Blood on the Crosswalk: Speed Kills, Lawmakers Stall

Taibel Brod crossed with the light. The SUV turned left, struck her. She fell. Two weeks later, she died. The driver had no license. Police charged him. The street stayed open. The city moved on.

NY Daily News reported on April 23, 2025, that Taibel Brod, 101, was killed after an SUV hit her while she crossed Montgomery St. in Crown Heights with the walk signal. The driver, Menachem Shagalow, turned left without a license and struck Brod. Police charged him with aggravated unlicensed operation and failure to exercise due care. The article quotes Brod’s son, who called the crash a "tragedy." Brod died from her injuries nearly two weeks later. The case highlights persistent dangers for pedestrians, especially from unlicensed drivers and left turns at intersections. No changes to the street were reported.

• Unlicensed SUV Driver Kills Brooklyn Elder, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-23

A 101-year-old woman crossing Brooklyn Ave with the signal was struck and killed by an unlicensed SUV driver making a left turn. The streetlights blinked. Blood pooled on the pavement. The driver walked away unharmed. The pain stayed.

A 101-year-old woman was killed at Brooklyn Ave and Montgomery St in Brooklyn when an SUV making a left turn struck her as she crossed with the signal. According to the police report, the driver was unlicensed and operating a 2023 GMC SUV. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The pedestrian was crossing at the intersection with the signal when the collision occurred. She suffered fatal head injuries and was described as conscious but bleeding from the head before succumbing to her injuries. The driver was unharmed. The police report makes clear that the driver failed to yield and was distracted, while the pedestrian was lawfully crossing with the signal. Systemic danger persists when unlicensed, inattentive drivers operate large vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804451, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A box truck edged to the curb on East New York Avenue. Its front bumper struck a man in the street. His arm was crushed. He stood, conscious, pain etched on his face. The truck’s engine idled beside him.

According to the police report, a box truck was 'entering parked position' near 728 East New York Avenue when its front bumper struck a 38-year-old man standing in the street. The impact crushed the man’s arm, causing significant injury. The report states the pedestrian remained upright and conscious, suffering from pain and crush injuries. Contributing factors listed in the report include 'Other Vehicular' and 'View Obstructed/Limited,' highlighting the truck driver’s failure to maintain clear awareness and control while maneuvering toward the curb. The pedestrian’s actions are described only as 'Other Actions in Roadway,' with no indication from the police report that these contributed to the crash. The focus remains on the truck’s movement and the systemic dangers posed by large vehicles operating in close proximity to people outside intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4802462, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Jeep tore into a parked Infiniti on Albany Avenue. The driver, a 52-year-old man, sat silent and bleeding from the head. Metal and glass marked the street. The city’s silence pressed in. Emergency lights flickered on Clarkson.

According to the police report, a Jeep traveling south on Albany Avenue near Clarkson Avenue in Brooklyn struck a parked Infiniti. The impact was severe enough that a Toyota sedan followed, colliding as well. The report states that a 52-year-old male driver, belted and behind the wheel, suffered a head injury with severe bleeding and was in shock. The narrative describes the scene as tense and silent, with the injured man remaining motionless. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' providing no further detail on the cause. The Jeep sustained center front-end damage, while the Infiniti was struck in the center back end. No errors or dangerous behaviors are attributed to the victim in the report. The focus remains on the violent impact and the resulting injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797654, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A white Audi struck Michael Foster on Caton Avenue. The car dragged him for blocks. The driver never stopped. Foster died in the street. The Audi vanished into the night. No arrests. The city’s danger stays.

NY Daily News reported on January 1, 2025, that Michael Foster, 64, was killed after a white Audi hit him on Caton Ave. near Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn. The driver, described as speeding, dragged Foster for half a mile before leaving him near Linden Blvd. and Nostrand Ave. The article quotes a witness: "I saw him at the stop light. He would go out to the cars and beg for change." The driver fled the scene and has not been caught. No arrests have been made. The incident highlights the lethal risk for pedestrians in city streets and the ongoing issue of hit-and-run drivers evading responsibility.

