Streets for Living, Not Dying: Hold Albany Accountable

Assembly Member Inez Dickens stands firm against Sammy’s Law, lower speed limits, and more bike lanes in Harlem. She rejects congestion pricing, bus upgrades, and traffic calming. Her stance leaves vulnerable road users exposed. Other candidates back safety. Dickens does not.

Assembly Member Inez Dickens, leading the Harlem Council race, opposes bill 'Sammy’s Law,' which would let New York City set its own speed limits. At a June 2023 NY1 debate, Dickens said, 'I do not support it,' arguing that speeders will speed regardless. She also rejected more bike lanes, congestion pricing, bus improvements, and traffic calming. The matter summary states: 'Assembly Member Inez Dickens...does not support lowering the speed limit.' Her challengers, Assembly Member Al Taylor and Yusef Salaam, support Sammy’s Law and more bike lanes. Mayor Adams, a supporter of Sammy’s Law, has endorsed Dickens. Dickens’s stance blocks proven safety measures for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders. No safety analyst note was provided.

• Assembly Member in Harlem Council Race Opposes ‘Sammy’s Law,’ More Bike Lanes, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-06-20

A Honda SUV turned left on Broadway. It struck a 72-year-old woman crossing the street. She lay semiconscious, head bleeding, on the asphalt. The SUV stood idle under the streetlamps. The city kept moving.

A 72-year-old woman was struck by a Honda SUV while crossing Broadway near 4259. According to the police report, the woman was crossing against the signal when the SUV, making a left turn, hit her. She suffered a head injury and severe bleeding, and was found semiconscious at the scene. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The SUV sustained no damage. No driver errors were documented in the report. The impact left the pedestrian injured and vulnerable in the intersection, while the vehicle remained untouched.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4648346, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Mothers starve for Sammy’s Law. Hochul offers sympathy, not action. Heastie keeps the bill off the floor. The law would let New York City lower speed limits. Assembly support grows. Vulnerable road users wait. Streets stay deadly. Lawmakers stall. Lives hang in the balance.

Sammy’s Law, stalled in the New York State Assembly, would let New York City set speed limits below 25 mph. On June 7, 2023, Governor Hochul expressed sympathy for hunger-striking mothers but refused to pressure Speaker Carl Heastie, who blocks the bill from a vote. The bill passed the Senate and has City Council and mayoral support. The matter summary: 'Hochul has previously expressed support for Sammy's Law, which would allow New York City to set its speed limits below 25 miles per hour.' Amy Cohen, a mother and advocate, demanded action, showing Heastie photos of victims. Seven new Assembly members, including Yudelka Tapia, Al Taylor, Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, and Brian Cunningham, now back the bill, giving it majority support among NYC Assembly members. Still, the Speaker’s inaction leaves vulnerable road users exposed to speeding drivers and systemic danger.

• Hunger Strike Day 2: Gov. Hochul is ‘Sympathetic,’ But Won’t Pressure Heastie on Sammy’s Law, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-06-07

A Jeep hit a man on Riverside Drive. The SUV kept going. The man’s head was crushed. He died alone under the streetlight. The driver did not stop. The street was quiet. The SUV showed no damage.

A northbound Jeep SUV struck a 47-year-old man at Riverside Drive and West 147th Street in Manhattan. The man suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. According to the police report, 'His head crushed beneath the bumper. No damage to the SUV. The driver did not stop.' The crash report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The driver left the scene. The man was killed in the roadway, alone in the dark.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4561177, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A young man on an e-bike hit a parked Cadillac on 7th Avenue. He flew off, his head struck hard. Blood pooled on the street. He lay semiconscious, not moving. The car did not budge. The crash left him badly hurt.

A 26-year-old man riding an e-bike crashed into a parked Cadillac sedan on 7th Avenue, near 151st Street. According to the police report, the e-bike rider was ejected and suffered a severe head injury, with bleeding and semiconsciousness at the scene. The sedan was stationary and did not move during the crash. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. The e-bike rider was the only person injured. Safety equipment use was listed as 'Unknown.' The crash highlights the danger when attention lapses and following distance is not maintained.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4555339, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Volvo SUV turned right on Broadway. It hit a 74-year-old man. He was thrown. His arm was torn open. Blood pooled on the street. The driver failed to yield. The man was not in a crosswalk. The street stayed silent after.

A Volvo SUV struck a 74-year-old man near 3959 Broadway in Manhattan. According to the police report, the SUV turned right and hit the pedestrian, throwing him and causing severe lacerations to his arm. Blood pooled on the street. The man was not at a crosswalk when the crash happened. The police report states, 'The driver failed to yield.' The listed contributing factor is 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' No other driver errors or factors are noted in the report. The pedestrian suffered serious injuries. The impact came from the center front end of the SUV.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550052, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A bike hit a stopped sedan on Broadway. The rider flew forward, helmet cracking. His face struck pavement. Blood pooled. He stayed conscious. His face did not. The sedan’s occupants were unhurt. Distraction played its part. The street stayed hard.

A 26-year-old cyclist slammed into the rear of a stopped sedan at Broadway and Arden Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A bike slammed into a stopped sedan. The rider, 26, flew forward. His helmet cracked. His face hit pavement. Blood spread. He stayed awake. His face did not.' The cyclist suffered severe facial lacerations and was ejected from his bike. Police listed 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The sedan’s three occupants, including the 21-year-old driver, were not injured. The cyclist was wearing a helmet, which cracked on impact. The crash left the cyclist bloodied and conscious, the car damaged at the rear.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4545552, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A lone rider hit debris on Henry Hudson Parkway. The motorcycle bucked. He flew off, helmeted, bleeding, arm torn. The bike’s rear crumpled. He lay in shock. No other vehicles. The road left him broken and alone.

A 31-year-old man riding northbound on Henry Hudson Parkway struck debris in the roadway. According to the police report, 'A lone rider struck debris. The motorcycle bucked. He flew. Helmeted, bleeding, arm torn open.' The motorcyclist was ejected from his bike, suffering severe bleeding and injuries to his arm. The police list 'Obstruction/Debris' as the contributing factor. The report notes the rider wore a helmet. No other vehicles or people were involved. The crash left the rider in shock, alone on the road.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4543577, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A woman on an e-scooter hit the front of a bus on 8th Avenue. Her leg split open. Blood marked the street. The bus stood still, untouched. She stayed conscious. No one else was hurt. The city swallowed the noise.

A crash on 8th Avenue left a 40-year-old woman riding an e-scooter with severe leg lacerations after she struck the front of a bus. According to the police report, 'A woman on an e-scooter struck the front of a bus. She stayed awake. Her leg split open. Blood on the pavement. The bus stood still, unmarked. No one else was hurt.' The bus, driven by a 43-year-old man, showed no damage and no injuries were reported for the driver or any passengers. The police report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor for both drivers. No helmet or signal use was cited as a factor in the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4510023, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14