Blood in the Crosswalk: No More Excuses, No More Delays

City eyes a center bus lane on Flatbush. Concrete islands promise safer crossings. Details remain thin. Cars may still block buses. The street could change. Pedestrians and riders wait. The city holds its breath.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-06-09) reports the Department of Transportation plans a center-running bus lane on Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn. The project aims to connect neighborhoods and calm traffic. DOT Assistant Director Dustin Khuu said the goal is a 'high performing transit priority street.' The plan includes concrete bus boarding islands and may reduce car lanes, giving more space to pedestrians and buses. However, the article notes gaps: 'DOT didn't share a block-by-block breakdown,' and curbside parking may remain, risking bus lane obstruction by double-parked vehicles. The city may physically protect the lane, but details are pending. The B41 bus, serving 28,000 daily trips, crawls at 4 mph during rush hour. The proposal highlights the need for clear enforcement and design to keep cars out of bus lanes and protect vulnerable road users.

• Flatbush Avenue Bus Lane Plan Advances, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-09

Court Street bleeds from double parking and swerving cars. Cyclists and walkers dodge danger daily. DOT will cut a lane, add a protected bike path, and shrink space for reckless driving. Fewer lanes, fewer crashes. Safety, not speed, takes the street.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-06-06) reports the Department of Transportation will install a protected bike lane on Brooklyn’s Court Street, a corridor plagued by double parking and sideswipe crashes. DOT’s Chris Brunson said, “The narrower street width for vehicles will de-incentivize double parking on the corridor.” The redesign removes a travel lane, adds a protected bike lane, and aims to curb driver behavior that leads to crashes. Between 2022 and 2024, 165 crashes on this mile-long stretch caused one death and injured 15 cyclists and 23 pedestrians. Most pedestrian injuries happened while crossing with the light, showing drivers failed to yield. The plan targets excess road capacity and prioritizes vulnerable users on a Vision Zero Priority Corridor.

• DOT Plans Protected Bike Lane Court Street, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-06

Flatbush Avenue will lose car lanes. Bus lanes and pedestrian islands will take their place. Fifty-five killed or badly hurt since 2019. Buses crawl. Pedestrians dodge traffic. The city moves to fix a deadly, clogged corridor.

Gothamist reported on June 4, 2025, that New York City's Department of Transportation plans to overhaul Flatbush Avenue between Livingston Street and Grand Army Plaza. The redesign replaces two car lanes with 24/7 bus-only lanes and adds pedestrian islands. DOT officials said, 'almost 70,000 daily bus riders are stuck waiting too long for slow buses, drivers are caught in a mess of traffic and pedestrians are left crossing intersections clogged with vehicles.' Since 2019, 55 people have been killed or severely injured in crashes along this stretch. The plan removes curbside parking and bans cars from bus lanes, aiming to speed up twelve bus routes and protect people on foot. Most residents in the area do not own cars and depend on slow buses. The proposal reflects a shift toward prioritizing vulnerable road users and addressing systemic danger on one of Brooklyn's busiest corridors.

• Flatbush Avenue Bus Lanes, Pedestrian Islands Planned, Gothamist, Published 2025-06-04

Three vehicles crashed on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Metal twisted. One driver suffered head and crush injuries. Police blamed driver distraction. The road ran straight. The night was quiet. The system failed again.

A crash involving a pick-up truck and two SUVs tore through the Brooklyn Queens Expressway in Brooklyn. According to the police report, three vehicles were traveling east when they collided. One driver, a 32-year-old man, suffered head and crush injuries. Five others, including a child, were listed as occupants but did not have specified injuries. Police cited 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No other errors or violations were listed. The report shows all vehicles were moving straight ahead before impact. The data does not mention helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash highlights the ongoing danger for all road users on New York’s highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817170, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A parked SUV’s door bursts into a cyclist’s path on Atlantic Avenue. Metal edge rips flesh. Blood pools on the street. The young man’s arm is torn open. The driver stands unharmed. Distraction behind the door. Streets remain unforgiving.

A 26-year-old man riding his bike westbound on Atlantic Avenue collided with the door of a parked SUV, according to the police report. The report states the SUV driver, age seventy-one, opened the door into the cyclist’s path, causing a violent impact: 'Steel meets flesh. Blood on the street. The young man’s arm split open.' The cyclist suffered severe lacerations to his arm and was conscious at the scene. The SUV driver was not injured. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The data does not list any cyclist actions as contributing factors. The collision underscores the persistent danger posed by inattentive drivers and the lethal consequences of a moment’s distraction behind the wheel or door.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804626, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Steel struck a four-year-old crossing Court Street. The car turned left, bumper smashing his knee. The child stayed awake, pain sharp and sudden. The driver did not yield. Flesh gave way to metal. A boy lay broken at the curb.

