Blood on the Asphalt: Manhattan’s Streets Still Kill

Tony Simone cheered Hochul’s fight to keep congestion pricing alive. He praised her stand against demolishing neighborhoods for Penn Station. But he drew a line: the station’s future should not be a bargaining chip for safer, saner streets.

On March 18, 2025, Assemblyman Tony Simone (District 75) issued a statement on congestion pricing and Penn Station redevelopment. The matter, titled 'Hochul will defy Trump deadline to stop NYC congestion pricing — but insists president still backs her Penn Station revamp plan,' centers on Governor Hochul’s refusal to halt congestion pricing despite federal pressure. Simone, representing the Penn Station area, voiced support for both congestion pricing and a bold Penn Station overhaul, saying, 'It’s time to build a big bold Penn Station. I’m glad that she’s talking to the president about it.' He opposed linking the two projects, stating, 'I don’t think they should be connected.' Simone also welcomed Hochul’s resistance to Amtrak’s expansion plans that would raze neighborhoods. No safety analyst assessment was provided for this action.

• Hochul will defy Trump deadline to stop NYC congestion pricing — but insists president still backs her Penn Station revamp plan, nypost.com, Published 2025-03-18

Two cyclists traveling south on W 40 St collided when one followed too closely. The trailing rider partially ejected, suffering abrasions and lower leg injuries. Both bikes showed no damage, but the impact left one rider injured and conscious.

According to the police report, two bicycles traveling south on W 40 St collided in Manhattan at 17:35. The crash involved a rear-end impact where the trailing bicyclist struck the lead cyclist. The report cites 'Following Too Closely' as a contributing factor to the collision. The injured bicyclist, a 27-year-old male, was partially ejected and sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. He remained conscious during the incident. Both bicycles showed no damage despite the impact. The trailing cyclist was unlicensed, but no other driver errors were noted. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. This crash highlights the dangers of close following distances among cyclists on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798950 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Dodge Charger struck a street sweeper, spun out, and pinned an NYPD officer against his patrol car in the West Village. Both the officer and the driver landed in the hospital. The street saw chaos, metal, and speed.

NY Daily News (March 14, 2025) reports a crash at W. 13th St and Seventh Ave. A Dodge Charger, heading south, changed lanes and hit a street sweeper. The car spun several times and pinned a uniformed officer between vehicles. Surveillance footage showed the Charger 'appeared to be speeding,' according to a witness. The officer tried to escape but was struck. Both the officer and driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries. No charges have been filed. The incident highlights the dangers of lane changes and speed on city streets, raising questions about enforcement and street design.

• Officer Pinned By Spinning Dodge Charger, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-14

A Manhattan bicyclist suffered knee and lower leg injuries after colliding with a taxi distracted by passengers. The taxi was stopped in traffic when the impact occurred on its right side doors. The cyclist remained conscious and was not ejected.

According to the police report, a 31-year-old male bicyclist was injured in a collision with a taxi on West 20th Street in Manhattan at 11:58 AM. The taxi, carrying two occupants, was stopped in traffic traveling east when the bicyclist, also traveling east, struck the right side doors of the vehicle. The report cites passenger distraction as a contributing factor to the crash, indicating the taxi driver’s attention was compromised. The bicyclist sustained contusions and bruises to the knee, lower leg, and foot but was conscious and not ejected from the bike. No damage was reported to either vehicle. The police report does not list any contributing factors related to the bicyclist’s behavior or equipment. This crash highlights the dangers posed by driver distraction in urban traffic environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798905 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 74-year-old woman suffered severe chest injuries after an SUV struck her while she crossed legally on West 31st Street. The driver failed to yield right-of-way, hitting her with the vehicle's center front end during a left turn.

According to the police report, at 20:02 on West 31st Street near 9th Avenue in Manhattan, a 2013 SUV driven by a licensed male driver was making a left turn when it struck a 74-year-old female pedestrian. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal but was hit by the vehicle's center front end. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor attributed to the driver. The pedestrian sustained a severe chest injury described as a fracture, distortion, and dislocation, with an injury severity level of 3. The driver’s error in not yielding during the left turn directly led to the collision. No other contributing factors related to the pedestrian were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797616 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A taxi making a left turn struck a bicyclist going straight on West 48th Street in Manhattan. The 35-year-old rider was ejected and suffered upper arm injuries. Police cited the taxi driver’s failure to yield right-of-way as the cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 17:15 on West 48th Street near 9th Avenue in Manhattan. A 35-year-old male bicyclist was traveling southbound, going straight ahead, when a taxi driver making a left turn struck him with the taxi’s left front bumper. The bicyclist was ejected from his bike and sustained a contusion and upper arm injury, classified as injury severity 3. The report explicitly lists the taxi driver’s failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor. The bicyclist was not using any safety equipment at the time, but this was not cited as a contributing factor. The taxi driver was licensed and operating a 2020 Ford vehicle. Vehicle damage was limited to the taxi’s left front bumper. This crash highlights the dangers posed by turning vehicles failing to yield to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797759 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two bicyclists traveling opposite directions collided head-on on Avenue of the Americas. One rider suffered a shoulder and upper arm injury. Police cited improper lane usage as the cause. Both cyclists were conscious and not ejected from their bikes.

