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

A truck turned left on Morgan Avenue. A cyclist rode straight. Steel hit flesh. The rider, 23, flew and crashed. His leg split open. His knee burst. No helmet. Blood on blacktop. The truck kept rolling. The street stayed silent.

A truck making a left turn struck a cyclist traveling straight near 222 Morgan Avenue in Brooklyn. The 23-year-old cyclist was ejected and suffered severe injuries to his knee and lower leg, including a severe burn. According to the police report, 'A truck turned left. A bike came straight. Steel met skin. The cyclist, 23, flew. His leg tore open. His knee split.' The report lists 'View Obstructed/Limited' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but the report centers driver inattention and poor visibility as primary causes. The crash left the cyclist conscious but badly hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4673366, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 25-year-old cyclist lost his hand to a speeding SUV on Bleecker Street. Metal hit flesh. The crash tore bone and skin. The cyclist stayed conscious. The SUV’s front quarter struck hard. Blood marked the street. The night swallowed the sound.

A 25-year-old man riding a bike was struck by a speeding SUV on Bleecker Street near Wilson Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the SUV’s right front quarter panel hit the cyclist, causing severe injuries: his arm was torn and his hand was amputated. The cyclist remained conscious at the scene. Police listed 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The report describes the SUV as a 2020 Dodge, registered in New York. The cyclist was not using any safety equipment, but the police report cites driver errors as the primary causes. The crash left the cyclist with life-changing injuries. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4662790, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A garbage truck turned right on Morgan Avenue. A cyclist rode straight. The truck’s front caught him. His hand was severed. He stayed upright, awake. Blood marked the street. Helmet still on. The night was silent.

A garbage truck struck a cyclist on Morgan Avenue near Johnson Avenue. The truck turned right as the cyclist continued straight. The truck’s front quarter panel hit the cyclist, severing his hand. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was listed as a contributing factor. The cyclist, a 50-year-old man, remained conscious and upright after the crash. He suffered an amputation to his lower arm or hand. The report notes he was wearing a helmet. No other injuries were reported. The crash left blood on the street. The truck was a 2013 Mack, registered in New York.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4658658, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 21-year-old cyclist turned left on Union Avenue. An SUV slammed into him head-on. Blood pooled on the street. The bike stood still. The SUV’s front was crushed. The rider bled from the head. He survived, conscious but badly hurt.

A 21-year-old cyclist was seriously injured when a KIA SUV struck him head-on on Union Avenue near South 4th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the cyclist was making a left turn when the SUV, traveling straight, collided with him. The report lists 'Turning Improperly' as a contributing factor. The cyclist suffered severe head lacerations and was conscious at the scene. The SUV’s front end was crushed. The police report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the driver’s error. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4659097, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man on a bike tore into a parked SUV. His arm split open. Blood spilled onto Grand Street. The SUV did not move. The cyclist rode too fast. Shock hit him hard. Brooklyn stood still and watched.

A 27-year-old man riding a bike crashed into the side of a parked SUV near 639 Grand Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A 27-year-old man on a bike struck the side of a parked SUV. His arm split open. Blood poured. No helmet. The SUV stood still. The bike moved too fast. Shock took him.' The cyclist suffered a severe arm injury and was in shock. The police listed 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The report also noted 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' The SUV was parked and unoccupied at the time of impact. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as stated in the report, but this was not listed as a contributing factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4653597, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Ford SUV struck a 25-year-old e-bike rider head-on on Harrison Place. The rider flew from the saddle, hit the pavement, head split open. He lay semiconscious, bleeding, alone in the dark. Traffic control ignored. Streets unforgiving.

A Ford SUV hit a 25-year-old e-bike rider head-on near Harrison Place and Morgan Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the SUV disregarded traffic control and struck the cyclist, who was ejected and suffered severe head lacerations. The rider was semiconscious and bleeding at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause remains the driver's failure to obey traffic signals and improper lane usage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4651884, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A concrete mixer hit a cyclist at Morgan Avenue and Harrison Place. Steel met flesh. The rider fell. Blood pooled at his leg. His helmet cracked. He stayed conscious. The truck driver was inattentive. The cyclist suffered severe leg wounds.

