Crash Count for AD 53
Crashes: Collisions involving cars, bikes, and pedestrians. 4,608
All Injuries: Any injury from a reported crash. 2,068
Moderate: Broken bones, concussions, and other serious injuries. 454
Serious: Life-altering injuries: amputations, paralysis, severe trauma. 30
Deaths: Lives lost to traffic violence. 8
Data from Jan 1, 2022 to Jun 7, 2025
Who’s Injuring and Killing Pedestrians in AD 53?
SUVs/Cars 67 0 0 Trucks/Buses 4 2 2 Motos/Mopeds 5 1 0 Bikes 5 0 0
Bushwick Bleeds While Leaders Stall: Lower the Speed, Save a Life

Bushwick Bleeds While Leaders Stall: Lower the Speed, Save a Life

AD 53: Jan 1, 2022 - Jun 4, 2025

The Bodies in the Road

In Assembly District 53, the numbers do not lie. Eight dead. Thirty seriously hurt. Over 2,000 injured. These are not just numbers. They are people—pedestrians, cyclists, children—struck down on the streets of Bushwick and East Williamsburg since 2022. A man thrown ten feet in a Bushwick crosswalk, left broken in the intersection. His friend described the crash: “He gets absolutely launched, maybe 10 to 15 feet right into the middle of the intersection, and just left there.”

The violence does not stop. In the last year alone, five killed, ten left with life-changing injuries. The dead include a pedestrian crushed by a turning truck, a cyclist killed by a van, a motorcyclist thrown from his bike. The streets do not forgive. The city does not fix them fast enough.

Leadership: Steps Forward, Steps Not Taken

Assembly Member Maritza Davila has taken some steps. She co-sponsored bills to force speed limiters on repeat offenders and to require streets to be built for people, not just cars. She voted yes on school speed cameras to protect children. These are real actions. But the crisis is not over. Every week, another crash. Every week, another family changed forever.

The city only closed a deadly intersection after a man died. As one neighbor put it: “Unfortunately, somebody has to die before something gets done.”

What Comes Next: No More Waiting

Speed kills. Delay kills. The law now allows New York City to lower speed limits to 20 mph. The city can act. Davila can push harder. Residents can demand more. Contact your council member, the mayor, and Assembly Member Davila. Demand a 20 mph limit. Demand more speed cameras. Demand streets built for people, not cars.

The bodies in the road are not an act of God. They are the result of choices. Make your voice count. Do not wait for another name to be added to the list.

Citations

Citations
Other Geographies

AD 53 Assembly District 53 sits in Brooklyn, Precinct 90, District 34.

It contains East Williamsburg, Bushwick (West).

See also
Boroughs
City Council Districts
Community Boards
State Senate Districts

Traffic Safety Timeline for Assembly District 53

Improper Left Turn Crushes E-Bike Rider’s Head

On Johnson Avenue, a left-turning vehicle cut across an e-bike’s path. The rider, 28, slammed head-on, thrown and bleeding. Metal crumpled. The street marked by one man’s broken body, the cost of a single turn taken too soon.

According to the police report, the crash unfolded on Johnson Avenue near Varick Avenue in Brooklyn. An e-bike rider, age 28, was traveling straight when a vehicle executed an improper left turn, cutting directly into his path. The report states, 'A vehicle turned left, too soon. The bike hit head-on. The rider, 28, flew off. Head crushed.' The e-bike rider was ejected and suffered severe head injuries but remained conscious at the scene. The police report explicitly cites 'Turning Improperly' as the contributing factor, highlighting a critical driver error. The impact crushed both vehicles’ front ends. No contributing factors are attributed to the e-bike rider. The report centers the crash on the left-turning vehicle’s action, underscoring the systemic danger posed by improper turns at intersections.


Cyclist Crushed Between SUVs on Flushing Avenue

A 41-year-old cyclist was pinned between two SUVs on Flushing Avenue. His arm split open. One driver stayed. The other fled. Blood pooled on the street. The twisted bike lay silent under the spring sun.

