Jul 20 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 18 - 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

Jul 16 - A taxi struck a 61-year-old woman at 4th Avenue and Senator Street. The driver was distracted. The car’s bumper hit her head. She died on the pavement, under the streetlamp. The street was busy. The city kept moving.

A 61-year-old woman was killed at the corner of 4th Avenue and Senator Street in Brooklyn when a northbound taxi struck her as she crossed the intersection. According to the police report, 'The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact was to the woman’s head, caused by the taxi’s left front bumper. She died at the scene. The police report notes the pedestrian was crossing against the signal, but the primary error cited is the driver’s distraction. No mention of helmet or signaling is included in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4646170 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 3 - A moped struck a flatbed truck on 39th Street. Two young men crushed at the front. Blood pooled on the asphalt. The truck stood untouched. The street fell silent. Both riders suffered head injuries. No helmets. The city kept moving.

Two young men riding a moped collided head-on with a flatbed truck near 457 39th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the moped hit the truck's front end. Both moped occupants, ages 20 and 23, suffered severe head injuries and crush wounds. Neither wore helmets. The flatbed truck showed no damage and its driver was unhurt. The report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor for both injured men. No driver errors or traffic violations were cited in the data. The crash left blood on the street and silence in its wake.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4642440 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 14 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 3 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 15 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 31 - A concrete mixer turned right on 28th Street. It struck a parked Ford SUV. Inside, a 65-year-old man sat still. The impact crushed the left doors. He died there, alone, in the midday sun. No driver errors listed.

A concrete mixer made a right turn on 28th Street and struck a parked Ford SUV. According to the police report, the mixer hit the left side doors of the SUV, where a 65-year-old man sat inside. He died at the scene. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors. The man was not wearing a seatbelt, as noted in the data, but no other factors are cited. No other injuries were reported. The crash shows the deadly force of heavy vehicles, even when victims are stationary and inside their cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4617120 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 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

Feb 10 - 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

Jan 7 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 1 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 31 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 14 - A bus rolled down 5th Avenue. A woman crossed outside the crosswalk. The bus did not stop. Metal crushed her leg. She lay stunned on the cold street. Sirens cut the night. The city kept moving.

A 45-year-old woman was struck by a southbound bus on 5th Avenue near 55th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the pedestrian was not at an intersection and was crossing without a signal or crosswalk when the crash occurred. The bus hit her with its left rear quarter panel, causing crush injuries to her lower leg and foot. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. No driver errors are cited in the data. The woman was left in shock, injured on the asphalt. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4585751 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 6 - A 66-year-old man rode west on 5th Avenue. Two Toyotas hit him at once. He flew. His head struck the pavement. Blood pooled. Drivers were distracted. One gripped a phone. The man was left injured, the street stained.

A 66-year-old cyclist was struck by two vehicles—a sedan and an SUV—at the corner of 5th Avenue and 63rd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A 66-year-old man pedaled west. Two Toyotas struck him, one from each side. He flew. His head hit pavement. Blood pooled. A phone was in a driver’s hand.' The cyclist suffered a head injury and severe bleeding after being ejected from his bike. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Cell Phone (hand-Held)' as contributing factors. Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead. The report does not cite any cyclist error. The only safety equipment noted for the cyclist was 'None,' but this is mentioned after the drivers’ failures.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4580150 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 22 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 26 - A bus turned left on Columbia. The driver was distracted. The bumper struck a woman crossing with the light. Her body was crushed. She stayed conscious. The bus rolled on, untouched. The street swallowed her pain.

A 44-year-old woman was struck and injured by a bus at the corner of Columbia Street and Lorraine Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the bus turned left while the woman crossed with the signal. The report states, “The bumper struck her full. Her body crushed, her mind awake.” The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to her entire body but remained conscious. The driver, a 41-year-old man, was listed as distracted at the time of the crash. The police report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The bus sustained no damage. The pedestrian was following the signal when she was hit.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4570875 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 27 - A motorcycle crashed into a stopped BMW on 3rd Avenue. The rider’s leg split open. Blood pooled on the street. Steel tore flesh. The rider stayed conscious. Driver inattention listed as a factor. The BMW driver was not hurt.

A motorcycle struck the rear of a stopped BMW sedan on 3rd Avenue near 19th Street in Brooklyn. The 22-year-old motorcycle rider suffered severe lacerations to his leg. According to the police report, 'A motorcycle slammed into the rear of a stopped BMW. The rider, 22, wore no helmet. His leg split open on impact. Blood on pavement. Flesh torn by steel. He stayed conscious.' The BMW driver, a 35-year-old woman, was not injured. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The rider was not wearing a helmet, which is noted in the report after the mention of driver inattention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4559038 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 29 - 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 14 - A moped struck an SUV on Wakeman Place. The unlicensed rider flew off, head split, blood pooling. He lay semiconscious in the dark street. Driver inattention and traffic control ignored. The night swallowed the scene. The city moved on.

A violent crash unfolded at Wakeman Place and Ridge Boulevard in Brooklyn. A moped, heading south, collided head-on with an SUV traveling east. The 34-year-old unlicensed moped rider was ejected, suffering severe head injuries and heavy bleeding. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' were listed as contributing factors. The moped rider wore no helmet. The SUV driver, a 55-year-old man, was not injured. The crash left the moped rider semiconscious in the street. The report details a scene marked by blood and silence, with systemic failures and driver errors at the core.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4547727 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19