Seven Dead in Silence: Manhattan Streets Are Killing Fields

Mar 15 - A station wagon SUV struck a sedan from behind on East 119 Street. Two passengers in the sedan suffered neck and back injuries, including whiplash. The crash was caused by the SUV following too closely, according to the police report.

According to the police report, at 17:03 on East 119 Street, a 2007 Toyota SUV traveling west rear-ended a 2023 Chevrolet sedan also traveling west. The point of impact was the center back end of the sedan and the center front end of the SUV. The report cites 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor for the SUV driver. Two sedan occupants, a 53-year-old female in the right rear passenger seat and a 44-year-old male front passenger, were injured with neck and back trauma, including whiplash. Both were conscious and wearing lap belts at the time. The report does not indicate any contributing factors related to the passengers. The SUV driver’s failure to maintain a safe following distance caused the collision and subsequent injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4710329 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 15 - A 38-year-old man walking along East 108 Street suffered back injuries after an SUV driver distracted by inattention made a left turn. The impact caused bruising and left the pedestrian conscious but injured, highlighting dangers from driver distraction.

According to the police report, a 38-year-old male pedestrian was injured while walking along East 108 Street when a 2013 Ford SUV, driven by a licensed female driver, made a left turn and struck him with the center front end of the vehicle. The pedestrian sustained back contusions and remained conscious after the collision. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor to the crash. The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was walking with traffic. The vehicle showed no damage despite the impact. The driver’s failure to maintain attention while making a left turn directly contributed to the collision, underscoring the systemic danger posed by distracted driving in urban environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4710342 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 6 - A taxi making a left turn struck a sedan traveling straight on 5 Avenue in Manhattan. Both drivers suffered chest injuries and shock. The impact damaged the front ends of both vehicles. Driver errors remain unspecified in the police report.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 22:45 on 5 Avenue near East 135 Street in Manhattan. A taxi traveling west was making a left turn when it collided with a sedan traveling east going straight ahead. The point of impact was the center front end of the taxi and the left front bumper of the sedan. Both drivers, a 40-year-old male taxi driver and a 22-year-old female sedan driver, were injured with chest injuries and experienced shock. Both were restrained with lap belts and harnesses and were not ejected from their vehicles. The report lists contributing factors as "Unspecified" for both drivers, providing no clear driver error such as failure to yield. The collision caused damage to the front ends of both vehicles. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4707742 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 3 - A 75-year-old man suffered facial abrasions after an unlicensed SUV driver struck him at an intersection in Manhattan. The pedestrian was crossing against the signal when the vehicle, traveling north, impacted him with its right front bumper.

According to the police report, a 75-year-old male pedestrian was injured at the intersection of 3 Avenue and East 106 Street in Manhattan. The pedestrian was crossing against the signal when he was struck by a 2011 Honda SUV traveling north. The vehicle impacted the pedestrian with its right front bumper, causing facial abrasions and an injury severity level of 3. The driver was unlicensed, which is a critical contributing factor to the crash. The report does not specify additional contributing factors but highlights the driver's lack of a valid license. The pedestrian's crossing against the signal is noted but not cited as a primary cause. The collision resulted in damage to the vehicle's right front bumper and left the pedestrian conscious but injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4707040 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 2 - A 47-year-old man crossing East 106 Street with the signal was struck by a sedan making a left turn. The impact caused contusions and hip-upper leg injuries. The driver failed to yield right-of-way, resulting in serious pedestrian injury.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 17:37 on East 106 Street in Manhattan. A sedan traveling northeast was making a left turn when it struck a 47-year-old male pedestrian crossing with the signal at the intersection. The pedestrian sustained injuries to his hip and upper leg, described as contusions and bruises. The report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor by the driver. The pedestrian was conscious and injured but not ejected. No other contributing factors related to the pedestrian were noted. The vehicle sustained damage to its center front end, indicating the point of impact. This collision highlights the danger posed by drivers failing to yield to pedestrians legally crossing intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4706847 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 2 - Two sedans slammed together on FDR Drive. Unsafe speed and lighting defects fueled the crash. A 25-year-old woman in the back seat took a blow to the head. Metal twisted. She stayed conscious. The road stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, two sedans collided while heading south on FDR Drive at 2:45 AM. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Other Lighting Defects' as contributing factors, both driver errors. The crash involved a rear-end impact, damaging the roof and front end of the vehicles. A 25-year-old female passenger in the left rear seat suffered head contusions but remained conscious and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. No actions by the injured passenger contributed to the crash. The report highlights the role of excessive speed and lighting problems in causing harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4706929 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 28 - Council wants DOT to study how street design can keep commercial trucks out of residential blocks. The bill sits in committee. Streets should shelter people, not heavy traffic.