A collision on Flushing Avenue near 1093 in Brooklyn left a 41-year-old cyclist severely injured, according to the police report. The cyclist, who was helmetless, was crushed between two station wagons/SUVs. The report states, 'His arm split open. Blood pooled. One driver stayed. The other vanished.' The cyclist suffered severe lacerations to his lower arm and hand and was partially ejected from his bike. According to the police report, driver errors played a central role: 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' are listed as contributing factors. One SUV was stopped in traffic, while the other was parked. The cyclist was traveling straight ahead when the crash occurred. The police report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the driver errors that led to the crash. The focus remains on the systemic dangers and driver actions that resulted in the cyclist's injury.


Distracted Driver Kills Passenger on Linden Street

A young man rode east in a Mercedes. The driver looked away. Metal struck. The passenger never left his seat. Death came fast, silent, final. Brooklyn’s streets claimed another life to inattention.

According to the police report, a 22-year-old man was riding as a rear passenger in a 2017 Mercedes sedan traveling east on Linden Street near Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn. The report states that the driver became inattentive or distracted, leading to a collision. The passenger, who remained in his seat and was wearing a lap belt, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The contributing factor listed in both the vehicle and person data is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' No other contributing factors were cited. The report does not mention any actions by the victim that contributed to the crash. This fatal incident underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction on city streets.


Hyundai Driver Slams Parked Cars on Menahan Street

A Hyundai sedan tore into three parked vehicles on Menahan Street. Metal screamed, glass burst, and the driver bled in the wreck. The night reeked of alcohol. The roof folded. The street fell silent, marked by reckless force and shattered steel.

A Hyundai sedan traveling east on Menahan Street near 411 collided with three parked vehicles—a Honda sedan, a Chrysler sedan, and a GMC pick-up truck—according to the police report. The 29-year-old male driver, the sole occupant, suffered severe facial bleeding and was found conscious inside the crumpled Hyundai. The police report cites 'Alcohol Involvement' as the primary contributing factor to the crash. The narrative describes the Hyundai as having 'plowed into three parked cars,' with the scene marked by 'the night smelled of alcohol and steel.' The impact crushed the Hyundai's roof and damaged the rear ends of the parked vehicles. No pedestrians, cyclists, or other vehicle occupants were reported injured. The report places the responsibility for the crash on the driver's alcohol use, with no mention of any contributing behavior by others.


Both Drivers Run Red, Moped Rider Ejected

Blood streaked Broadway and Lorimer. Two drivers ran the light. The unlicensed moped rider, twenty-six, flew from his seat. His face split open, he stayed awake. Metal torn, traffic roaring, danger unchecked at the Brooklyn corner.

At the intersection of Broadway and Lorimer Street in Brooklyn, a violent collision left a 26-year-old unlicensed moped rider ejected and bleeding from severe facial lacerations. According to the police report, 'Both drivers ran the light.' The moped's rear was torn in the crash, and the rider was thrown from his seat, remaining conscious but badly injured. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the primary contributing factor for both vehicles involved. The moped operator was unlicensed, but the data centers driver actions: both failed to obey traffic signals, creating lethal conditions for all road users. The police report describes the aftermath in stark terms: 'Blood ran from deep cuts across his face.' No mention is made of victim behavior as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the systemic danger when drivers ignore traffic controls at busy Brooklyn intersections.


Repeat Offender Kills Passenger In Brooklyn Crash

A driver out on bail smashed into a Toyota in Bushwick. The crash killed Hayden Wallace and injured three others. The driver fled, leaving chaos behind. Police tracked him for over a year. Charges stack up, but the loss remains.

NY Daily News (March 8, 2025) reports that Christopher Seabrook, 28, was arrested after a deadly hit-and-run in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Seabrook had been out on bail for a previous crash involving police. On January 8, 2024, he crashed into a Toyota, killing Hayden Wallace and injuring three others. Seabrook fled the scene, abandoning his vehicle. The article notes, "All accidents are useless but this one was even more useless because [Seabrook] had so many other offenses." Seabrook faces 23 charges, including manslaughter, leaving the scene, unlicensed driving, and speeding. The case highlights repeated driver offenses and questions about bail and enforcement. Police needed over a year to arrest Seabrook, who had a history of fleeing crashes and driving without a license.


