Fifth Avenue, Seven Dead: Who Will Stop the Killing?

A man on a bike hit the doors of a parked sedan. He flew, landed face-first. Blood pooled on East 48th Street. No helmet. Severe cuts marked his face. He stayed conscious. The pain did not leave him. The street stayed quiet.

A 38-year-old man riding a bike struck the right-side doors of a parked sedan on East 48th Street near Third Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A man on a bike struck the doors of a parked sedan. He flew. Landed face-first. Blood pooled on the quiet street. No helmet. Severe cuts. He was conscious.' The cyclist suffered severe lacerations to his face and was ejected from his bike. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors beyond 'Unspecified.' The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the police narrative. The sedan was parked at the time of the crash. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4684731, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Honda sedan turned left on East 60th Street. Its bumper hit a 39-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She fell. Blood pooled on the street. She stayed conscious. The driver followed too close and failed to yield.

A 39-year-old woman was struck by a Honda sedan while crossing East 60th Street with the signal. According to the police report, the sedan turned left and its right front bumper hit the pedestrian, causing her to fall and suffer a bleeding head injury. The woman remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Following Too Closely' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The driver was licensed. The impact left blood on the asphalt. The report does not mention any other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4673716, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Albany lawmakers move to force moped registration before sale. The bill aims to block illegal, unregistered mopeds from city streets. Dealers, not riders, would handle paperwork. Advocates say this targets bad actors and protects pedestrians from rogue machines.

On October 23, 2023, State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan) introduced a bill in Albany to require moped dealers to register vehicles with the DMV before buyers leave the shop. The bill, supported by Assembly Member Alex Bores (D-Upper East Side), seeks to close a loophole that lets illegal mopeds flood city streets. The matter summary states: 'New legislation in Albany seeks to eliminate the use of illegal mopeds by requiring sellers to register them with the DMV before buyers can take them out of the shop.' Hoylman-Sigal said, 'This common-sense bill would simply ensure that the registration happens at the point of sale, before someone rides out of the shop.' Ligia Guallpa of the Worker's Justice Project backs the move, stressing manufacturer responsibility. Attorney Daniel Flanzig says the law could clear streets of unregistered, dangerous vehicles. The bill is not yet law, but enforcement actions against illegal mopeds are already underway.

• State Lawmaker Seeks to Close Moped-Registration Loophole, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-10-23

A taxi door swung open on Park Avenue. A young cyclist slammed into steel. His arm crushed. Blood pooled on the midnight street. He lay conscious, hurt, under the city’s harsh lights. Driver inattention left him broken in Manhattan.

A cyclist, age 23, was injured when a taxi door opened into his path on Park Avenue near East 34th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A taxi door flung open. A young cyclist hit steel. His arm crushed.' The cyclist suffered crush injuries to his arm and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but the primary cause cited is driver inattention. The crash highlights the danger faced by cyclists when drivers or passengers fail to check for oncoming traffic before opening doors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4666719, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Triumph motorcycle crashed hard on 1st Avenue. Two men, ages 23 and 32, thrown partway off. No helmets. Head wounds. Blood on the street. Both conscious, both bleeding. Driver was distracted. The city’s danger showed itself again.

Two men riding a Triumph motorcycle on 1st Avenue at East 56th Street in Manhattan were injured in a violent crash. According to the police report, the motorcycle 'slammed head-on.' Both the 32-year-old driver and 23-year-old passenger were partially ejected, suffered head injuries, and were found conscious but bleeding heavily. The report states, 'The driver was distracted.' The listed contributing factor is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' Neither rider wore a helmet, as noted after the driver error. The crash left blood pooled on the asphalt. The incident highlights the ongoing risks faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4664019, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Ford pickup turned left at East 58th and 2nd. The driver looked away. The truck hit a 67-year-old woman crossing with the signal. Blood pooled on the crosswalk. She was conscious, her head bleeding. Driver inattention and inexperience marked the scene.

A Ford pickup truck, driven by a man, turned left at the corner of East 58th Street and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan. The truck struck a 67-year-old woman who was crossing the street with the signal. According to the police report, 'A Ford pickup turned left. A 67-year-old woman, crossing with the signal, was struck head-on. Blood pooled on the crosswalk. Her head was bleeding. She was conscious. The driver had looked away.' The police listed 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The woman suffered a head injury with severe bleeding but remained conscious. No vehicle damage was reported. The crash underscores the danger when drivers fail to pay attention, especially during turns at busy intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4663625, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A taxi turned left at East 43rd and 5th. The front end hit a 71-year-old man crossing. Blood pooled in the crosswalk. He stayed conscious, head split open. The city kept moving. Driver inattention marked the moment.

