Twelve Dead, Hundreds Hurt: AD 31’s Streets Are Killing Fields

Franklin Avenue shuts cars. Kids run. Cyclists glide. Merchants fill the street. Engines silenced. Brooklyn claims space for people. Safety rises. Streets pulse with life.

On July 11, 2025, Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights launched a new Open Streets program. No council bill number or committee was cited. The event, covered by BKReader, closed six blocks to cars two Saturdays each month through October. Organizers called it 'a commitment to strengthening neighborhoods through creative placemaking.' Local leaders like Gwen Woods and Tiara Robertson led the effort. The safety analyst notes: 'Open Streets programs reduce vehicle traffic, create safer environments for pedestrians and cyclists, and encourage mode shift by making streets more accessible and attractive for non-drivers.'

• New Brooklyn Open Streets Program Highlights Community And Commerce, BKReader, Published 2025-07-11

A sleeping SUV driver slammed into a bus on 147 Ave. Six people hurt. Faces bloodied, necks wrenched, bodies battered. The road stayed quiet. Metal and flesh took the blow.

An SUV struck a bus on 147 Ave in Queens. Six people were injured, including drivers and passengers. According to the police report, the crash was caused by the driver falling asleep and losing consciousness. Injuries ranged from severe bleeding to whiplash and chest trauma. The police report lists 'Fell Asleep' and 'Lost Consciousness' as contributing factors. No mention of helmet or signal use as a cause. The impact left bodies bruised and shaken, exposing the danger when drivers lose control.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4824044 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-17

A cyclist lay unconscious on 115th Avenue. The driver fled. Police searched the dark street for clues. The victim’s fate hung in the balance. Another night, another crash. The city’s danger pressed down, silent and heavy.

According to ABC7 (published June 15, 2025), a bicyclist was struck in a hit-and-run on 115th Avenue near 134th Street in South Ozone Park, Queens, just after 11:30 p.m. Friday. Police found the victim unconscious and in critical condition. The article states, 'They are now looking for evidence to help them track down the driver.' No details were given about the cyclist’s age or destination. The driver’s failure to remain at the scene highlights ongoing risks for vulnerable road users and underscores the persistent problem of hit-and-run crashes in New York City.

• Cyclist Left Critical After Queens Hit-And-Run, ABC7, Published 2025-06-15

A sedan hit a cyclist on Beach 73 Street. The cyclist, a 49-year-old man, suffered severe facial cuts. Police cite following too closely as the cause. The crash left the cyclist hurt and the car undamaged. The street stayed dangerous.

A crash on Beach 73 Street at Beach Channel Drive involved a sedan and a bicycle. The cyclist, a 49-year-old man, suffered severe lacerations to his face. According to the police report, the driver of the sedan was 'following too closely.' The report lists this as the main contributing factor. The sedan, registered in Maryland, was driven by a 46-year-old man. Both vehicles were traveling west. The sedan struck the back of the cyclist. No injuries were reported for the sedan's occupants. The police report does not mention any other contributing factors. The cyclist was not ejected. The crash highlights the risk faced by people on bikes when drivers fail to keep a safe distance.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4820357 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-12

A motorcycle slammed into a parked SUV on 149 Avenue. The rider, a 25-year-old man, was ejected and killed. Police cite improper lane usage. Others were listed as occupants or witnesses. The crash left one dead, others shaken.

A deadly crash unfolded on 149 Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, a motorcycle traveling east struck the left rear bumper of a parked Ford SUV. The 25-year-old male motorcyclist was ejected and killed, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. Several others were listed as occupants or witnesses, with unspecified injuries. The police report states, 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the contributing factor. The motorcyclist was not using any safety equipment at the time of the crash. No evidence in the report blames the victim. The data points to improper lane usage as the critical error that led to this fatal collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4819497 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two SUVs collided on Guy R Brewer Blvd. A rear passenger suffered head wounds and severe bleeding. Another driver complained of pain. Police cite following too closely as the cause.

Two SUVs crashed on Guy R Brewer Blvd at 146 Dr in Queens. A 61-year-old rear passenger suffered a head injury with severe bleeding. A 35-year-old driver reported pain across his body. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Following Too Closely.' No other contributing factors were listed. The impact left two people injured. The report does not mention pedestrians or cyclists.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812513 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Brooklyn man lost control on Belt Parkway. His SUV struck a tree near JFK. Emergency crews arrived but could not save him. The road stayed quiet. Police kept watch. The investigation continues.

