Eastern Parkway’s toll: a boy, an elder, and the corners that don’t forgive

Sep 3 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 2 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 3 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jun 29 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jun 6 - 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

May 20 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 25 - 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

Apr 5 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Mar 29 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 22 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 13 - A sedan slammed into a 56-year-old man on Flatbush Avenue at Lincoln Road. He crossed with the signal. The car’s front end struck him. He lay unconscious, body crushed. The driver failed to yield. The street bore the mark of impact.

A sedan struck a 56-year-old man as he crossed Flatbush Avenue at Lincoln Road with the signal. According to the police report, 'A sedan struck a 56-year-old man crossing with the signal. He lay unconscious, his body crushed. The car’s front end bore the mark. The driver did not yield.' The crash left the pedestrian unconscious with crush injuries to his entire body. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The man was in the crosswalk, following the signal, when the southbound sedan hit him head-on. No other contributing factors were cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4686988 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 6 - A sedan turned on Ocean Avenue. It hit a 90-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She fell. Blood streaked her face. The car kept moving. She lay there, conscious, head cut and wounded, the street cold and hard beneath her.

A 90-year-old woman was struck head-on by a sedan while crossing Ocean Avenue at Parkside Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal when the sedan, making a right turn, hit her. She suffered severe lacerations and a head injury but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Turning Improperly' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The point of impact was the center front end of the sedan. The woman was not at fault; she was following the signal. The crash left her bleeding and wounded in the intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4687736 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Sep 4 - A man turned left on Nostrand. His Yamaha smashed hard. The front crumpled. Blood pooled on the street. He stayed conscious. The pavement held him. The city watched, unmoved.

A 50-year-old man riding a 2007 Yamaha motorcycle was injured while turning left at Nostrand Avenue and Sterling Place in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the motorcycle struck hard, crumpling the front. The rider suffered severe head lacerations and remained conscious at the scene. The report notes he wore no helmet. No specific driver errors were listed beyond 'Unspecified' contributing factors. The crash left blood pooling on the street. The incident underscores the violence of impact when a vulnerable road user meets the city’s pavement.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4661121 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jun 7 - Mothers starve for Sammy’s Law. Hochul offers sympathy, not action. Heastie keeps the bill off the floor. The law would let New York City lower speed limits. Assembly support grows. Vulnerable road users wait. Streets stay deadly. Lawmakers stall. Lives hang in the balance.

Sammy’s Law, stalled in the New York State Assembly, would let New York City set speed limits below 25 mph. On June 7, 2023, Governor Hochul expressed sympathy for hunger-striking mothers but refused to pressure Speaker Carl Heastie, who blocks the bill from a vote. The bill passed the Senate and has City Council and mayoral support. The matter summary: 'Hochul has previously expressed support for Sammy's Law, which would allow New York City to set its speed limits below 25 miles per hour.' Amy Cohen, a mother and advocate, demanded action, showing Heastie photos of victims. Seven new Assembly members, including Yudelka Tapia, Al Taylor, Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, and Brian Cunningham, now back the bill, giving it majority support among NYC Assembly members. Still, the Speaker’s inaction leaves vulnerable road users exposed to speeding drivers and systemic danger.

• Hunger Strike Day 2: Gov. Hochul is ‘Sympathetic,’ But Won’t Pressure Heastie on Sammy’s Law, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-06-07

Mar 13 - A sedan struck an SUV at Nostrand and Crown. Metal twisted. A 56-year-old man, trapped behind the wheel, died with crushed legs. Traffic control was ignored. The street did not stop. The crash left silence and broken glass in Brooklyn.

A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of Nostrand Avenue and Crown Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a sedan slammed into a sport utility vehicle. The impact trapped a 56-year-old male driver behind the wheel. He suffered severe leg injuries and died at the scene. The report states, 'Traffic control was ignored. The street did not stop.' The official contributing factor listed is 'Traffic Control Disregarded.' No evidence in the report suggests any error or fault by the victim. The crash highlights the lethal consequences when drivers ignore traffic controls at busy intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4612732 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Mar 4 - A Dodge SUV hit a man on Linden Boulevard. The driver was unlicensed. The man lay broken, conscious, crushed from head to toe. No skid marks. No damage to the car. Driver inattention listed as cause. The street swallowed another body.

A Dodge SUV struck a 46-year-old man outside the crosswalk near 341 Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the unlicensed woman behind the wheel hit the pedestrian, leaving him conscious but suffering crush injuries across his entire body. The report notes, 'No skid marks. No damage to the car.' Driver inattention and distraction are listed as contributing factors. The driver’s lack of a license is also documented. The pedestrian was not at an intersection when struck. No other injuries were reported. The crash highlights the danger faced by people on foot when drivers are distracted and unlicensed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4610883 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Oct 24 - Two e-bikes slam together on Troy Avenue at night. One rider, fifty, thrown hard. Head hits pavement. Blood spills. Lacerations deep. No helmet. No lights. Failure to yield. Silence under the streetlamps.

Two e-bikes collided at speed on Troy Avenue after dark. One rider, age 50, was ejected and struck his head on the pavement, suffering severe lacerations. According to the police report, 'No lights. No yield.' The crash was caused by 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The injured rider wore no helmet, as noted in the data, but the primary factor was the failure to yield. The report lists no other injuries. The street was quiet. The only witness was an occupant, unhurt. The scene was blood and silence under the lamps.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4576034 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Oct 23 - A pickup tore down Eastern Parkway. The driver sped, distracted, unlicensed. He struck a 56-year-old man standing in the road. The truck crushed him. The man died on the street. The city fell silent around the wreck.

A 56-year-old pedestrian was killed on Eastern Parkway near Schenectady Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a pickup truck traveling at unsafe speed struck the man head-on as he stood mid-road. The driver was unlicensed and distracted. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The pickup’s center front end hit the pedestrian, causing fatal injuries to his entire body. No other injuries were specified for the occupants. The police report details the driver’s lack of license and failure to control speed or attention. The victim died at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4575837 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Oct 21 - A man on an e-bike slammed into a parked box truck on Schenectady Avenue. He was thrown from the bike. His neck broke. Blood pooled on the street. He died there, alone, under the sun. The crash ended his ride in Brooklyn.

A 48-year-old man riding an e-bike south on Schenectady Avenue near Lincoln Place struck a parked box truck and was ejected. According to the police report, 'A 48-year-old man on an e-bike struck a parked box truck. No helmet. Ejected. Neck broken. Blood pooled on the pavement. He died there, alone, beneath the late morning sun.' The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor. The e-bike rider was unlicensed. No helmet was used, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the driver error. No other injuries were reported. The parked box truck was not damaged.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4574844 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Sep 6 - A moped hit a parked SUV on Nostrand Avenue. The rider, unlicensed and helmetless, flew off and struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. No one else was hurt. The crash left the block silent and still.

A moped rider crashed head-on into a parked SUV near Midwood Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the moped was traveling at unsafe speed before impact. The 35-year-old rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet. He was partially ejected and suffered severe head bleeding. The SUV was empty and parked. No other injuries were reported. The police report states: 'A moped slammed head-on into a parked SUV. No helmet. No license. The rider, 35, flew partway off. His head struck hard. Blood pooled. The street stood still. No one else was there.' Driver error listed: Unsafe Speed. The lack of helmet and license are noted after the primary cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4562076 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18