According to the police report, two bicyclists collided at the center front ends of their bikes on Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan around 12:30 PM. Both were traveling straight ahead, one southbound and the other northbound. The injured bicyclist, a 34-year-old male, sustained contusions and bruises to his shoulder and upper arm but remained conscious and was not ejected from his bike. The report identifies 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the contributing factor, indicating driver error in lane positioning or passing maneuvers. The injured cyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. Vehicle damage was noted on the center front end of one bike. The crash underscores the dangers posed by improper lane use among bicyclists sharing the road.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4796778 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A stolen minivan tore through Harlem. The driver ran from police. He struck Devon Hughley on a scooter. Hughley died at Harlem Hospital. The driver fled. Police used facial recognition. They arrested Enesin Delarosa. Grief lingers. Memorials remain.

According to the NY Daily News (2025-03-06), Enesin Delarosa, 26, was arrested for fatally striking Devon Hughley, 45, while fleeing an NYPD car stop in Harlem on November 2. The article reports Delarosa was driving a stolen minivan and "allegedly hit Hughley near W.155th St. and St. Nicholas Ave. while fleeing a traffic stop." Delarosa faces charges of manslaughter, leaving the scene, fleeing police, and possession of stolen property. The crash highlights the lethal risk of high-speed police pursuits and the dangers posed by stolen vehicles in dense urban areas. Memorial posters for Hughley remain in his building. The article quotes Hughley's sister, Yvette Palmer: "the arrest brought some peace."

• Scooter Rider Killed Fleeing Traffic Stop, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-06

SUV slammed into a northbound cyclist on W 49 St. The rider, 33, took abrasions to his arm. He stayed conscious. The SUV struck head-on. No damage to the bike. The street stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, a 33-year-old male cyclist was struck by a westbound Chevrolet SUV at 19:50 on W 49 St near 10 Ave in Manhattan. The SUV hit the bike's center front end. The cyclist suffered abrasions to his elbow and lower arm but was not ejected and remained conscious. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead. The SUV driver was licensed. No damage was reported to either vehicle. The cyclist wore no safety equipment, but the report does not link this to the crash. The cause remains unspecified in the official account.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4796633 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two SUVs collided on West 42nd Street in Manhattan. The trailing driver followed too closely, striking the lead vehicle. The driver of the rear vehicle suffered knee and lower leg injuries but remained conscious and restrained by a lap belt.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 13:38 on West 42nd Street in Manhattan. Two SUVs traveling westbound collided when the trailing vehicle struck the center back end of the lead SUV. The report identifies 'Following Too Closely' as the primary contributing factor, indicating driver error by the rear vehicle operator. The injured party was the driver of the rear SUV, a 45-year-old male, who sustained contusions and injuries to the knee, lower leg, and foot. He was conscious and wearing a lap belt at the time of the crash. Both vehicles showed damage consistent with a rear-end collision, with impact points at the center front end of the lead vehicle and center back end of the trailing vehicle. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797619 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Assembly bill A 6225 drops the speed for owner liability to seven miles over the limit. Drivers face penalties sooner. Carroll and Simone sponsor. Aimed at curbing reckless speed. Streets may get safer. No safety analyst note yet.

Assembly bill A 6225 was introduced on February 27, 2025, and is in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Relates to reducing the speed for owner liability for failure of operator to comply with certain posted maximum speed limits,' lowers the threshold for owner liability to more than seven miles per hour over the posted limit. Assembly Members Robert C. Carroll (primary sponsor, District 44) and Tony Simone (co-sponsor, District 75) back the measure. The bill seeks to hold drivers accountable at lower speeds. No safety analyst note is available yet.

• File A 6225, Open States, Published 2025-02-27

Assembly Bill 5857 orders state agencies to fit their fleets with speed control tech. No loopholes. No delay. Sponsor Tony Simone pushes to keep state drivers in check. Machines will obey the law. Streets may breathe easier.

Assembly Bill A 5857, introduced on February 24, 2025, sits in the sponsorship stage. The bill, from Assemblymember Tony Simone (District 75), demands every state agency plan for and install active intelligent speed assistance systems in all agency vehicles. The bill summary reads: 'Requires state agencies to prepare an active intelligent speed assistance system plan for the equipment of all state agency vehicles with active intelligent speed assistance systems, and to equip state agency vehicles with such systems by certain dates.' Simone leads the charge. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 5857, Open States, Published 2025-02-24

Two sedans traveling north on 11th Avenue collided head-on late at night. Unsafe speed and driver distraction caused the crash. A rear passenger suffered neck injuries and bruising, restrained by a lap belt. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on 11th Avenue near West 22nd Street in Manhattan at 22:37. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead northbound when the collision occurred. The report cites 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors to the crash. The impact was centered on the front ends of both vehicles, with one striking the other's left front bumper. A 38-year-old female occupant seated in the left rear passenger position was injured, sustaining neck contusions and bruising. She was restrained by a lap belt and was conscious after the crash. The driver errors of unsafe speed and distraction directly contributed to the collision and subsequent injuries, highlighting systemic dangers on this stretch of 11th Avenue.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4794244 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 70-year-old man suffered a fractured elbow and dislocation after a box truck struck him on West 16th Street in Manhattan. The crash involved limited driver visibility, contributing to the collision. The pedestrian was conscious but seriously injured.