Dump Truck Turns, Kills Baby Crossing Signal

Steel and weight met a baby boy at Woodpoint and Withers. A dump truck’s left turn ended his life as he crossed with the signal. The street held him, still and broken, beneath the right bumper’s crush.

At the corner of Woodpoint Road and Withers Street in Brooklyn, a dump truck making a left turn struck and killed a baby boy who was crossing the intersection with the signal. According to the police report, 'a dump truck turned left. Its right bumper struck a baby boy crossing with the signal. He died there, crushed beneath steel and weight.' The report states the point of impact was the right front bumper of the truck. The child, a pedestrian, suffered fatal crush injuries to his entire body. The police narrative explicitly notes the victim was 'crossing with the signal.' The driver’s actions—executing a left turn in a large vehicle—placed the most vulnerable road user in mortal danger. The report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor for both the driver and the victim, but the sequence of events centers the dump truck’s left turn and the resulting impact.


Bushwick Hit-And-Run Kills Passenger

A Kia slammed into a Toyota on Stockholm Street. Hayden Wallace, 29, died. Two friends survived with critical wounds. The driver fled. Police arrested Christopher Seabrook. The crash left a new life cut short, a city shaken.

According to the NY Daily News (published March 1, 2025), Christopher Seabrook, 28, was arrested for the hit-and-run crash that killed Hayden Wallace, 29, in Bushwick on January 8, 2024. Seabrook allegedly crashed a Kia Sportage into a Toyota Yaris carrying Wallace and friends, then fled the scene on foot. Wallace died; two others were critically injured. The Toyota’s driver was also charged with driving without a license. Seabrook faces charges including manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and leaving the scene. The article quotes Wallace’s aunt: “He lived life to the fullest. He was only 29 years old and lit up every room he entered.” The case highlights the deadly consequences of reckless driving and fleeing crash scenes in New York City.


Box Truck Pulled Out, Motorcyclist Thrown and Injured

A box truck lurched from parking on Bushwick Ave. A motorcycle struck its side. The rider, forty-seven, flew from the seat. Blood pooled on the street. His leg was torn open. The truck stood, unmarked, silent, unmoved.

According to the police report, a box truck started from parking on Bushwick Ave near Johnson Ave in Brooklyn. As the truck pulled out, a motorcycle traveling straight ahead collided with its side. The motorcyclist, age 47, was thrown from his vehicle and suffered severe lacerations to his leg, described as 'knee-lower leg foot' injuries, and was partially ejected but remained conscious. The report notes the truck sustained no damage, while the motorcycle's left front bumper took the impact. Both vehicles list 'Other Vehicular' as contributing factors, which, in this context, points to the truck's movement from parking as a critical action preceding the crash. The police narrative underscores the violence of the impact and the aftermath, with blood spreading on the blacktop. No driver errors beyond 'Other Vehicular' are specified, and no victim behavior is cited as a contributing factor.


Bus Strikes Teen Girl in Brooklyn Crosswalk

A bus hit a 15-year-old girl as she crossed St. Nicholas Avenue with the signal. Blood marked the crosswalk. The bus kept moving. The girl stayed conscious, head bleeding, as the street bore silent witness to the violence of traffic.

According to the police report, a bus traveling north on St. Nicholas Avenue struck a 15-year-old girl in the crosswalk at Stanhope Street. The report states the pedestrian was 'crossing with signal' when the collision occurred. The girl suffered severe lacerations to her head but remained conscious at the scene. The narrative notes, 'Blood pooled on white paint,' underscoring the violence of the impact. The bus did not stop and was described as 'unmarked.' Police list the contributing factors as 'unspecified,' but the report makes clear the pedestrian was in the intersection, acting lawfully, with the signal in her favor. No driver errors are explicitly cited in the data, but the facts highlight the systemic dangers faced by pedestrians even when following traffic rules.


Van Turns, Strikes Pedestrian in Brooklyn Crosswalk

Steel swept through the crosswalk at De Kalb and Wyckoff. A van turned right, head-on into a man with the light. No screech, no skid, no mercy. The man died where he stood, body broken by the van’s front end.