A four-year-old boy was struck and injured at the intersection of Court Street and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 16:58 when a car making a left turn failed to yield the right-of-way. The police report states, 'A car turned left. A four-year-old boy crossed with the signal. The bumper struck his leg. His knee crushed.' The child, described as conscious, suffered crush injuries to his knee and lower leg. The report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor, with 'Passenger Distraction' also noted. The boy was crossing with the signal at the intersection. The driver’s failure to yield led directly to the collision, leaving the child injured on the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4803267, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Brooklyn’s Ashland Place stays deadly. DOT delays a promised bike lane. Elected officials and residents demand action. Private interests block progress. Cyclists face crashes and fear. The city shrugs. The gap remains. Lives hang in the balance.

On April 3, 2025, a coalition of Brooklyn officials—including Council Members Crystal Hudson, Shahana Hanif, Lincoln Restler, Assembly Members Andrew Gounardes, Jo Anne Simon, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Borough President Antonio Reynoso—sent a letter urging DOT to finish the protected bike lane on Ashland Place. The letter called the block a 'missing link in Brooklyn’s protected bike lane network.' Brooklyn Community Board 2 backed the demand. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and Borough Commissioner Keith Bray offered only vague replies. The block’s exclusion traces to a mayoral advisor’s intervention for developer Two Trees. Advocates like Kathy Park Price slammed the city: 'Private interests are able to redesign our streets, prioritizing vehicles over safety at a critical corridor.' Despite unanimous support, DOT keeps the street dangerous. The city’s inaction leaves cyclists exposed and the community frustrated.

• ‘Crashland’: As Demand Grows, DOT Still Won’t Finish Bike Lane on Dangerous Brooklyn Road, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-03

After a crash killed a mother and two daughters in Gravesend, advocates and Council Member Shahana Hanif rallied for the Stop Super Speeders bill. The law would force repeat reckless drivers to use speed-limiting tech. Survivors demand action. Lawmakers promise change.

On April 1, 2025, Council Member Shahana Hanif joined a rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall demanding passage of the Stop Super Speeders bill. The bill, sponsored in Albany by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, would require drivers with repeated violations to install intelligent speed assistance (ISA) devices. These devices cap speed at 5 mph over the limit for those with 11 or more license points in 24 months or six camera tickets in a year. The rally followed a fatal Gravesend crash that killed a mother and her two daughters. Hanif and other lawmakers called current enforcement—ticketing, suspensions, fines, jail—ineffective. Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon said, 'The speed limiter technology is available to us. Let’s use it. It will save lives.' The bill is modeled on EU and Virginia laws. Some opposition remains, but supporters say the measure is urgent and practical.

• ‘Enough is enough’: Street safety advocates demand passage of ‘Stop Super Speeders’ bill after tragic Gravesend crash, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2025-04-01

A sedan struck a stopped SUV on Flatbush Avenue. A woman in the rear seat died, her chest crushed. Two vehicles, one still, one moving. The night’s silence broken by impact. No forgiveness, only loss.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on Flatbush Avenue collided with the center rear of a stationary SUV near State Street in Brooklyn at 23:04. The SUV was stopped in traffic when the sedan, described as 'going straight ahead,' struck it. A 45-year-old woman, seated unbelted in the right rear passenger seat of the SUV, was killed. The report states her chest was crushed in the impact. The narrative reads: 'A woman, 45, unbelted in the rear seat, died when a sedan struck their stopped SUV. Her chest crushed. Two cars, one still, one moving.' No contributing factors are specified in the police data, but the sequence of events centers on the moving sedan striking a stopped vehicle. The report does not cite any passenger behavior as a contributing factor, listing only 'Unspecified' for contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795527, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A drunk driver blasted through a red light at 72 mph. He struck Katherine Harris, killing her steps from home. The car crashed on. Blood alcohol twice the limit. The street became a crime scene. Lives shattered in seconds.