• Audi Driver Drags Man Half Mile, NY Daily News, Published 2025-01-01

A Dodge sedan turned left at Winthrop and New York. Its bumper cracked the head of a 75-year-old woman crossing with the signal. Blood pooled on the street. The car rolled on, unscathed. She did not.

At the intersection of Winthrop Street and New York Avenue in Brooklyn, a Dodge sedan making a left turn struck a 75-year-old woman as she crossed with the signal. According to the police report, the collision occurred when the sedan's left front bumper hit the pedestrian's head, causing severe bleeding. The report identifies 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor, explicitly citing the driver's error in not yielding to a pedestrian lawfully crossing. 'View Obstructed/Limited' is also listed as a contributing factor. The police narrative states, 'A Dodge sedan turned left. A 75-year-old woman crossed with the signal. The bumper struck her head. She bled on the street. The car was fine. She was not.' The pedestrian was conscious but suffered a head injury. The vehicle sustained no damage, underscoring the disparity in harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775697, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man on a moped sped down Albany Avenue. He lost control, was thrown, and struck his head. Blood pooled on the asphalt. The streetlights blinked. He lay unconscious, alone, while traffic moved past in the Brooklyn night.

According to the police report, a 48-year-old man was traveling south on Albany Avenue near Prospect Place on a moped when he lost control and was ejected from the vehicle. The report states the driver was 'helmetless,' and suffered a severe head injury, bleeding on the roadway and rendered unconscious. The police cite 'Unsafe Speed' as the primary contributing factor in the crash. No other vehicles or persons were involved. The report notes the driver was not using any safety equipment at the time of the incident. The narrative describes the aftermath: 'He was thrown, struck his head, and bled on the asphalt. Unconscious. Alone. The streetlights blinked. The traffic kept moving.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769310, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 41-year-old man riding east on an e-bike tore open his hip near East 40th Street. Blood soaked his leg. He stayed upright as streetlights flickered. The night continued. The crash left him injured and unlicensed, the danger undiminished.

A 41-year-old man was injured while riding an e-bike eastbound on Clarkson Avenue near East 40th Street in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The report states the rider was unlicensed and suffered severe lacerations to his hip and upper leg. 'His hip split open. Blood soaked his leg. He stayed upright. The streetlights flickered. The night did not stop,' the narrative reads. No other vehicles or persons were listed as involved. The police report does not cite any driver errors or contributing factors beyond the rider's unlicensed status. There is no mention of helmet use or other victim behavior as a contributing factor. The incident underscores the persistent risks faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4764822, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

An 85-year-old man crossing Albany Avenue fell beneath a Ford pickup’s right front. Blood pooled as dusk settled. The truck’s force left him semiconscious, his head crushed, the street marked by violence and steel.

An 85-year-old pedestrian was struck by a northbound Ford pickup truck on Albany Avenue near Hawthorne Street in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The report states the man was crossing without a signal when the vehicle’s right front quarter panel struck his head, causing crush injuries and leaving him semiconscious and bleeding on the pavement. The police narrative describes the scene: 'The truck’s right front crushed his head. He lay semiconscious on the pavement, bleeding into the dusk.' The driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of the crash. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' offering no further details on driver behavior. The only mention of the pedestrian’s actions is that he was 'crossing, no signal, or crosswalk,' which is included after the account of the vehicle’s impact. The focus remains on the devastating outcome of the collision and the lethal force of the truck.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4760959, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

