Parking Over People: Dinowitz’s Choices Leave Blood on Bronx Streets

Red-light running kills. Twenty-nine dead last year. Highest ever. Reckless drivers surge post-pandemic. City report demands more cameras—jump from 150 to 1,325 intersections. Officials back the bill. Victims’ families demand action. Cameras cut crashes. But the most dangerous drivers remain loose.

On March 20, 2024, the Department of Transportation released a report urging passage of a bill to expand New York City’s red-light camera program. The bill, supported by DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and sponsored by State Senator Andrew Goundardes, would boost camera coverage from 150 to 1,325 intersections—about 10% of the city’s 13,700 signals. The report states: “Expanding the number of intersections with red light cameras... could substantially enhance the deterrent effect of the program and return New York City to the consistently downward trend of red light-running behavior we had seen prior to the pandemic.” Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz also supports expansion, calling for cameras at every intersection. The DOT notes that cameras have slashed T-bone crashes by 65% and rear-end collisions by 49% at monitored sites, but the statutory cap blocks broader safety gains. Relatives of crash victims joined the call, demanding the city confront driver negligence and protect the community.

• DOT Report: Rise in Red Light Running Shows Need for More Cameras, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-20

Albany weighs bills A5259 and S2812 to keep and expand red-light cameras past December. Assembly Member Dinowitz and Senator Gounardes push for more cameras. DOT data shows fewer violations and crashes. Advocates demand action. The cap leaves neighborhoods exposed. Lives hang in the balance.

Bills A5259 and S2812 face debate in the New York State legislature. If lawmakers fail to act, the city’s red-light cameras—now capped at 150 intersections—will shut off December 1, 2024. The matter, described as 'reauthorize and expand the city's red-light camera program,' is championed by Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz and Senate co-sponsor Andrew Gounardes. Dinowitz, the sponsor, urges expansion, stating, 'We should have red-light cameras on every intersection.' Gounardes expects a review and expansion. DOT data backs them: violations and rear-end crashes have dropped at camera sites. Residents like Amy Bettys call the cap dangerous. Advocacy groups support the bills, though they are not a top priority. Dinowitz stresses automated enforcement is vital with limited police. The bills await committee action. Vulnerable road users face risk if the program lapses.

• Better Red Than Dead: Albany Takes Up Camera Reauthorization, Expansion, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-25

A 16-year-old on an e-bike hit a turning sedan on Riverdale Avenue. He flew from the bike. Landed hard. Unconscious. Crushed. Speed tore control from his hands. The street fell silent. The city marked another wound.

A 16-year-old riding a Solar e-bike was severely injured after colliding with a Toyota sedan making a left turn at Riverdale Avenue and West 256th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, 'Unsafe Speed' was a contributing factor in the crash. The teen was ejected from his e-bike, landed hard, and was found unconscious with crush injuries to his entire body. The sedan was turning left when the crash occurred. The report lists no errors for the sedan driver. The only contributing factor named is unsafe speed. No mention is made of helmet use or signals in the police report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4680461 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A man walked with traffic on the Major Deegan. No crosswalk. No lights. A vehicle hit him. His head split open. He bled on the cold asphalt, semiconscious and alone in the dark.

A 47-year-old man was walking along the Major Deegan Expressway at night when a vehicle struck him. According to the police report, he was not at an intersection and there were no lights or crosswalk. The impact left him semiconscious with a severe head injury, bleeding on the roadway. The report does not list any specific driver errors or contributing factors. The vehicle type is unspecified. No mention of helmet or signaling is made in the report. The man was left injured and alone on the expressway, highlighting the danger faced by pedestrians on high-speed roads.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4673574 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A BMW SUV hit a 63-year-old man at East 231st Street and White Plains Road. He fell hard. Blood pooled from his head. The SUV’s front crumpled. Two people sat inside. The street stood silent. The man lay motionless.