The Brooklyn Paper reported on April 23, 2025, that a 57-year-old Brooklyn man died after crashing his SUV on the Belt Parkway near JFK Airport. Police said the driver "failed to navigate the roadway and struck a tree." Emergency services pronounced him dead at the scene. The NYPD's Highway District Collision Investigation Squad is handling the case, and no arrests have been made. The article highlights the crash location—westbound Belt Parkway, just west of 130th Street—and notes the ongoing investigation. The incident underscores the dangers present on high-speed parkways and the unforgiving design of tree-lined medians.

• Driver Dies After Belt Parkway Crash, The Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-04-23

An SUV tore west on Belt Parkway. It veered, changed lanes too fast. The right front smashed hard. The 57-year-old driver died. Two others survived. Speed and reckless lane change ruled the night.

A 57-year-old man died when his SUV, heading west on Belt Parkway, veered and changed lanes at unsafe speed. According to the police report, 'an SUV veered, too fast, changing lanes. The right front struck hard.' The driver was belted and the airbag deployed, but he suffered fatal injuries to his entire body. Two other occupants, including an infant, survived. Police listed 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as contributing factors. No other errors or equipment issues were cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807281 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Westbound SUV plows into sedan’s rear near 150th Street. Steel folds. A woman’s spine breaks. She stays conscious, seatbelt digging in, pain radiating. The crash leaves her body broken, the road echoing with the violence of speed and carelessness.

A violent rear-end collision unfolded on Belt Parkway near 150th Street when a westbound SUV struck the back of a sedan, according to the police report. The report states the SUV 'slammed into a sedan’s rear,' crushing the 35-year-old woman driving the sedan. She remained conscious but suffered severe back injuries as her seatbelt held her in place while the force of the crash broke her spine. The police report identifies 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor, highlighting the SUV driver's failure to maintain a safe distance. No other contributing factors are cited for the victim. The impact crumpled the sedan’s center back end and the SUV’s front, underscoring the destructive consequences of tailgating on city highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797652 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A minivan slammed head-on on Brookville Boulevard, crushing its front. A 78-year-old woman in the back seat took the full force and died at the scene. The impact shattered steel and bodies alike. The street kept moving. She did not.

According to the police report, a 2022 minivan traveling north on Brookville Boulevard near S Conduit Avenue crashed head-on, with the center front end absorbing the impact. The vehicle's front was crushed, confirming the violent collision. Inside, a 78-year-old female passenger seated in the rear left suffered fatal injuries to her entire body and was pronounced dead at the scene. The report cites 'Other Vehicular' as the contributing factor, indicating a vehicle-related error or malfunction played a role. The driver, a 74-year-old man, also sustained internal injuries but survived. Another occupant, a 71-year-old female front passenger, suffered fractures and dislocations. No driver errors beyond the unspecified vehicular factor are detailed, and no victim behaviors contributed according to the police report. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of vehicle-related failures in head-on collisions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792680 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Toyota sedan sped east on Belt Parkway. Both driver and passenger were ejected. The driver died. The passenger was left unconscious, battered. Unsafe speed tore lives apart. The road fell silent.

According to the police report, a Toyota sedan traveling eastbound on Belt Parkway crashed at 3:47 a.m. The car struck with its front bumper. Both occupants—a 27-year-old woman driving and a 30-year-old man in the front passenger seat—were ejected. The driver died from head injuries. The passenger suffered severe injuries and was found unconscious. 'Unsafe Speed' was listed as the primary contributing factor. Neither occupant used safety equipment. No other vehicles or road users were involved. The report details a violent crash, with speed leading directly to ejection and fatal harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4791204 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Toyota SUV flipped on 135th Avenue. A 23-year-old woman, thrown from the back seat, lay unconscious and bleeding. A BMW struck head-on. A parked Dodge crumpled. Someone ran the light. Metal twisted. Lives upended in Queens before dawn.

According to the police report, a violent collision unfolded on 135th Avenue near Lefferts Boulevard in Queens at 2:55 a.m. A Toyota SUV, traveling north, overturned after a driver disregarded traffic control. The report states, 'A Toyota SUV flipped. A 23-year-old woman, unbelted in back, was thrown out. She lay bleeding, unconscious.' The SUV collided head-on with a BMW sedan, while a parked Dodge truck was struck and crumpled. The police report explicitly cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the contributing factor, pointing to a driver running a red light. The 23-year-old woman, a rear passenger in the SUV, suffered severe injuries after being ejected from the vehicle. No actions by the victim are listed as contributing factors. The crash highlights the deadly consequences when drivers ignore traffic signals.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4788430 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A BMW slams into a 23-year-old crossing North Conduit Avenue. His head hits the hood. Blood stains the street. The convertible’s front end buckles. The man lies motionless, life ended in the rush of traffic.