An SUV made a left turn on Bedford Avenue, colliding with a southbound motorcycle. The rider was thrown face-first, suffering severe lacerations and bleeding heavily. He remained conscious despite the brutal impact and extensive injuries.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Bedford Avenue at 17:30 involving a 2020 Toyota SUV and a 2023 Fengyuan motorcycle. The SUV was making a left turn while the motorcycle was traveling straight south. The motorcycle rider, a 35-year-old male, was struck on the center front end and thrown face-first, sustaining severe facial lacerations and bleeding. The report states, 'An SUV turned left. A motorcycle came straight. No helmet. The rider flew, face-first. Flesh tore. Blood pooled on the asphalt. He stayed awake. Eyes open.' The SUV sustained damage to its right front quarter panel. The police report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified,' but the sequence clearly shows the SUV turning left into the motorcycle's path. The rider was not wearing a helmet, noted after the driver actions. The driver of the SUV was a 32-year-old male, wearing a lap belt and harness, and suffered minor abrasions. This collision highlights the dangers posed by turning vehicles crossing the path of oncoming motorcycles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4754242, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 57-year-old man, helmeted but unlicensed, rode his motorcycle straight into a parked Hino van on Saint Johns Place. The van did not move. He struck headfirst and died there. The crash report cites driver inattention or distraction.

According to the police report, a 57-year-old man operating a Jiajue motorcycle collided headfirst with the center back end of a parked Hino refrigerated van on Saint Johns Place near Utica Avenue in Brooklyn. The report states the motorcyclist was helmeted but unlicensed. The van was stationary and unoccupied at the time of the crash. The narrative describes the motorcycle crumpling on impact and the rider dying at the scene from head injuries. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. No actions by the van or its driver contributed to the incident, as the vehicle was parked. The report notes the rider's helmet use and unlicensed status, but cites driver inattention as the primary factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4745063, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A woman crossed Rogers Avenue with the signal. A vehicle hit her, crushing her arm. She stood bleeding beneath the streetlight. The street fell silent. The night did not move. Shock and injury marked the intersection.

At the corner of Rogers Avenue and Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn, a 40-year-old woman was struck by a vehicle while crossing with the signal, according to the police report. The report states, 'A woman, 40, crossed with the signal. A vehicle struck her. Her arm crushed.' The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to her arm and was described as being in shock, standing beneath the streetlight, bleeding and still. The police report notes the pedestrian was 'Crossing With Signal' at the intersection. No driver contributing factors are listed in the report, but the narrative makes clear that the victim was lawfully crossing when struck. The vehicle type and other driver details remain unspecified in the report. The focus remains on the impact and the harm suffered by the pedestrian in a space where she had the right of way.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4740115, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man on a bike slammed into a parked SUV’s door on Schenectady Avenue. He flew headfirst, blood pooling, skin scorched by the street. The SUV’s door buckled. He lay broken but conscious, the city’s danger etched in flesh.

According to the police report, a 49-year-old man riding a bike collided with the left side doors of a parked SUV near 296 Schenectady Avenue in Brooklyn at 10:09 a.m. The report describes the cyclist being ejected from his bike, landing headfirst, and suffering severe burns and a head injury. The SUV’s door was folded inward from the impact. The police report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'View Obstructed/Limited' as contributing factors to the crash. The narrative details blood on the pavement and the cyclist lying conscious but broken. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is listed after the driver errors and contributing factors. The focus remains on the systemic dangers and driver actions that led to this violent collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4736603, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

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 Toyota sedan reversed on Rutland Road. Its rear bumper struck a 73-year-old woman. Her leg split open. Blood stained the pavement. The car sat untouched. Flesh did not.

According to the police report, a 2014 Toyota sedan was backing up near 463 Rutland Road in Brooklyn when its rear bumper struck a 73-year-old woman. The collision caused severe lacerations to her knee and lower leg, leaving her conscious but badly injured as blood pooled on the street. The report lists 'Backing Unsafely' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The vehicle itself sustained no damage. The pedestrian’s actions are not cited as contributing to the crash. The incident underscores the lethal consequences when drivers reverse without proper attention, especially in areas where pedestrians are present.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4726196, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A new state bill would let New York City street sweepers use cameras to catch cars blocking cleaning routes. Repeat offenders rack up most tickets. Lawmakers say dirty streets and blocked drains endanger everyone. The law would sunset in 2029.