A BMW SUV traveling north on White Plains Road struck a 63-year-old pedestrian at the intersection with East 231st Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the man suffered a severe head injury and was found unconscious and bleeding. The impact crushed the SUV’s right front quarter panel. Two people were inside the vehicle. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were detailed in the data. The report does not mention any actions by the pedestrian that contributed to the crash. The street was left silent as the man lay motionless, blood pooling from his head.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4658523 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Hyundai sedan struck an 18-year-old man mid-block on Bainbridge Avenue. The right front hit him hard. Blood poured. He stayed conscious, hurt everywhere. The car kept moving. The boy did not. The street swallowed another body.

An 18-year-old pedestrian was struck by a 2013 Hyundai sedan while crossing Bainbridge Avenue near East 212th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, 'A 2013 Hyundai struck an 18-year-old man crossing mid-block. The right front crushed him. He bled from everywhere. Conscious. Hurt all over. The sedan kept going straight. The boy did not.' The impact left the young man with severe bleeding and injuries across his entire body. The data lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was crossing without a signal or crosswalk. No driver errors were specified in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4657838 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

An SUV struck the rear-left of an Oldsmobile on Broadway at West 230th. The Oldsmobile’s 83-year-old driver died. Crushed ribs. Whiplash. No sirens. Just steel and silence. Unsafe speed and ignored signals marked the crash.

An 83-year-old man driving an eastbound 1986 Oldsmobile was killed when a southbound SUV hit the rear-left of his car at Broadway and West 230th Street. According to the police report, 'An '86 Oldsmobile, eastbound, took a hit to the rear-left from a southbound SUV. The driver, 83, strapped in and conscious, died with crushed ribs and whiplash. No sirens. Just silence and steel.' The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The victim was wearing a lap belt and harness. The crash left one dead. Systemic danger and driver error shaped the outcome.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4658238 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Steel struck flesh on the Major Deegan. Three cars, one Jeep overturned. A young man crushed outside the crosswalk. Pavement slick, the road cold. He did not get up. The city swallowed another life before dawn.

A 22-year-old man was killed on the Major Deegan Expressway at 4:12 a.m. According to the police report, he was struck and crushed outside the crosswalk by multiple vehicles, including two sedans and a Jeep that overturned. The report lists 'Pavement Slippery' as a contributing factor. The pedestrian suffered fatal crush injuries to his entire body. No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction are specified in the data. The police report states: 'A 22-year-old man crushed outside the crosswalk. Two sedans, one Jeep overturned. Slippery pavement. Steel struck flesh in the dark. The road stayed cold. He did not get up.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4653696 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A motorcycle crashed into an SUV making a U-turn on Jerome Avenue. The unlicensed rider flew from the bike, legs torn and bleeding. He lay semiconscious, helmetless, on the street. Driver inattention marked the moment. Blood pooled. No time to brake.

A violent collision unfolded on Jerome Avenue near Bainbridge Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, a motorcycle struck the left side doors of an SUV as the SUV attempted a U-turn. The motorcycle rider, unlicensed and without a helmet, was ejected and suffered severe lacerations to his legs, lying semiconscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The SUV driver held only a permit. The crash left the motorcycle's front end and the SUV's side doors damaged. The police report notes the absence of a helmet only after citing driver inattention as a cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4640780 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Families for Safe Streets rallied outside Speaker Heastie’s office. They demanded action on Sammy’s Law. The bill would let New York City set its own speed limits. Lawmakers dodged a vote. Grief and anger filled the air. The Assembly stayed silent.

On June 5, 2023, supporters of Sammy’s Law gathered outside Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s Bronx office. The bill, which would grant New York City local control over its speed limits, remains stalled in the Assembly. The rally, led by Families for Safe Streets, called out lawmakers for refusing to bring the measure to a vote. Fabiola Mendieta-Cuapio, a leading advocate, criticized the lack of transparency: 'We are demanding that the Speaker bring this to a vote.' Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz voiced strong support, but others, like Chantel Jackson, hesitated, citing constituent feedback. The bill’s matter summary states it would not mandate lower limits but allow the city to decide. The legislative process left families of crash victims frustrated and angry. The Assembly’s inaction keeps city streets dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.

