Another Child Dead. Another Law Delayed. How Many More?

A 19-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning diesel truck at 4th Avenue and 39th Street. Head trauma. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, under the lights. The crash was fast, brutal, final.

A 19-year-old e-bike rider died after colliding with a diesel truck making a right turn at the corner of 4th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike struck the truck at 2:30 a.m. The rider suffered fatal head trauma and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4662772, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A westbound SUV hit a 55-year-old man crossing Hamilton Avenue. The right front bumper struck his head. Blood pooled on the street. The man stayed conscious. Police cited driver distraction. The street bore witness. The man survived, wounded.

A 55-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after being struck by a westbound SUV near 357 Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A westbound SUV struck a 55-year-old man crossing outside the intersection. He bled from the head. The right front bumper bore the wound. The man stayed conscious. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact left the man with severe bleeding but conscious at the scene. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4657217, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A box truck and a moped moved south on 4th Avenue. The moped rider, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. His head was crushed. The truck showed no damage. The street showed the cost.

A box truck and a moped traveled south on 4th Avenue at 53rd Street in Brooklyn. The moped rider, age 21, was ejected and suffered a crushed head. According to the police report, 'A box truck and a moped moved south. The moped driver, 21, wore a helmet. He was ejected. Conscious. His head was crushed.' The data lists no specific driver errors, but the narrative shows the moped rider paid the price. The rider wore a helmet. The truck showed no damage, but the human toll was severe.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4657687, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A box truck, speeding, rammed a slowing tractor-trailer on the Gowanus Expressway. Steel twisted. The box truck driver, 34, bled from the face but stayed conscious. The crash left shattered glass and a trail of blood on the highway.

A violent crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway when a box truck, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer. According to the police report, 'A box truck, too fast, crushed into a slowing tractor-trailer. Steel folded. The driver, 34, wore his belt. Blood ran down his face. He stayed awake, staring through shattered glass at the wreck he made.' The driver of the box truck suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. The tractor-trailer was slowing or stopping when it was hit. The only injury reported was to the box truck driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4647798, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.

On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.

• Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations, amny.com, Published 2023-07-18

An SUV turned left on 25th Street. Two teens on an e-bike struck its rear. One bled from the head, the other from the face. Both were conscious. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. Failure to yield and unsafe speed marked the crash.

Two teenage boys riding an e-bike were injured when they struck the rear of an SUV making a left turn on 25th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike with two teen boys struck its rear. One bled from the head. The other, from the face. Both conscious. Both hurt. Blood pooled on the hot Brooklyn pavement.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. Both teens suffered severe bleeding, one to the head and one to the face. The data also notes 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a factor. The SUV was damaged on the right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike was damaged at the front. No mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4638253, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A moped slammed into a Jeep on 4th Avenue. The young rider flew off and struck his head. He died in the street. The crash happened in darkness. Police cited traffic control disregarded.

A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of 4th Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a moped hit the side of a Jeep. The 21-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffered a fatal head injury, and died at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The Jeep driver was licensed and uninjured. The moped had no registered license, and the rider wore no helmet. The crash happened in darkness, with no other injuries reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4634351, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two bikes crashed head-on at 61st and 4th. One turned left. One went straight. A 23-year-old man hit the pavement, blood streaming from his head. He stayed conscious. The street stood still. Failure to yield and ignored signals brought pain.

Two bicyclists collided head-on at the corner of 61st Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one cyclist was making a left turn while the other was going straight. The crash left a 23-year-old man with severe bleeding from the head, though he remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet was worn by the injured cyclist, as noted after the driver errors. The collision underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4629069, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.

Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.

• V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-14

Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.

• Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-10

A pick-up truck hit a northbound e-bike on 29th Street near 3rd Avenue. The rider, 24, took the blow mid-lane change. Blood pooled from his head. The bike lay crushed. The truck’s front end caved. Unsafe lane changing led to harm.

A pick-up truck struck a 24-year-old e-bike rider during a lane change on 29th Street near 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn. The rider suffered a head injury and severe bleeding. According to the police report, 'A pick-up truck hit a northbound e-bike mid-lane change. The rider, 24, wore no helmet. He bled from the head. His bike lay crushed. The truck’s front end folded inward.' The report lists 'Unsafe Lane Changing' and 'Other Vehicular' as contributing factors. The e-bike rider was the only person injured. The absence of a helmet is noted in the report, but unsafe lane changing by the driver was a key factor in the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4596847, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

On 5th Avenue, an 83-year-old woman lost consciousness while driving. Her Chevy sedan struck hard, front first. She was alone. Belted. Cut deep. Bleeding, but awake. No other people hurt. The street took the blow.

An 83-year-old woman driving a 1999 Chevy sedan south on 5th Avenue lost consciousness and crashed. According to the police report, 'An 83-year-old woman lost consciousness behind the wheel of a '99 Chevy. The sedan struck hard, front first. She was alone. Belted. Cut deep. Bleeding. Awake.' The driver suffered severe lacerations to her entire body but remained conscious after the crash. The report lists 'Lost Consciousness' and 'Brakes Defective' as contributing factors. No pedestrians, cyclists, or other vehicle occupants were injured. The driver was wearing a lap belt and harness, as noted after the primary causes. No other driver errors are listed in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4596558, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A BMW cut through scattered debris on the Gowanus Expressway. A man, 32, was struck near parked taxis. His legs were torn. Blood pooled on the cold asphalt. He died there, under the humming lights and steel.