Int 0114-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill orders the Department of Transportation to report on 'the utility and feasibility of using street design as a means to limit or reduce the use by commercial vehicles of streets in residential neighborhoods.' Jennifer Gutiérrez leads as primary sponsor, joined by Avilés, the Public Advocate, and others. The bill was referred to committee on the day of introduction. It demands a clear look at how design can push trucks off streets where people walk, bike, and live.

• File Int 0114-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 27 - A taxi traveling east struck the right side of a southbound SUV at East 125 Street. The SUV’s front passenger suffered elbow and arm injuries, including whiplash, while restrained by a lap belt. Both vehicles sustained front and side damage.

According to the police report, a 2018 Toyota taxi was traveling straight east on East 125 Street when it collided with a 2018 Ford SUV traveling straight south. The point of impact was the taxi’s center front end striking the right side doors of the SUV. The SUV carried two occupants; the front passenger, a 29-year-old male, was injured with elbow, lower arm, and hand injuries, and complained of whiplash. He was conscious and restrained by a lap belt at the time of the crash. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors, only unspecified factors. The collision caused damage to the taxi’s center front end and the SUV’s right side doors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705653 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 27 - A 57-year-old man suffered a head contusion after a taxi failed to yield while making a left turn. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal at East 106 Street and 3 Avenue in Manhattan. The driver’s error caused the collision without vehicle damage.

According to the police report, a taxi driver making a left turn on East 106 Street at 3 Avenue in Manhattan failed to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing with the signal. The pedestrian, a 57-year-old man, was injured with a head contusion and remained conscious at the scene. The report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor twice, emphasizing the driver’s error. The taxi sustained no damage, indicating the impact was likely to the pedestrian rather than the vehicle. The pedestrian’s crossing with the signal is noted but not listed as a contributing factor. The driver was licensed and traveling northwest prior to the crash. This incident highlights the dangers posed by drivers neglecting right-of-way rules at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705689 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 24 - Three vehicles slammed together on FDR Drive. Metal twisted. A 25-year-old man behind the wheel took the hit. Neck pain, whiplash. He stayed conscious. The cause: driver error, left unnamed by police.

According to the police report, a multi-vehicle collision struck FDR Drive in Manhattan just before 1 a.m. Three vehicles, including a Ford SUV and two Toyota sedans, collided while heading north. The 25-year-old male driver of a Toyota sedan suffered neck injuries and whiplash but remained conscious and restrained. The crash involved impacts to the right rear bumper of the SUV and the front ends of the sedans. The police report lists contributing factors as 'unspecified,' indicating driver errors but offering no details. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. No victim actions contributed to the crash. The scene underscores the dangers of high-speed, multi-vehicle impacts on city highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705409 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 23 - A distracted driver struck a 42-year-old man crossing East 100 Street with the signal. The man suffered abrasions and leg injuries. Night. Manhattan. Driver inattention turned a crosswalk into a danger zone.