• Supporters of Sammy’s Law Rally Heastie and Share Frustrations About Assembly’s Inaction on Speed Limit Reduction, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-06-05

A Mercedes SUV rolled driverless on East 234th Street. The machine pinned its only occupant, a 51-year-old woman. She died, conscious, trapped beneath the weight. Metal pressed down. The street stood still. Another life lost to runaway steel.

A 2009 Mercedes SUV rolled driverless near East 234th Street and Vireo Avenue in the Bronx. The vehicle crushed its only occupant, a 51-year-old woman, who died at the scene. According to the police report, 'A 2009 Mercedes SUV rolled driverless. It crushed its only occupant, a 51-year-old woman. She wore no belt. She died conscious, pinned beneath the weight she once controlled.' The contributing factor listed was 'Driverless/Runaway Vehicle.' No other injuries were reported. The data does not mention helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash shows the deadly risk when a vehicle moves uncontrolled.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4632264 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A gas scooter smashed into a parked taxi on Fort Independence Street. Two riders thrown. Woman’s leg torn. Man’s head bleeding. No helmets. Unsafe speed listed. Blood on Bronx pavement. The night stood still.

A gas scooter crashed into a parked taxi on Fort Independence Street near Heath Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, a 30-year-old woman was ejected from the scooter, suffering a severe leg injury. A 36-year-old man on the scooter bled from the head. The report states, 'A gas scooter slammed into a parked taxi. A 30-year-old woman flew off, leg torn open. A 36-year-old man sat bleeding, head struck. No helmets. Blood pooled.' Police list 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Other Vehicular' as contributing factors. Both riders wore no helmets, as noted in the report. The taxi was parked at the time of impact. The crash left two people injured, blood on the street, and silence in the Bronx night.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4631532 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 64-year-old woman walked with traffic on the Major Deegan. Two sedans hit her. One struck with its right front bumper. The other with its center grille. She died on the roadside. The drivers kept going straight. The street stayed deadly.

A 64-year-old woman walking along the Major Deegan Expressway was struck and killed by two northbound sedans. According to the police report, one sedan hit her with its right front bumper, and the other with its center grille. She died at the scene, on the edge of the road. Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead when the collisions occurred. The police report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors. The woman was not at an intersection and was walking with traffic. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The crash left a pedestrian dead and exposed the dangers faced by those on foot near high-speed roads.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4628607 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Dodge pickup struck a 62-year-old man on Broadway. The driver was distracted. The man’s chest was crushed. He died where he fell. The truck rolled on, undamaged. The street was dark. The crash ended a life in seconds.

A Dodge pickup truck hit and killed a 62-year-old man crossing Broadway at West 238th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the driver was distracted at the time of the crash. The pedestrian suffered fatal chest injuries and died at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The truck, traveling north, showed no damage. The police report notes the pedestrian was crossing against the signal, but the primary error cited is driver distraction. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4596739 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Taxi veered on Sedgwick Avenue. Driver lost consciousness. Six cars smashed. Metal twisted. Glass fell. One man bled, limp at the wheel. Sirens wailed. Bronx street turned silent, then chaos ruled.

A taxi driver lost consciousness on Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, causing a violent chain-reaction crash. According to the police report, 'A taxi veered. The driver, 29, lost consciousness. Six cars struck. Metal tore. One man lay bleeding, limp at the wheel.' The unconscious taxi driver suffered severe bleeding and injuries to his entire body. Other drivers and passengers were also hurt. The police report lists 'Lost Consciousness' as the contributing factor. The crash left glass and twisted metal across the street. No pedestrians were reported among the injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4589470 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Assemblyman Dinowitz pushes a bill to slap New Jersey drivers with a $50 fee. The move answers NJ’s threat to block data sharing. Without cooperation, speeders dodge camera tickets. Streets stay dangerous. Lawmakers trade barbs. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price.