A deadly crash unfolded on the Gowanus Expressway. According to the police report, a BMW changed lanes and struck a 32-year-old man near parked taxis and scattered debris. The pedestrian suffered severe leg injuries and died at the scene. Multiple occupants and drivers were also injured, including two drivers with head and back wounds. The police report lists 'Steering Failure' and 'Obstruction/Debris' as contributing factors. No driver was cited for failure to yield or speeding. The crash scene was marked by parked vehicles, debris, and chaos. The victim’s actions are not blamed. The report centers on the hazards and failures that led to this fatal impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4595159, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan moved south on 4th Avenue. The driver was distracted. He struck a 66-year-old man in the street. The car’s front caved. The man died there, away from any crosswalk. The street fell silent. Another life ended by inattention.

A southbound sedan hit and killed a 66-year-old man on 4th Avenue, near 64th Street. According to the police report, the driver was distracted and struck the pedestrian in the roadway, away from any intersection or crosswalk. The car’s front end was crushed by the impact. The pedestrian died at the scene. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. This crash shows the lethal risk posed by driver distraction. No other contributing factors related to helmet use or signaling were listed in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4576161, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Land Rover barreled down 3rd Avenue. The SUV struck head-on. Metal folded. The airbag burst. The 70-year-old woman behind the wheel took the full force. She died in the seat. Three others survived. The street swallowed another life.

A 70-year-old woman driving a 2020 Land Rover SUV was killed in a head-on crash on 3rd Avenue near Council District 38. According to the police report, the SUV struck head-on, the airbag deployed, and the front end crumpled. The driver, who was not ejected, suffered fatal injuries to her entire body and died at the scene. Three other occupants, including a 50-year-old man and two children, sustained unspecified injuries. No contributing factors or driver errors were listed in the police report. The report notes the airbag deployed but does not cite it as a contributing factor. The crash left the SUV destroyed and claimed the life of its driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550586, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A forklift reversed on Court Street. The driver did not see the woman. She was struck. Her knee split open. Blood pooled on the pavement. She stayed conscious, lying still in the morning light. Driver inattention marked the scene.

A 52-year-old woman was struck by a forklift backing south on Court Street near Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'The driver didn’t see her. She was 52. Her leg split open at the knee. Blood pooled on the pavement. She stayed conscious, lying still in the early morning light.' The pedestrian suffered severe lacerations to her knee and lower leg. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The forklift driver, a 59-year-old man, was licensed and uninjured. No other contributing factors were cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4544037, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

An e-bike struck a sedan at 3rd Avenue and 52nd Street. The rider flew off, leg shattered, paralyzed, helmet on. Brakes failed. The street stayed hard and unforgiving. Metal met flesh. The system failed the vulnerable.

An e-bike rider collided with a sedan at the corner of 3rd Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. The crash left the 27-year-old e-bike rider ejected, suffering a shattered leg and reporting paralysis. According to the police report, 'The brakes had failed.' The e-bike's defective brakes are listed as a contributing factor. The rider was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report. The sedan driver, a 37-year-old man, was not reported injured. Both vehicles were traveling straight before the collision. The crash underscores the danger when mechanical failure meets city speed and steel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4541853, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man on an e-scooter sped north on 4th Avenue. He blew past traffic control. The front smashed. His head split open. Blood pooled on the street. He sat alone, stunned, as morning broke over Brooklyn.

A 28-year-old man riding an e-scooter north on 4th Avenue at 37th Street in Brooklyn suffered a severe head injury after disregarding traffic control, according to the police report. The report states, “A man rode north on an e-scooter, no helmet, no license. He struck something hard. The front crumpled. His head split. Blood poured.” The e-scooter’s center front end was damaged. The rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet. Police list 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the main contributing factor. A pedestrian was present at the intersection, crossing with the signal, but was not reported injured. The crash left the rider in shock, bleeding heavily in the early morning light.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4534153, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 25-year-old man walked near 2nd Avenue. A driver, distracted, struck him with the front bumper. The impact crushed his shoulder. No warning. The street emptied. Pain and silence followed. The driver failed to yield.

A 25-year-old pedestrian suffered crush injuries to his shoulder when a vehicle struck him on 2nd Avenue near 45th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the driver was distracted and failed to yield the right-of-way. The impact came from the left front bumper, leaving the man conscious but injured. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. No information is provided about the vehicle type or the driver's identity. The police report does not mention any actions by the pedestrian that contributed to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4532589, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Ford SUV turned left on slick Brooklyn pavement. An e-bike rider came north. The SUV’s rear was scraped. The bike was crushed. A 55-year-old man died beneath the weight. The street bore witness. The city lost another life.

A deadly crash unfolded on 4th Avenue near 21st Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a Ford SUV turned left on slippery pavement as an e-bike traveled north. The SUV’s right rear was scraped; the e-bike was demolished. The 55-year-old man riding the e-bike was killed, suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Pavement Slippery' as contributing factors. Both drivers were unlicensed. The data shows no helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash left one man dead and a city street marked by loss.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4525491, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14