A 59-year-old man was killed at the intersection of De Kalb Avenue and Wyckoff Avenue in Brooklyn when a van making a right turn struck him head-on. According to the police report, the pedestrian was 'crossing with signal' in the crosswalk when the van, registered in Michigan and operated by a licensed New York driver, failed to yield the right-of-way. The report states, 'A van turned right. A man, 59, walked with the light. Steel struck him head-on.' The impact was so severe that the victim suffered injuries to his entire body and died at the scene. The police report notes there were 'no skid marks' and 'no damage to the van.' The contributing factor listed is 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The pedestrian’s lawful crossing is mentioned only after the driver’s error, underscoring the systemic danger posed by vehicles failing to yield at intersections.


Moped Driver Strikes Road Worker on Myrtle Avenue

A moped’s bumper slammed into a young man working in the street. Blood streaked his face under the streetlights. He stood conscious, wounded, while the driver’s inattention left him bleeding in the dark Brooklyn night.

A 21-year-old man was injured when a westbound moped struck him as he worked in the roadway at Myrtle Avenue and Bleecker Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the moped’s left front bumper hit the pedestrian’s head, leaving him bleeding but conscious at the scene. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the crash. The pedestrian was performing work in the road at the time of the collision. No other contributing factors related to the victim’s behavior are listed in the police report. This incident underscores the danger posed by inattentive driving to people working or moving in city streets.


E-Bike Rider Killed by Sedan Ignoring Traffic Control

A 26-year-old man on an e-bike was struck by a sedan on Hart Street near Evergreen Avenue. Thrown, crushed against a parked car. Head trauma. He died there. The driver disregarded traffic control, according to the police report.

A 26-year-old e-bike rider was killed on Hart Street near Evergreen Avenue in Brooklyn when a sedan struck him, according to the police report. The report states the collision occurred at 2:48 a.m. The e-bike rider was thrown and crushed against a parked car, suffering fatal head trauma. According to the police report, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' was cited as a contributing factor, highlighting a critical driver error. The sedan's driver failed to obey traffic controls, leading directly to the deadly impact. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors. The e-bike rider was ejected and died at the scene. The crash involved two sedans—one moving, one parked—and an e-bike. The focus remains on the sedan driver's disregard for traffic control, which proved fatal for the vulnerable road user.


2
Jeep Disregards Traffic Control, Hits Scooter

A Jeep SUV struck a motorscooter head-on on Union Avenue in Brooklyn. The 19-year-old unlicensed, helmetless rider suffered a crushed skull. The driver’s failure to obey traffic control caused a violent, fatal collision that left blood on the street.

According to the police report, at 12:10 a.m., a Jeep SUV traveling west on Union Avenue near Lorimer Street in Brooklyn collided head-on with a northbound motorscooter. The report identifies 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the primary contributing factor, indicating the Jeep driver failed to obey traffic signals or signs. The Jeep’s left front bumper struck the scooter’s center front end. The 19-year-old male scooter rider was unlicensed and helmetless, suffering severe head injuries described as a crushed skull. The police report places these victim details after noting the driver’s failure to follow traffic control devices. The crash left blood on the street and silence in its wake, underscoring the deadly consequences of driver disregard for traffic rules.


Box Truck Ignores Signal, Kills Motorcyclist

A box truck barreled through Flushing Avenue, disregarding traffic control. A 29-year-old motorcyclist struck its front, was crushed, thrown, and died on the street. His helmet offered no shield against the violence of steel and neglect.

A deadly collision unfolded on Flushing Avenue near Scott Avenue in Brooklyn when a 1987 BMW motorcycle collided with the front quarter of a box truck, according to the police report. The 29-year-old motorcycle rider, who was wearing a helmet, was crushed and partially ejected from his bike. He died at the scene from severe injuries to his entire body. The police report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, drawing attention to the failure of at least one driver to obey traffic signals or signs. Both vehicles were reported as going straight ahead at the time of impact. The truck's left front quarter panel was struck, and the motorcycle overturned. The report makes no mention of any victim error or behavior contributing to the crash. The violence of the impact and the disregard for traffic control proved fatal.


