Three Dead, 254 Hurt: Lower the Speed, Save a Life

Senate passes bill forcing delivery apps to insure workers and crash victims. Lawmakers tout support for the injured. But insurance comes after the hit. Speeders keep driving. Danger stays on the street. Prevention takes a back seat.

On June 13, 2025, the New York State Senate passed a bill requiring food delivery apps to provide insurance for delivery workers, pedestrians, and cyclists. The bill, sponsored by Senate Finance Chair Liz Krueger, mandates up to $50,000 per person for basic economic loss, regardless of citizenship or employment status. Assembly Member Robert Carroll authored the original Assembly version, stating, 'It is time we require delivery apps to take responsibility for keeping delivery workers and pedestrians safe.' Sen. Andrew Gounardes defended a related speed-limiting bill, but it was weakened. Safety analysts warn: 'Focusing on insurance rather than speed limits shifts responsibility away from prevention and system design, failing to reduce crash risk and potentially discouraging mode shift by not addressing the root causes of danger for pedestrians and cyclists.' Lawmakers back insurance, but leave the streets risky.

• Senate Votes to Require Delivery Apps to Provide Insurance for Workers, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-13

Another joins Families for Safe Streets. Another life lost. The toll rises. Grief sharpens the call for change. Streets stay deadly. The city fails to shield its own. The group grows. The danger remains.

On June 3, 2025, Gersh Kuntzman issued an advocacy statement, reported by Streetsblog NYC. The statement reads, 'There's a new member of Families for Safe Streets, which is not good news.' Joe Jankoski, mourning Amanda Servedio, spoke out after her death by a recidivist speeder. The group’s ranks swell with each tragedy. No specific bill or committee is named in this event. Kuntzman’s statement underscores the relentless danger faced by pedestrians and cyclists. The safety analyst notes: the event describes a new member joining an advocacy group, which does not directly affect pedestrian or cyclist safety at the population level. The city’s streets remain perilous. The group’s growth is a grim measure of failure.

• Tuesday’s Headlines: Stop Super Speeders Edition, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-03

Two SUVs collided on West 77th. Metal slammed metal. One driver, a man, died. Three others, including another driver and two passengers, were hurt. Police cited driver inattention. The street stayed quiet after the crash. The danger was clear.

A deadly crash unfolded at 152 West 77th Street in Manhattan. Two station wagons, both SUVs, collided. According to the police report, four people were involved. One driver, a 79-year-old man, was killed. Three others, including a 62-year-old woman driver and two passengers aged 62 and 79, suffered unspecified injuries. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. Both vehicles were parked before the crash, and both sustained damage to the right side doors. The police report makes no mention of helmet use or turn signals as factors. The crash highlights the lethal risk when drivers lose focus, as documented by the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817015, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 74-year-old man rides east on West 70th. He wears a helmet. Illness seizes him. His bike hits a parked bus. The impact crushes his chest. He dies there, in the afternoon, beneath the city’s hard light.

A 74-year-old cyclist was killed on West 70th Street at West End Avenue in Manhattan, according to the police report. The crash occurred in the afternoon as the man rode his bike eastbound, helmet strapped on. The police report states, 'Illness takes him. The bus is parked. The bike strikes metal. Chest injury. The man dies there, in the afternoon light.' The bus, a 2016 IC CORP, was parked at the time of the collision and sustained no damage. The report lists 'Illnes' as a contributing factor, with no driver errors or moving vehicle violations cited. The cyclist's helmet use is noted in the report, but only after the sequence of events leading to his fatal chest injury. No evidence of driver error or systemic road design failure is cited in the official account.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807979, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Ford SUV moved east on West 86th. A man crossed Broadway. The front of the vehicle hit him. His body broke beneath the wheels. The street was quiet. The man, age 57, died at the scene. The driver remained unharmed.

A fatal collision unfolded at West 86th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. According to the police report, a 2012 Ford SUV traveling east struck a 57-year-old man as he crossed the intersection. The narrative states, 'The SUV moved east. A man, 57, crossed against the signal. The front of the Ford struck him. His body broke beneath the wheels.' The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to his entire body and was pronounced dead. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian. The police report notes the pedestrian was 'Crossing Against Signal,' but does not cite any specific driver errors or violations. The driver, a woman licensed in New York, wore her seatbelt and was uninjured. The quiet street and lack of additional contributing factors highlight the stark impact of the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807749, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan door bursts into a cyclist’s path on West 56th. Metal and flesh collide. She is hurled, head split, blood on concrete. The driver stands untouched. The city’s flow absorbs the violence, leaving her pain behind.