NY Daily News reported on February 28, 2025, that Erick Trujillo, 29, was sentenced to three to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter. On April 16, 2023, Trujillo drove his Volvo at 72 mph—nearly triple the speed limit—through a red light at Atlantic Ave and Clinton Street in Brooklyn. He struck pedestrian Katherine Harris, 31, killing her instantly, then rear-ended another car and crashed into an outdoor dining shed. Trujillo's blood alcohol level was .17, more than twice the legal limit. The article quotes Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez: "This defendant made a disastrous decision when he got behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated." The case highlights the lethal consequences of impaired driving and excessive speed, underscoring systemic risks for pedestrians in New York City.

• Drunk Driver Speeds, Kills Pedestrian in Brooklyn, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-28

A driver rear-ended a car, then tried to run down the man who got out. The victim clung to the hood, thrown off after 330 feet. He hit the pavement, battered. The driver fled. Police seek him. The street stayed dangerous.

According to NY Daily News (published February 19, 2025), Jacob Angstadt, 27, rear-ended a 34-year-old man on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway near Tillary Street. When the victim exited to take a photo, Angstadt "became enraged, hit the gas pedal and sped toward him." The victim leapt onto the hood and was carried nearly 330 feet before being thrown onto the roadway, suffering serious injuries. Angstadt fled the scene. Police released his photo and asked for public help. The incident highlights the lethal risk of aggressive driving and the vulnerability of people outside vehicles. The case remains open as authorities search for the driver.

• Driver Rams, Drags Man On Expressway, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-19

Assembly bill A 1236 targets drivers who block bike lanes. It adds a mandatory surcharge for parking violations. The money goes to the court that finds the driver liable. Lawmakers push to keep bike lanes clear. Streets stay safer for cyclists.

Assembly bill A 1236 was introduced on January 10, 2025. The bill is in the sponsorship stage. It is titled: 'Relates to violations and a mandatory surcharge for parking in a bicycle lane.' The bill would require drivers who park in bike lanes to pay a mandatory surcharge. The surcharge is paid to the clerk of the court or administrative tribunal that determines liability. Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon (District 52) is the primary sponsor. Deborah Glick (District 66) and Tony Simone (District 75) co-sponsor. The bill aims to deter illegal parking in bike lanes and keep routes clear for cyclists. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 1236, Open States, Published 2025-01-10

A 43-year-old woman crossing Flatbush Avenue with the signal was struck by a speeding e-bike. She suffered severe lacerations but remained conscious. The unlicensed rider fled. The e-bike showed no damage. The street held its silence.

A woman, age 43, was injured while crossing Flatbush Avenue near Nevins Street in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The report states she was 'crossing with the light' when a speeding e-bike struck her, causing 'severe lacerations' to her entire body. She remained conscious after the impact. The e-bike operator, described as unlicensed, did not stop at the scene. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The e-bike showed no visible damage. The victim’s action—crossing with the signal—is noted in the report, but the primary focus remains on the rider’s speed, improper lane usage, and lack of a valid license. The crash underscores the dangers posed by reckless operation and systemic failures to control unlicensed riders.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4780866, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Metal screamed near 5th Avenue. A motorcycle clipped a sedan pulling into a spot. A woman, helmeted, crushed her leg. Northbound traffic, one slowed, one did not. The pavement held the silence. Brooklyn’s streets demand attention.

A collision unfolded near 5th Avenue and 39th Street in Brooklyn at 17:40, involving a motorcycle and a sedan, according to the police report. The report states that a motorcycle 'clipped a sedan pulling into a spot.' The impact left a 52-year-old woman, riding as a rear passenger on the motorcycle, with crush injuries to her leg. She was helmeted and remained conscious after the crash. Both vehicles were traveling northbound; the sedan was entering a parked position while the motorcycle was passing. The police report cites 'Following Too Closely' as a contributing factor. This driver error—failing to maintain adequate distance—directly preceded the collision and the resulting injury. The report does not list any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the persistent danger faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4770876, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A bus turned, steel and glass sweeping the corner. An e-bike rider, seventy-four, thrown down. His head struck, life ended. The street stilled. The door bore the mark. Brooklyn night, another life lost to traffic’s violence.

A 74-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed at the corner of Jay Street and Tillary Street in Brooklyn when a bus struck him while making a right turn, according to the police report. The narrative states the man was 'thrown from the saddle' and suffered fatal head injuries, with 'the door bore the mark' signaling the point of impact on the bus. The police report lists the bus as 'making right turn' and the e-bike as 'going straight ahead.' Both contributing factors are marked as 'Unspecified' in the report. The victim was not wearing a helmet, but the report does not cite this as a contributing factor. The collision ended with the e-bike rider ejected and killed, underscoring the lethal risk faced by vulnerable road users when large vehicles turn across their path.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769478, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A woman pedaled west on Union Street. She missed the sign. Head met pavement. Blood pooled. Her helmet held, but her body broke. She stayed awake as the street fell silent. The bike survived. She did not, not fully.

