, belted and still.' Both vehicles were traveling straight. The data lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are detailed in the report. The victim’s use of a lap belt and harness is noted, but the cause remains unclear in the official record.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4643448, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14