Assembly Bill (unnumbered) was introduced by Brooklyn Assembly Member Brian Cunningham on April 25, 2024. The bill is pending in the state legislature. It would allow New York City to mount enforcement cameras on street sweepers to ticket cars parked illegally during street cleaning hours. The bill summary states it 'fulfills the Sanitation Department's longstanding ask for help getting vehicles out of the way of road-cleaning operations.' Cunningham, who sponsors the bill, said, 'Dirty streets are totally unacceptable.' Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch supports the change, noting that state law must allow automated ticketing. Uptown Manhattan State Senator Robert Jackson introduced a similar Senate bill. The law would phase in after a year and expire by mid-2029, giving officials time to assess its impact. No formal safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• Street Sweepers Could Nab Illegal Parking Under State Bill, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-25

An SUV swung right on Rutland Road, cutting across an e-scooter’s path. The rider, twenty-four, struck headfirst, thrown and torn open. Blood pooled on the pavement while the SUV sat untouched. The street bore the mark of impact.

According to the police report, the crash occurred near 617 Rutland Road in Brooklyn at 15:30. An SUV made a right turn while an e-scooter, operated by a 24-year-old man, continued straight. The report states the e-scooter rider 'struck headfirst,' was 'ejected,' and suffered 'severe lacerations' to the head, bleeding on the pavement but remaining conscious. The SUV sustained no damage and its driver was uninjured. The police report lists 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a contributing factor, drawing attention to the systemic danger of limited sightlines at this location. The SUV driver’s action—turning across the path of a straight-traveling e-scooter—created a deadly conflict. No victim behavior is cited as a contributing factor in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4716119, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 52-year-old man lay bleeding on Eastern Parkway, head struck by a Nissan sedan. The driver, unlicensed and inattentive, left the street empty but for silence and blood. Metal crumpled. The man did not move.

A 52-year-old pedestrian suffered a severe head injury and lay unconscious on Eastern Parkway after being struck head-on by a 2012 Nissan sedan, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 3:18 a.m. The report states the driver was unlicensed and operating a vehicle registered in Pennsylvania. The car's left front quarter panel was crushed from the impact. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The narrative describes the victim bleeding in the road, unmoving, after the collision. No contributing factors are attributed to the pedestrian. The police report makes clear the driver's lack of a valid license and inattention were central to this crash, underscoring the systemic danger posed by unlicensed, inattentive drivers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4713356, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council members push Albany to require scramble crosswalks at school zones. They cite deadly crashes and lost crossing guards. The resolution aims to cut conflict between cars and kids at arrival and dismissal. The bill sits in committee. Action is pending.

Resolution 0060-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced February 28, 2024, by Council Members Shahana K. Hanif (primary sponsor, District 39) and Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (co-sponsor, District 31). The measure urges the State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, A.5001-A/S.2515-B, which would mandate scramble crosswalks at school entrances during arrival and dismissal. The resolution states: 'establishing scramble crosswalks leading to and from school buildings during times of student arrival and dismissal.' The council cites a surge in crashes near schools and the loss of 486 crossing guards. The bill highlights that intersections are the site of most pedestrian deaths and injuries. The sponsors call for action to protect children where cars and kids meet.

• File Res 0060-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

A taxi driver’s distraction at Utica Avenue and East New York Avenue sent a 31-year-old motorcyclist flying, face torn and bleeding, helmetless on the pavement. The street stood silent as the crash’s violence echoed in the winter air.

A violent collision unfolded at the corner of Utica Avenue and East New York Avenue when a ZHILONG motorcycle slammed into the front of a taxi, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 13:46. The 31-year-old motorcycle rider was ejected, landing on the street with severe facial lacerations and bleeding, but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor, pointing directly to the actions of the taxi driver. The report does not cite any contributing behaviors by the motorcyclist beyond noting that he was not wearing a helmet. The impact and aftermath left the street in stunned silence, underscoring the consequences of driver distraction in New York City’s dense traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4697033, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14