According to the police report, a box truck traveling east on West 16th Street in Manhattan struck a 70-year-old male pedestrian who was not at an intersection but engaged in other actions in the roadway. The pedestrian sustained a fracture, distortion, and dislocation to his elbow, lower arm, and hand, classified as injury severity level 3. The driver was licensed and operating a 2023 HINO truck, beginning movement from a parked position. The report cites 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a contributing factor, indicating the driver's impaired visibility played a key role in the crash. There was no vehicle damage reported, and the pedestrian was conscious at the scene. The report does not list any pedestrian behaviors as contributing factors, focusing the cause on the driver's limited view.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793675 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senators move to guard bike lanes. Cameras will catch drivers who block or invade. The city’s cyclists and walkers get a shot at safer streets. No more hiding behind the wheel.

Senate bill S 5008, now in sponsorship, aims to launch a bicycle lane safety program in New York City. The bill, introduced February 18, 2025, sits in committee. Its summary reads: 'Establishes in the city of New York a bicycle lane safety program to enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and/or protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal leads, joined by Jabari Brisport, Kristen Gonzalez, Liz Krueger, Jessica Ramos, and Julia Salazar. The bill targets drivers who block or misuse bike lanes, using cameras to enforce the rules. The move puts pressure on the city to protect cyclists and pedestrians from daily danger.

• File S 5008, Open States, Published 2025-02-18

An inattentive SUV driver making a left turn struck a 21-year-old woman crossing with the signal at a Manhattan intersection. The pedestrian suffered a head injury and concussion, remaining conscious despite the impact to her center front end.

According to the police report, at 11:54 AM in Manhattan on W 36 St near 9 Ave, a 2019 Chevrolet SUV driven by a licensed male driver was making a left turn when the collision occurred. The pedestrian, a 21-year-old woman crossing with the signal, was struck by the vehicle's center front end. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The pedestrian sustained a head injury and concussion but remained conscious. The vehicle sustained no damage. The report explicitly cites driver error, with no contributing factors attributed to the pedestrian beyond crossing with the signal. This crash highlights the dangers posed by distracted driving in busy urban intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792859 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Assembly bill A 5440 targets reckless drivers. It makes car owners pay when their vehicles run red lights. Cameras catch the lawbreakers. The aim: fewer crashes, safer streets for all.

Assembly bill A 5440 was introduced on February 14, 2025, and is in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled "Imposes owner liability for failure of an operator to comply with traffic control indicators within the city of New York," seeks to hold vehicle owners accountable when their cars violate traffic signals, using camera enforcement. Assembly Member Steven Raga sponsors the bill, joined by Rebecca Seawright, Tony Simone, Yudelka Tapia, Karines Reyes, and Marcela Mitaynes as co-sponsors. No safety analyst note is available. The bill aims to curb dangerous driving and protect vulnerable road users by making owners answer for violations caught on camera.

• File A 5440, Open States, Published 2025-02-14

A pick-up truck making an improper left turn collided with an SUV traveling west on W 42 St. The impact struck the SUV’s left front quarter panel. A 22-year-old rear passenger suffered facial contusions and shock, restrained by a lap belt and harness.

According to the police report, the crash occurred around 12:46 a.m. on W 42 St near 10 Ave in Manhattan. A pick-up truck, traveling east, was making a left turn improperly when it struck a westbound SUV on its left front quarter panel. The report identifies 'Turning Improperly' as a contributing factor to the collision. The SUV carried two occupants; a 22-year-old male rear passenger was injured, sustaining facial contusions and shock. He was not ejected and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. The driver of the pick-up truck was licensed in New Jersey and traveling eastbound, while the SUV driver held a permit. The crash caused center front end damage to the truck and left front quarter panel damage to the SUV. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793253 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Council Member Farah N. Louis led as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, and Ariola. The law took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

A 38-year-old woman suffered knee and lower leg injuries while crossing 11 Avenue with the signal. The sedan driver, traveling southbound, caused the collision. The pedestrian was in shock and complained of pain and nausea after impact.

According to the police report, a 38-year-old female pedestrian was injured at the intersection of 11 Avenue and West 59th Street in Manhattan. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the collision occurred. The driver, a licensed male from New Jersey operating a 2012 Volvo sedan traveling southbound and going straight ahead, was involved in the crash. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, and was reported to be in shock with complaints of pain and nausea. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not cite any driver errors explicitly. The vehicle showed no damage, and the point of impact was noted as no damage. The data highlights the vulnerability of pedestrians even when crossing legally and the systemic dangers posed by vehicle interactions at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800320 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04