According to the police report, a BMW convertible traveling west on North Conduit Avenue near Rockaway Boulevard struck a 23-year-old man at the intersection. The report states the pedestrian was crossing against the signal when the collision occurred. The impact was severe: the man’s head hit the hood, blood pooled on the asphalt, and the vehicle’s front end crumpled. The victim was found unconscious with fatal head injuries and severe bleeding. The police report lists the contributing factors for both driver and pedestrian as 'Unspecified.' The report describes the driver as licensed and proceeding straight ahead at the time of the crash. The narrative centers the devastating outcome for the pedestrian, who died at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4788744 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Metal shrieked on Lefferts Boulevard. A taxi and sedan collided, crushing a woman and breaking a baby’s legs. Both were off the roadway. The drivers missed the signs. One woman dead. One child maimed. The city’s danger, laid bare.

A deadly crash unfolded on Lefferts Boulevard near 115th Avenue in Queens when a taxi and a sedan collided, according to the police report. The impact killed a 51-year-old woman and left a baby boy with broken legs. Both victims were pedestrians and, as the report states, 'not in the roadway' at the time of the crash. The police report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors for both drivers. The narrative underscores that 'the drivers missed the signs,' highlighting systemic failures in driver compliance with traffic controls. The collision’s violence—'metal screamed'—left one woman dead from crush injuries and a child with severe leg trauma. The report does not list any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on driver error and the lethal consequences for those outside the vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4782691 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A city bus swung left on Lefferts. Steel met flesh. A woman, sixty-four, crossing with the light, was struck and crushed. She stayed conscious as the signal blinked. The street swallowed her pain. The driver failed to yield.

At the corner of Lefferts Boulevard and 133rd Avenue in Queens, a bus making a left turn struck a 64-year-old woman who was crossing with the signal. According to the police report, 'A bus turned left. A 64-year-old woman walked with the light. The bumper struck her full. Her body crushed. She stayed awake.' The crash occurred at 18:28. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The woman suffered crush injuries to her entire body but remained conscious at the scene. The impact point was the bus’s left front bumper. The pedestrian’s actions—crossing with the signal—are noted in the report, but the driver’s failure to yield is the primary factor cited by police. No contributing behaviors are attributed to the victim.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4780180 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan barreled west on North Conduit Avenue. Light failed. A woman, crossing at 150th Street, was struck head-on. She died there, crushed and alone. The street swallowed her in the dark, another life ended by steel and speed.

According to the police report, a woman was killed near 150th Street and North Conduit Avenue in Queens just after dawn. The report states that a westbound sedan struck her head-on as she crossed the intersection. The contributing factor listed is 'Other Lighting Defects,' highlighting poor lighting conditions at the scene. The report notes the sedan was traveling straight ahead and the impact occurred at the center front end of the vehicle. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene with crush injuries. The police report also notes the pedestrian was 'crossing against the signal,' but this is mentioned after the lighting defect cited as a contributing factor. The collision underscores the lethal consequences of inadequate street lighting and vehicle movement through dark intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773457 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 25-year-old man died when his BMW tore apart on Nassau Expressway. The car sped east, too fast for the dark. Metal twisted, silence followed. No other lives touched, but the road bore witness to reckless velocity.

A deadly single-car crash on Nassau Expressway claimed the life of a 25-year-old man, according to the police report. The incident involved a 2023 BMW sedan traveling eastbound. The report states the vehicle was moving at an 'Unsafe Speed.' The driver was ejected from the car and suffered fatal injuries to his entire body. The police narrative describes the aftermath: 'A 2023 BMW sped east, too fast for the dark. The driver, 25, was thrown from the wreck. His body broke on impact. No sirens, no cries. Just twisted metal cooling under the silence.' The only contributing factor cited is excessive speed. No mention is made of other vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclist involvement. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors. The focus remains on the lethal consequences of unsafe speed on city roads.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769290 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 47-year-old man bent over a stalled car on 228th Street. An SUV, driver distracted, came south. The right front bumper hit flesh and bone. The man collapsed, bleeding, unconscious, broken on Queens pavement. The driver kept going straight.

According to the police report, near 145-27 228th Street in Queens, a 47-year-old man was leaning over a stalled car when a southbound SUV struck him with its right front bumper. The report states the driver was inattentive and distracted at the time of the crash. The pedestrian suffered severe bleeding and injuries to his entire body, and was found unconscious on the street. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the sole contributing factor. The man was not at an intersection and was working on a car, but the report does not cite these as contributing factors. The impact left the victim collapsed and motionless, underscoring the danger posed by distracted driving.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769400 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04