A concrete mixer traveling east collided with a northbound cyclist at the corner of Morgan Avenue and Harrison Place in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A concrete mixer moved east. A cyclist rode north. Steel struck flesh. He hit the pavement hard. Blood pooled at his leg. His helmet cracked. He stayed awake. He did not scream.' The cyclist, a 28-year-old man, suffered severe lacerations to his lower leg and remained conscious at the scene. Police cited 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for the truck driver. The cyclist was wearing a helmet, which cracked in the crash. No injuries were reported for the truck driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4642289, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man stepped from a parked car. A bus passed too close. Metal ripped his arm. Blood spilled on De Kalb Avenue. The bus did not stop. The man stayed behind, awake, bleeding, his arm torn open.

A 31-year-old man exited a parked car on De Kalb Avenue. As he stepped down, a westbound bus passed too close. According to the police report, 'Passing Too Closely' was the contributing factor. The bus struck the man’s arm, causing severe lacerations and heavy bleeding. The bus did not stop. The man remained conscious at the scene. No injuries were reported for the bus driver or other vehicle occupants. The police report lists no errors by the victim. The crash highlights the danger when large vehicles fail to give space to people outside cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4626484, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A box truck barreled down Varick Avenue. A motorcycle smashed its side. The rider, helmeted, flew through air. Blood spilled on the street. The truck’s doors twisted. Sirens cut the silence. Signals ignored. Speed unchecked. One man left bleeding.

A box truck and a motorcycle collided on Varick Avenue. The motorcycle hit the truck’s right side. According to the police report, the 33-year-old motorcyclist was ejected and suffered a bleeding head injury. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The truck’s right doors were crushed. The motorcyclist wore a helmet, as noted in the data, but the crash’s cause centered on ignored traffic signals. No pedestrians were involved. The system failed to protect the vulnerable. The street became a scene of blood and twisted metal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4626317, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan hit a westbound e-bike head-on in Brooklyn. The 27-year-old rider flew off, bleeding from the face. He lay conscious on the street. The car’s rear panel crumpled. Driver inattention and failure to yield marked the crash.

A sedan traveling south on Roebling Street struck a westbound e-bike head-on near South 4th Street in Brooklyn. The 27-year-old e-bike rider was ejected and suffered severe facial bleeding, but remained conscious on the pavement. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' were listed as contributing factors. The sedan’s left rear quarter panel was damaged. The report notes the e-bike rider was not wearing a helmet, but this was not listed as a cause. No injuries were reported for the sedan’s occupants. The crash underscores the danger posed by driver distraction and failure to yield on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4624364, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A diesel truck turned right on Morgan Avenue. Its front quarter struck a 56-year-old cyclist. The man was thrown from his bike. He died under the streetlight. Police cite driver inattention and inexperience. The street stayed silent after.

A 56-year-old man riding a bike south on Morgan Avenue near Johnson Avenue was killed when a diesel truck turned right and its front quarter struck him. According to the police report, 'A 56-year-old man pedaled south. A diesel truck turned right. Its front quarter crushed his head. He wore no helmet. He was thrown from the bike. He died there, alone, under the streetlight.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The cyclist was ejected and suffered fatal head injuries. Helmet use is noted only after the driver errors. The crash left one man dead and a city street marked by loss.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4611702, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A flatbed truck turned left on Boerum Street. The front end struck a 70-year-old woman working in the road. Her arm was crushed. Blood soaked her sleeve. She stood in shock. The truck’s engine idled. The street stayed silent.

A 70-year-old woman was working in the roadway on Boerum Street when a flatbed truck turned left and struck her with its front end. According to the police report, 'the front end crushed her arm. She stood in shock, blood rising through her sleeve, the engine still warm behind her.' The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors by the driver. The woman suffered crush injuries to her upper arm and shoulder. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The crash highlights the danger posed by large vehicles moving at unsafe speeds near people working in the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4607999, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A box truck swung wide on Meserole. Steel met steel. The parked sedan crumpled. The driver, trapped and conscious, suffered neck injuries. The truck rolled on. The street stayed silent. Flesh paid for a turn gone wrong.