Taxi Ignores Signal, Crushes E-Scooter Rider

A taxi slammed into an eastbound e-scooter at Greene and Wilson. Metal shrieked. The rider, helmeted, was thrown and crushed. The cab’s front quarter buckled. Traffic control was disregarded. Flesh and steel collided in Brooklyn’s morning heat.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling south on Wilson Avenue struck an eastbound e-scooter at the corner of Greene and Wilson in Brooklyn at 11:02 a.m. The report states, 'A taxi struck an eastbound e-scooter. The rider, 42, helmeted, was thrown and crushed.' The e-scooter rider suffered crush injuries to the entire body and was ejected from the vehicle but remained conscious. The police report explicitly lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, indicating the taxi driver failed to obey traffic signals. The narrative underscores that 'signals [were] ignored.' The e-scooter rider was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause cited is the taxi driver’s disregard for traffic control. The crash left the scooter folded and the cab’s front quarter crumpled, marking another instance where systemic driver error endangered a vulnerable road user.


SUV Turns Wide, Cyclist Ejected and Bleeding

A Ford SUV swung wide on Grand Street. A 26-year-old cyclist struck its side, thrown hard to the asphalt. Blood pooled from his head. The SUV’s doors crumpled. The bike stood untouched. The cyclist lay conscious, pain etched on his face.

According to the police report, a Ford SUV was making a U-turn near 850 Grand Street in Brooklyn when it turned improperly and collided with a 26-year-old male cyclist traveling straight ahead. The report lists 'Turning Improperly' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The cyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, struck the SUV’s right side doors and was ejected from his bike, suffering a severe head injury with significant bleeding. The narrative notes, 'A Ford SUV turned wide. A 26-year-old cyclist hit the side. No helmet. Ejected. Head bleeding on the asphalt.' The SUV’s doors were bent inward from the impact, while the bike remained upright and undamaged. The cyclist was found conscious but bleeding heavily. The police report does not cite any cyclist actions as contributing factors, keeping the focus on the SUV driver's errors.


Vespa Rider Ejected in Head-On Brooklyn Crash

A Vespa and Ford SUV collided head-on on Morgan Avenue. The rider, helmet split, was thrown to the pavement, blood pooling beneath him. He remained conscious, bleeding from the head, while the SUV showed no damage.

According to the police report, a Vespa and a Ford SUV collided head-on during a right turn on Morgan Avenue near Meserole Street in Brooklyn. The report states the Vespa rider, age 31, was ejected from his motorcycle, his helmet split, and he suffered severe head bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. The crash occurred at 14:44. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the collision. Both vehicles were making right turns when the impact occurred, with the Vespa striking the right front quarter panel of the SUV. The SUV sustained no damage, while the Vespa was damaged at the center front end. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor, focusing instead on driver inattention as the primary cause.


Bus Slams Teen Cyclist Head-On on Broadway

A bus struck a 16-year-old cyclist head-on on Broadway. The boy flew from his bike, landing hard. His head split open, blood pooling on the street. The bus rolled away, untouched. The boy lay conscious, pain etched across his face.

According to the police report, a bus traveling west on Broadway struck a 16-year-old male cyclist head-on. The collision ejected the cyclist from his bike, resulting in severe head lacerations. The report states the bus driver was inattentive and failed to yield the right-of-way. The cyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, landed hard on the pavement and remained conscious with a torn-open head. The bus sustained no damage and continued on. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The narrative details the violence of the impact and the aftermath, emphasizing the unyielding force of the bus and the vulnerability of the young cyclist.


2
Sedans Collide Head-On on Vandervoort Avenue

Two sedans crashed head-on in Brooklyn. Metal tore. A 37-year-old man, driving straight, crushed his shoulder. He stayed conscious. The street fell silent, broken by pain. Failure to yield and a bad turn set the stage for injury.

Two sedans collided head-on at 267 Vandervoort Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one sedan was making a left turn while the other went straight. The impact was severe. A 37-year-old male driver suffered a crushed shoulder but remained conscious. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. The crash left the street quiet, marked by the sound of pain. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The report does not mention helmet or signal use as factors. The data points to driver error as the cause of the collision.