A woman riding a bike eastbound on West 56th Street in Manhattan was injured when a parked sedan’s door suddenly opened in her path, according to the police report. The report states the cyclist struck the metal door, was ejected from her bike, and suffered severe head lacerations. She remained conscious on the pavement while the sedan driver was unharmed. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor in the crash. The sedan was parked and its left side doors were the point of impact. The report lists no contributing factors for the cyclist. This incident underscores the lethal consequences when drivers fail to check for oncoming cyclists before opening doors into city traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804142, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two sedans collide on Riverside Drive. Metal screams. A 37-year-old man suffers a head wound, blood pooling in the night. The air reeks of alcohol and gasoline. A 71-year-old sits silent. The street absorbs the violence and moves on.

On Riverside Drive at West 82nd in Manhattan, two sedans collided, resulting in severe injury to a 37-year-old male driver, according to the police report. The report describes 'metal splits' and notes the injured man 'bleeds from the head.' Alcohol was cited as a contributing factor, with the report stating 'the night smells of alcohol and gasoline.' The crash involved a Ford and a Mercedes sedan, with both vehicles sustaining significant front-end damage. The police report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as a primary contributing factor, underscoring the role of impaired driving in this violent collision. No evidence in the report suggests any contributing behavior by the injured driver beyond the systemic danger posed by alcohol use behind the wheel. The incident left one driver severely wounded and another occupant, a 71-year-old, unresponsive at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804217, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A taxi turned right at Amsterdam Avenue, its front end colliding with a man standing off the roadway. Blood pooled. The man, conscious, lay broken on the street, pain radiating through his body. The cab’s failure left him hurt and awake.

A taxi making a right turn at the corner of W 65th Street and Amsterdam Avenue struck a 36-year-old man who, according to the police report, was 'not in roadway' and 'stood off the roadway.' The front of the cab hit the pedestrian, causing severe bleeding and injuries across his entire body. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The man remained conscious but was left injured and bleeding in the street. The report does not cite any pedestrian actions as contributing to the crash. The collision underscores the danger posed when drivers fail to yield, even to those not occupying the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4779994, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

An 81-year-old woman pedaled east on Columbus. A taxi turned, struck her rear wheel, sent her flying. Blood pooled. She stayed conscious. Distraction behind the wheel. The street did not stop. Metal met flesh. The city moved on.

According to the police report, an 81-year-old woman riding a bike eastbound on Columbus Avenue at West 65th Street was struck from behind by a taxi making a left turn. The report states the taxi's right front bumper collided with the rear wheel of the cyclist, ejecting her from the bike. She suffered severe bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors to the crash. The narrative describes the cab striking the cyclist from behind, emphasizing distraction behind the wheel as a key element. No contributing factors are attributed to the cyclist. The report details the impact and injury, highlighting the systemic danger posed by inattentive drivers operating large vehicles in busy city corridors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768024, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Chevy SUV hit a 31-year-old woman at West End Avenue and West 64th Street. She fell, blood pooling beneath her head. The front grill bore the mark. The street held her silence. Shock widened her eyes as sirens approached.

A 31-year-old woman was struck by a Chevy SUV while in the crosswalk at West End Avenue and West 64th Street in Manhattan, according to the police report. The report describes the woman lying in shock, bleeding from the head, with severe lacerations. The SUV's center front end bore visible damage. Police note the pedestrian was at the intersection, engaged in 'other actions in roadway.' The driver was traveling straight ahead in an eastbound direction. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' offering no further details on driver behavior. The narrative underscores the violence of the impact and the vulnerability of the pedestrian, who suffered significant head injuries. No contributing factors related to the pedestrian's behavior are cited beyond her presence in the intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4743942, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A cyclist hit a young woman on Amsterdam Avenue. She fell, her head bleeding, semiconscious in the street. The bike rolled on, unscathed. The force landed square, the harm hers alone. The night echoed with sirens and blood.