Bill number not specified. On September 28, 2022, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz introduced a proposal in the New York State Legislature. The bill, now in committee, would impose a $50 fee on vehicles registered in states—like New Jersey—that refuse to share driver data for traffic enforcement. The measure responds to a New Jersey Senate bill blocking DMV data sharing, which could undermine New York City’s automated speed camera program. Dinowitz said, 'There's going to have to be a price to pay if my bill passes.' Safe streets advocates and NYC DOT warn that blocking data sharing lets speeders escape penalties, fueling traffic violence. The bill’s text states it 'authorizes the imposition of a $50 fee on vehicles entering NYC which are registered in states which do not cooperate with New York in the enforcement of traffic infractions through the use of photo-monitoring devices or signal monitoring systems.' The fight leaves vulnerable road users at risk, as enforcement gaps let reckless drivers go unpunished.

• NY bill threatens new $50 fee to NJ drivers as congestion pricing feud heats up, gothamist.com, Published 2022-09-28

A sedan turned left on Broadway. A bike rode straight. The car hit the cyclist head-on. His leg split open. Blood pooled on the Bronx asphalt. He stayed conscious, torn and bleeding, as traffic rolled past.

A sedan struck a 19-year-old cyclist head-on as it turned left on Broadway near West 254th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the cyclist suffered severe lacerations to his leg and remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as contributing factors. The cyclist was not ejected from his bike. The data does not specify if safety equipment was used. The crash highlights the danger when drivers fail to yield and drive aggressively, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to grave harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4562650 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council heard fierce debate on congestion pricing. Dinowitz slammed credits for New Jersey drivers. Truckers and ride-share drivers bristled at high tolls. Advocates warned of more diesel trucks in the Bronx. The plan’s impact on vulnerable New Yorkers remains unclear.

On August 10, 2022, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (District 81) joined a heated policy debate over New York City’s congestion pricing plan. The proposal would charge drivers up to $23 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. Dinowitz opposed credits for New Jersey drivers, calling them unfair. The debate, covered by gothamist.com, highlighted concerns from truckers, ride-share drivers, and advocates. The matter summary reads: 'Debate over NYC congestion pricing picks up as more effects of the plan emerge.' Critics, including Rep. Ritchie Torres, warned the plan could push more diesel trucks onto the Cross Bronx Expressway, raising public health and equity concerns. The council has not yet assessed the plan’s direct impact on vulnerable road users.

• Debate over NYC congestion pricing picks up as more effects of the plan emerge, gothamist.com, Published 2022-08-10

A Mazda SUV turned left at West 235th and Oxford. The driver failed to yield. Sun glare filled the windshield. The bumper struck a 99-year-old woman in the crosswalk. She died on the street. Blood marked the spot. Metal met flesh. Silence followed.

A 99-year-old woman was killed while crossing West 235th Street at Oxford Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, she was in a marked crosswalk when a Mazda SUV made a left turn and struck her with its front bumper. The report states, 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Glare' as contributing factors. The driver, a 53-year-old man, was licensed and driving north. The impact caused fatal head injuries and severe bleeding. The police report makes clear the driver did not yield. The woman was crossing with no signal in a marked crosswalk. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550058 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two SUVs hit a 65-year-old woman crossing West Gun Hill Road. She took the blow to the head. Blood pooled. She lay unconscious. One driver distracted. Metal bent. The street stayed quiet. The system failed her.

A 65-year-old woman was struck by two SUVs while crossing West Gun Hill Road. She suffered a severe head injury and was found unconscious and bleeding. According to the police report, one driver was distracted at the time of the crash. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The impact crumpled both vehicles at the front. The pedestrian was not at an intersection and crossed without a signal, but the report does not cite this as a contributing factor. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a cause. The crash left the woman gravely hurt, while a 33-year-old male driver also reported head pain. The quiet street bore witness to another preventable tragedy.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4549757 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04