A 71-year-old man was crossing at the corner of East 43rd Street and 5th Avenue when a taxi, making a left turn, struck him with its center front end. According to the police report, 'A taxi turned left. A 71-year-old man crossed without a signal. The front end struck his head. He stayed conscious. Blood pooled in the crosswalk.' The pedestrian suffered severe lacerations to the head but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. No other contributing factors from the pedestrian were cited in the data. The crash highlights the ongoing danger faced by those on foot in Manhattan’s busy intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4662254, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Delivery workers ride mopeds on dangerous streets. Tech giants profit. City infrastructure lags. Cars and trucks kill most. Enforcement is scattershot. Officials call for safe lanes, charging stations, and real accountability. The crisis demands a fix beyond punishing workers.

This policy debate, published August 23, 2023, analyzes New York City’s 'moped crisis.' The article, reviewed by Streetsblog NYC, highlights systemic failures: unsafe streets, lack of charging infrastructure, and tech companies shifting risk onto underpaid delivery workers. Council Member Alexa Aviles urges rapid expansion of e-bike charging stations and blames corporate greed. State Senators Jessica Ramos and Brad Hoylman-Sigal call for industry accountability and a standardized, safe delivery vehicle. The matter summary states, 'The city needs a systemic fix, justice for workers and accountability by tech giants.' Advocacy groups reject punitive crackdowns on workers, pushing instead for expanded bike lanes and public infrastructure. The piece concludes that only a multi-pronged, structural approach—never just enforcement—will protect vulnerable road users and delivery workers alike.

• The Moped Crisis — An Analysis: The City Needs a Systemic Fix, Justice for Workers and Accountability by Tech Giants, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-08-23

A car hit a 66-year-old man crossing East 59th Street at Fifth Avenue. He walked with the light. He fell hard. Blood ran from his face. He stayed conscious. Sirens broke the silence. The street held the aftermath.

A 66-year-old pedestrian was struck by a car at the corner of East 59th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the man was 'crossing with the light' when the crash occurred. He suffered severe bleeding to the face but remained conscious at the scene. The report states, 'A car struck him. He hit the pavement. Blood ran from his face.' No contributing factors or driver errors were listed in the police data. The vehicle type and driver details remain unspecified. The incident left the man injured at the intersection, with emergency responders arriving soon after.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4654652, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan struck an e-bike head-on at 2nd Avenue and East 60th. The rider, 24, fell hard. Blood pooled. Head wounds. He lay unconscious in the street. The KIA’s doors bent. The city watched, silent.

A sedan collided head-on with an e-bike at the corner of 2nd Avenue and East 60th Street in Manhattan. The 24-year-old e-bike rider suffered severe head wounds and was found unconscious in the street. According to the police report, 'A sedan struck an e-bike head-on. The rider, 24, crumpled on impact. Blood pooled. Head wounds. Unconscious in the street.' The KIA sedan’s right side doors were bent inward from the crash. Both vehicles were traveling south and going straight ahead. The police report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor for both parties. No driver errors were specified in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4647639, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan hit a cyclist from behind on Lexington Avenue. The man flew from his bike. His leg was crushed. He lay conscious on the pavement. The car kept going straight. The street did not bend. The crash left the cyclist broken.

A sedan struck a 27-year-old cyclist from behind at Lexington Avenue and East 60th Street in Manhattan. The impact threw the cyclist from his bike, crushing his leg. According to the police report, 'A sedan struck a cyclist from behind. The man, 27, was thrown. His leg crushed. He lay conscious on the hot pavement.' The crash data lists 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor. The cyclist was ejected and suffered crush injuries to his lower leg and foot. The sedan continued straight after the collision. No helmet or signaling issues were cited in the report. The crash highlights the danger faced by cyclists sharing city streets with cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4644674, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

NYC leaders went to Albany. They demanded lawmakers pass Sammy’s Law. The bill lets the city set its own speed limits. Brad Hoylman-Sigal led the charge. The law is named for a child killed by a car. The fight is urgent. Lives hang in the balance.

On May 30, 2023, State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and other NYC officials lobbied the state legislature to pass key transportation and housing bills before the session ends June 9. The centerpiece is 'Sammy’s Law,' which would let New York City set its own speed limits, potentially lowering them to 20 mph. Hoylman-Sigal, the bill’s sponsor, said, 'Senators in Massapequa shouldn’t set the speed limit for Manhattan—or the reverse.' The law is named for Sammy Cohen Eckstein, a 12-year-old killed by a car in Brooklyn. The bill had stalled before, but this year the required home rule resolution was submitted. Mayor Adams’ administration also pushed for affordable housing reforms. The push for Sammy’s Law is a fight to give NYC control over its streets and protect vulnerable road users from deadly speeding.

• NYC officials press Albany to pass critical bills on housing, city speed limit and others before session ends, nypost.com, Published 2023-05-30

A box truck smashed into a parked SUV on East 66th Street. Metal tore. A 28-year-old man in the front seat took the blow. His hip broke. He stayed conscious. The truck rolled on. Pain followed.