A box truck making a right turn on Meserole Street in Brooklyn struck a parked sedan. According to the police report, the truck 'turned wrong.' The sedan's driver, a 42-year-old man, was conscious but suffered crush injuries to his neck. The crash left the sedan's front end mangled. The truck showed no damage and continued on. Police list 'Turning Improperly' as the contributing factor. No errors are attributed to the sedan driver. Other occupants in the vehicles were listed but did not report injuries. The crash highlights the danger when large vehicles turn without care.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605615, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

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 12-year-old girl bled from the neck after a truck hit her on Flushing Avenue. The driver, distracted, drove straight. The truck showed no damage. The child did. She stayed conscious. Steel met flesh. The street bore witness.

A 12-year-old pedestrian was struck and injured by a 2019 Isuzu chassis cab truck on Flushing Avenue. According to the police report, the girl bled from the neck at the intersection but remained conscious. The driver, a 26-year-old man, was traveling straight ahead when the crash occurred. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The truck sustained no visible damage, but the child suffered severe bleeding. No other injuries were reported among the vehicle occupants. The data does not mention any actions by the pedestrian as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the danger posed by distracted driving to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605132, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A moped slammed into a turning pickup at Grand and Graham. The rider, helmeted, flew and landed hard. His head was crushed. He died at 45. The pickup’s side was dented. The street fell silent. Another life lost to traffic violence.

A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of Grand Street and Graham Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a man riding a moped struck the side of a pickup truck as it turned. The moped rider, age 45, was ejected and suffered fatal head injuries. He wore a helmet. The pickup’s right side doors were dented. The driver of the pickup, age 28, was not reported injured. Both vehicles were traveling west; the pickup was making a right turn. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were cited in the data. The crash left one man dead and a city street quiet once more.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4593865, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A young cyclist hit the back of a stopped SUV on Central Avenue. He flew forward, face first. Blood on the street. The SUV’s brakes were defective. The rider stayed conscious. His face split open. No helmet. The driver was unhurt.

A 24-year-old cyclist was injured after crashing into the rear of a stopped SUV at Central Avenue and Menahan Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A bike slammed into the rear of a stopped SUV. The rider, 24, flew forward. No helmet. His face split open on impact. The SUV’s brakes were defective. He stayed conscious.' The cyclist suffered severe facial lacerations and was ejected from his bike. The SUV’s brakes were listed as defective, a critical contributing factor. No injuries were reported for the SUV’s driver or occupant. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the mechanical failure of the SUV.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4564974, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man rode south on Maspeth. A turning vehicle struck him. He flew. Steel crushed his leg. The helmet stayed on. The street held its breath. Brooklyn stayed silent.

A 45-year-old man riding a bike south on Maspeth Avenue at Morgan Avenue in Brooklyn was struck by a vehicle making an improper turn. According to the police report, 'A vehicle turned into him. He flew. His leg crushed beneath steel.' The cyclist suffered crush injuries to his knee and lower leg. The crash report lists 'Turning Improperly' as a contributing factor. The cyclist was ejected from his bike. The report notes he wore a helmet, but the primary cause remains the driver's improper turn. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4557237, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man on a motorbike crashed into a turning truck on Morgan Avenue. He was thrown from the bike. His head hit the pavement. He died at the scene. The truck kept moving. The crash left one dead. Streets stayed silent.

A deadly crash unfolded on Morgan Avenue. According to the police report, a man riding a motorbike collided with a truck that was making a left turn. The rider, unlicensed and without a helmet, was ejected from his bike. His head struck the pavement, resulting in fatal injuries. The truck, a large carry-all, sustained no damage and its driver was not hurt. Police cited 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor in the crash. The report notes the rider had no helmet, but only after listing the driver error. No other injuries were reported. The impact ended one life and left the street unchanged.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4552549, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan crashed into a KIA SUV’s rear on Harman Street. Metal buckled. A 64-year-old woman in the back seat bled from torn legs. She wore a harness. She sat silent, in shock. The driver suffered a head wound. Streets stayed loud.

A sedan struck the back of a KIA SUV on Harman Street near Central Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A sedan slammed into the back of a KIA SUV. In the rear seat, a 64-year-old woman bled from torn legs. She wore a harness. She did not scream. She sat in silence.' The crash left the woman, a rear passenger, with severe leg lacerations and in shock. The SUV’s driver, a 44-year-old man, suffered a head injury and minor bleeding. Both were not ejected and wore lap belts and harnesses. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. No blame is placed on those injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550775, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14