A 41-year-old woman riding a bicycle westbound near 901 Union Street in Brooklyn was ejected from her bike and suffered a head injury, according to the police report. The report states the cyclist 'disregarded traffic control,' leading to the crash. She was described as 'conscious' but suffered 'severe bleeding' from the head. The narrative notes, 'The sign was missed. She flew, struck head-first. Her helmet held. Blood pooled.' The police report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the primary contributing factor. No other vehicles were involved, and the report does not cite any other contributing behaviors. The focus remains on the failure to observe traffic control devices, as documented by police.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4764626, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A southbound taxi struck a 60-year-old woman crossing Flatbush at 4th. Her head hit pavement. Limbs crushed. She lay unconscious as sirens broke the quiet. The cab’s front end crumpled, the street marked by violence and silence.

According to the police report, a southbound taxi struck a 60-year-old woman at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn at 23:17. The report states the pedestrian was crossing against the signal when the collision occurred. The impact was severe: her head hit first, and she suffered crush injuries to her limbs. She was found unconscious at the scene. The taxi’s center front end was wrecked, indicating a direct, forceful impact. The police report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor for both parties, and does not cite any specific driver error. The narrative underscores the violence of the crash and the vulnerability of the pedestrian, who was in the intersection when struck.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4739975, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A dump truck turned right on Bond and Butler. Steel met flesh. An 83-year-old woman, crossing without a signal, was struck and killed. The truck showed no damage. The street absorbed another silent, brutal loss.

According to the police report, an 83-year-old woman was crossing at the corner of Bond Street and Butler Street in Brooklyn when a northbound dump truck, registered in New Jersey, made a right turn and struck her. The report states the pedestrian was 'crossing without a signal.' The truck, described as a 2018 KW-TRUCK/BUS, showed 'no damage' after the crash. The victim suffered fatal injuries to her entire body and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police list the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian. The report notes the truck's point of impact was the 'right front quarter panel.' The narrative describes the moment as one where 'her body bore the weight of steel, silence, and final breath.' No driver errors are explicitly cited in the data, and no victim behaviors are listed as contributing factors beyond the absence of a crossing signal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4735930, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon pushes a bill to ban parking near intersections citywide. The move targets deadly corners where cars block sightlines. Sixteen community boards and dozens of officials back it. DOT drags its feet. Advocates demand action.

Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon introduced a bill to end New York City's exemption from the state law banning parking within 20 feet of intersections. The bill, now under consideration, has strong support: sixteen community boards and over three dozen elected officials have signed on. The measure aims to remove parked cars from corners, a practice called 'daylighting,' to improve visibility and cut intersection crashes. Simon called it a 'no-brainer,' saying, 'people feel a lot safer crossing those intersections.' DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez has voiced concerns that daylighting could lead to faster, more dangerous turns, but advocates like Sara Lind of Open Plans counter that daylighting is 'proven and widely popular.' The DOT missed a deadline for a daylighting safety study but claims it will daylight 1,000 intersections this year. Advocates urge the city to follow the law and protect vulnerable road users at every intersection.

• ‘No-Brainer’: State Pol Seeks Citywide Parking Ban Near Intersections, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-26

Two sedans met steel to steel at 8th Avenue and Union. Both drivers distracted. Metal folded. A 46-year-old man, unbelted, crushed at the knee. The street fell silent, bearing the cost of inattention.

According to the police report, two sedans collided head-on at the corner of 8th Avenue and Union Street in Brooklyn at 20:14. Both vehicles were traveling straight when the crash occurred. The report states, "Both drivers distracted." The impact left a 46-year-old male driver with severe crush injuries to his knee and lower leg. The police report lists "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as the contributing factor for both drivers. The injured man was not wearing a seatbelt, but the report does not cite this as a contributing factor. Additionally, a 41-year-old female front passenger suffered chest injuries and a concussion. The narrative describes the aftermath: "Metal folded. A 46-year-old man, unbelted, crushed at the knee. Both drivers distracted. The street fell quiet, holding the weight of what could not be undone." The collision underscores the danger when drivers lose focus behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727274, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14