A 25-year-old woman was struck by a cyclist traveling northeast on Amsterdam Avenue, according to the police report. The collision left her semiconscious in the street, suffering severe bleeding from a head injury. The narrative states, 'She fell, head bleeding, semiconscious in the street. The rider kept straight. No damage to the bike. The front wheel hit center. The damage was hers alone.' The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the cyclist and the pedestrian. The cyclist was going straight ahead at the time of impact, and the point of contact was the center front end of the bike. No damage was reported to the bicycle. The report does not cite any pedestrian behavior as a contributing factor. The harm was borne entirely by the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4736710, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two e-scooters slammed together on Riverside Boulevard. A 14-year-old boy hit face-first. Blood pooled on the pavement. He was conscious, wounded, and young. Unsafe speed tore through the afternoon. The city’s danger cut deep.

According to the police report, two e-scooters collided at speed near Riverside Boulevard and West 61st Street in Manhattan. The crash left a 14-year-old boy injured, bleeding from the face but conscious. The report states, 'Two e-scooters collided at speed. A 14-year-old boy hit face-first. Blood on the pavement.' The listed contributing factor is 'Unsafe Speed.' No helmet use was recorded for the injured boy. The data shows both vehicles were going straight ahead before impact, and the severity of the injury was high. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the threat posed by unsafe speed on city streets, especially for young and vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4737126, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man pedaled east on West 72nd. His bike crumpled beneath him. Blood pooled on the street. His skull split. He did not fall, but something inside him broke. The city’s hard edge met flesh and bone.

A 31-year-old man riding a bike eastbound on West 72nd Street near Central Park was severely injured, according to the police report. The report states the cyclist suffered a major head injury with severe bleeding after the back of his bike folded under him. The narrative describes, 'His head split open. Blood spilled onto the pavement. The back of the bike folded under him. He stayed upright. Something inside him didn’t.' The only contributing factor listed in the police report is 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' No other vehicles are cited as involved. The crash occurred at 16:48 in Manhattan’s 10023 zip code. The police report does not specify helmet use or other safety equipment. The focus remains on the confusion and systemic dangers that can lead to such devastating outcomes for vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4723865, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan door snapped open on West 68th. Metal met muscle. A cyclist’s leg split, blood pooling in the street. The driver never looked. The cyclist, helmeted and conscious, bore the wound. Distraction behind the wheel left flesh torn.

A cyclist traveling east on West 68th Street in Manhattan collided with the left-side door of a parked sedan, according to the police report. The incident occurred at 19:48 and resulted in severe lacerations to the cyclist’s knee and lower leg. The report states, 'A sedan door flung open. Steel caught his leg. Flesh tore. Blood pooled on the asphalt. He wore a helmet. He stayed conscious. The driver hadn’t looked.' The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor for the crash. The sedan’s driver opened the door without checking for oncoming traffic, causing the impact. The cyclist was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause cited is the driver’s failure to pay attention before opening the door.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4719706, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Albany lawmakers clear the way for New York City to lower speed limits to 20 mph. The bill, named for Sammy Cohen Eckstein, follows years of parent-led advocacy. The measure excludes major multi-lane roads but targets most city streets. Lives hang in the balance.

On April 18, 2024, state lawmakers advanced legislation enabling New York City to reduce its default speed limit to 20 mph. The measure, known as Sammy’s Law, is part of the state budget deal and awaits final publication. Sponsored by Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal and Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, the bill allows the City Council to set lower limits on most streets, but excludes roads with three or more lanes in one direction. The bill’s title honors Sammy Cohen Eckstein, a 12-year-old killed by a speeding driver in 2013. Rosenthal said, “This is about trying to eliminate all unnecessary deaths, and one of the ways you do that is by making the speed limit lower.” Hoylman-Sigal credited persistent advocacy by Sammy’s mother and Families for Safe Streets. The City Council and Mayor must still approve the change. Advocates and city officials say the law gives New York City a vital tool to prevent traffic violence and protect vulnerable road users.

• Lawmakers to allow NYC to lower speed limit to 20 mph, gothamist.com, Published 2024-04-18

Albany lawmakers passed Sammy’s Law. New York City can now lower its speed limit to 20 mph. The bill honors Sammy Cohen Eckstein, killed by a van driver at age 12. Lower speeds mean fewer deaths. Lawmakers and families fought for years.