A box truck struck a parked SUV on East 66th Street. The crash left a 28-year-old man, seated unbelted in the front passenger seat, with a shattered hip and crush injuries. According to the police report, 'A box truck slammed into a parked SUV. Metal screamed. A 28-year-old man sat unbelted in the front. His hip shattered. He stayed awake. The truck kept rolling. So did the pain.' The data lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are detailed in the report. The injured man was not wearing safety equipment, as noted in the data, but this is mentioned only after the absence of driver errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4616737, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A bus turned right at Fifth Avenue and East 60th. Its rear wheels caught a 69-year-old woman. Her leg was crushed beneath the weight. She lay broken on the pavement. The bus rolled on, untouched. The city swallowed her pain.

A bus struck a 69-year-old woman at the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 60th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the bus turned right and its rear wheels crushed the woman’s leg as she crossed at the intersection. She suffered severe crush injuries to her lower leg and foot. The bus sustained no damage. The driver, a 55-year-old man, reported chest pain but remained conscious. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specified in the data. The violence of the turn left a pedestrian broken on the street, while the bus continued on, unscathed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4608006, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A motorscooter slammed into a taxi on 5th Avenue at East 84th. The unlicensed rider fled. A woman passenger flew from the seat, helmet split, blood pooling on the street. Failure to yield and ignored signals led to carnage.

A motorscooter crashed into the front of a taxi at 5th Avenue and East 84th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the unlicensed motorscooter rider fled south after the collision. A woman passenger was ejected from the motorscooter, her helmet split, and she suffered severe bleeding from the head. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The injured woman was wearing a helmet, as noted in the data. No blame is placed on the victim. The crash underscores the lethal risk faced by vulnerable road users on New York City streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4595192, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A BMW hit a southbound cyclist at Lexington and East 36th. Her head struck the pavement. Blood pooled. She stayed conscious. The car’s front crumpled. The bike stood. Traffic moved. She bled while the city kept going.

A BMW sedan struck a 44-year-old woman riding a bike south on Lexington Avenue at East 36th Street. According to the police report, the cyclist suffered a head injury and severe bleeding after her head hit the pavement. She was not wearing a helmet. The BMW’s front end was damaged. The crash report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for the driver. No injuries were reported for the car’s occupants. The cyclist remained conscious at the scene. The report does not list any cyclist error as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4568985, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man on a bike slammed into the back of a stopped SUV on Park Avenue. He flew forward, face-first, blood on the street. He was conscious, forty-three, his face broken by the asphalt. The SUV sat still. The city did not stop.

A 43-year-old man riding a bike struck the rear of a stationary SUV at East 73rd Street and Park Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the cyclist hit the back of the stopped vehicle, was partially ejected, and suffered facial injuries with severe bleeding. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' as a contributing factor. The SUV was stopped in traffic at the time of impact. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the driver error. No injuries were reported for the SUV occupants. The crash left blood on the asphalt and the cyclist conscious but hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4563053, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A southbound MTA bus struck a 97-year-old woman near Lexington Avenue. The right front bumper hit her head. She was not in the street. Blood pooled. She lay silent, in shock. The bus’s defective accelerator was the cause.

A 97-year-old woman was struck and severely injured by a southbound MTA bus on East 58th Street near Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A southbound MTA bus with a faulty accelerator struck a 97-year-old woman. She was not in the street. The right front bumper hit her head. She lay bleeding, silent, in shock.' The police report lists 'Accelerator Defective' as the primary contributing factor. The pedestrian suffered severe head lacerations and was in shock. The bus driver, a 45-year-old woman, also reported pain in her arm. No other injuries were specified. The crash highlights the danger posed by vehicle defects to people outside the vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4559501, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A woman on a bike, 28, rode west on East 85th. A tractor-trailer rolled straight. The truck crushed her. Her body thrown. She died on the street. The truck kept moving. The city stayed loud and busy.

A 28-year-old woman riding a bike westbound on East 85th Street at Madison Avenue was killed when a tractor-trailer, also heading west, struck and crushed her. According to the police report, 'A woman on a bike, 28, no helmet, crushed beneath a westbound tractor-trailer. Her body thrown. Her life ended. The truck kept going straight. So did the street.' The contributing factor listed is 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' The cyclist was ejected and suffered fatal crush injuries. No injuries were reported for the truck driver or other occupants. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the official contributing factor. The truck sustained no damage and continued straight after the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4549643, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 67-year-old woman crossed Park Avenue with the light. An SUV turned left and struck her hip. She fell. Her leg was crushed. The driver stayed put. The signal stayed green. The street did not forgive.

A 67-year-old woman was crossing Park Avenue at East 77th Street with the signal when a southbound SUV turned left and struck her in the hip. According to the police report, she suffered crush injuries to her hip and upper leg. The report states, “A 67-year-old woman, walking with the light, was struck in the hip by a turning SUV. She fell hard. Her leg was crushed.” The driver, a 26-year-old woman, remained at the scene. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The pedestrian was following the signal. The crash left her conscious but badly hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4545448, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14