On April 18, 2024, state lawmakers advanced Sammy’s Law, allowing New York City to reduce its default speed limit to 20 mph. The measure, named for Sammy Cohen Eckstein, a child killed by a van driver, was included in the state budget after years of advocacy. Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal sponsored the bill. The law exempts roads with three or more lanes in each direction. The bill’s summary states: 'allowing New York City to lower its speed limit to 20 miles per hour.' Rosenthal and other officials pushed for local control. Amy Cohen, Sammy’s mother, said, 'Lower speed limits save lives.' Studies show pedestrian death risk rises sharply as speed increases. This law gives the city power to protect its most vulnerable.

• Albany lawmakers set to pass Sammy’s Law, allow NYC to lower speed limit to 20 mph, amny.com, Published 2024-04-18

The Assembly refused to include Sammy’s Law in the state budget. The bill would let New York City lower its speed limit to 20 mph. Advocates, families, and city leaders back it. The Assembly’s inaction leaves vulnerable road users exposed. Grief and anger mount.

On March 13, 2024, the New York State Assembly declined to advance Sammy’s Law (no bill number cited), which would let New York City set its own speed limit. The measure was left out of the Assembly’s budget, despite support from the State Senate, Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams, and the City Council. The bill’s sponsor, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, did not comment. The Assembly’s move angered advocates and families, including Amy Cohen of Families for Safe Streets, who said, 'We are very disappointed that the Assembly didn’t follow suit.' Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives called the decision a failure to join 'more than 130 unions, hospitals, business leaders, and community-led organizations that recognize the urgent need for this common-sense legislation.' The Assembly’s inaction keeps city streets dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. A rally is planned to push for the bill’s passage.

• Déjà-Vu All Over Again: Assembly Balks on ‘Sammy’s Law,’ Bill Sponsor Silent, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-13

A diesel truck passed too close on West 76th. The e-bike rider, helmet on, was crushed at the hip and killed. The truck rolled on, untouched. The street fell silent, holding the weight of sudden loss.

According to the police report, a diesel tractor truck traveling east on West 76th Street passed an e-bike rider 'too closely.' The 57-year-old woman riding the e-bike, who was wearing a helmet, was struck and crushed at the hip. She died at the scene. The report lists 'Passing Too Closely' as the primary contributing factor, underscoring a critical driver error by the truck operator. The truck itself sustained no damage and continued on after the collision. The e-bike rider’s helmet use is noted in the report, but the fatal outcome was driven by the truck driver's failure to maintain a safe passing distance. The report offers no evidence of any error or contributing action by the e-bike rider.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4706377, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

State lawmakers push Sammy’s Law after a deadly year. The bill gives New York City power to set its own speed limits. Advocates cite 257 lives lost to reckless drivers. Lower speeds mean fewer deaths. The fight continues in Albany.

Sammy’s Law, a state bill, would let New York City control its own speed limits. The measure stalled last year when Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie blocked a vote, despite support from Governor Hochul, the state Senate, Mayor Adams, and the City Council. Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, who sponsors the bill, rallied outside Heastie’s office, saying, 'Last year, 257 people were killed on New York City streets by reckless and speeding drivers. Each of these deaths was preventable.' Amy Cohen, whose son Sammy was killed in 2013, called for urgent action: 'We can’t wait any longer. People like Sammy, and so many others are dying on our streets.' Advocates point to a 36-percent drop in pedestrian deaths after the city lowered speed limits in 2014. The bill would not set new limits automatically, but would give the city the power to act.

• New Year, New Opportunity to Pass ‘Sammy’s Law’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-18

A motorscooter slammed into a sedan at West 55th and 10th. Two riders flew off, struck hard, and lay broken in the street. Blood pooled. The city’s lights blinked on. No helmets. No mercy. The night swallowed the sound.

Two people riding a motorscooter were ejected after a violent crash with a sedan at the corner of West 55th Street and 10th Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the motorscooter hit the sedan at 3:02 a.m. Both riders, a 28-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, suffered severe crush injuries and were found unconscious or semiconscious, sprawled on the pavement. The report notes neither wore helmets. The sedan’s left front bumper and the motorscooter’s right side took the impact. No specific driver errors were listed in the data; contributing factors are marked as "Unspecified." The city moved on as the injured lay in the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4647628, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14