According to the police report, at 9:55 p.m. on East 100 Street near 3 Avenue in Manhattan, a vehicle traveling north hit a pedestrian who was crossing with the signal. The pedestrian, a 42-year-old man, suffered abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The vehicle struck the pedestrian at the center front end while going straight ahead. No contributing factors related to the pedestrian were noted. This crash highlights the risk posed by distracted drivers to people crossing city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705907 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 23 - A 28-year-old man driving a Jeep SUV on East 121 Street in Manhattan suffered internal injuries after a crash. The vehicle's left front bumper was damaged. The driver was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness.

According to the police report, a 28-year-old male driver operating a 2018 Jeep SUV was involved in a crash on East 121 Street near Park Avenue in Manhattan at 3:45 PM. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor to the collision. The vehicle was traveling south and sustained damage to the left front bumper, which was also the point of impact. The driver was not ejected, remained conscious, and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. He suffered internal injuries classified as injury severity level 3. The report does not cite any victim behaviors or external factors contributing to the crash, focusing solely on the driver's inattention as the cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705255 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 21 - A Ford SUV making a U-turn in East Harlem struck its own front passenger, causing shoulder and upper arm injuries. The passenger suffered whiplash but was conscious and not ejected. The crash highlights dangers from driver maneuvers in dense urban areas.

According to the police report, a 2017 Ford SUV was making a U-turn near East 125th Street in Manhattan when the left front bumper impacted the front passenger inside the vehicle. The passenger, a 23-year-old male, sustained injuries to his shoulder and upper arm and complained of whiplash. He was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. The driver, a licensed female from New York, was operating the SUV at the time. The report lists the pre-crash action as 'Making U Turn' and identifies the point of impact as the left front bumper, indicating the injury resulted from the vehicle's own movement rather than a collision with another road user. No contributing factors were specified for the driver or passenger. This incident underscores the risks posed by complex driver maneuvers such as U-turns in urban traffic environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705244 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 21 - Two vehicles crashed on 2 Avenue after both disregarded traffic controls. The SUV driver suffered a head abrasion but was conscious and restrained. The collision damaged the front ends of both vehicles, highlighting driver failure to obey signals.

According to the police report, the crash involved a 2013 SUV traveling south and a 2023 sedan traveling west on 2 Avenue. Both drivers disregarded traffic controls, a critical contributing factor cited twice in the report. The SUV driver, a 40-year-old man, was injured with a head abrasion but remained conscious and was secured by a lap belt and harness. The point of impact was the center front end of the SUV and the right front bumper of the sedan, indicating a direct collision. The report explicitly lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the primary driver error, underscoring a failure to yield or obey signals. No victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors. This crash underscores the dangers posed by drivers ignoring traffic regulations.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4704617 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 17 - Taxi and sedan slammed together on East 125 Street. Sedan driver, a 34-year-old woman, took a hit. Back pain and whiplash. Metal twisted. Streets stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, a taxi and a sedan collided at 6:00 AM on East 125 Street near Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. The sedan, driven by a 34-year-old woman, was struck on its left front quarter panel. She suffered back pain and whiplash but remained conscious and was not ejected. The taxi hit the sedan's side with its center front end. Both vehicles were moving straight ahead before impact. The report lists unspecified contributing factors. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash shows the ongoing risks for people in cars at busy Manhattan intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4703308 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 17 - A 51-year-old woman was struck while crossing a marked crosswalk at East 117 Street. The sedan driver failed to yield right-of-way during a left turn. The pedestrian suffered a contusion to her elbow and lower arm but remained conscious.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 1:30 AM near East 117 Street in Manhattan. A sedan traveling northwest was making a left turn when it struck a 51-year-old female pedestrian crossing a marked crosswalk without a signal. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor attributed to the driver. The pedestrian sustained a contusion and bruising to her elbow and lower arm but remained conscious. The vehicle showed no damage despite the impact occurring at the right front bumper. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle legally. The report does not list any pedestrian behaviors as contributing factors beyond the driver’s failure to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4703311 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 15 - A 62-year-old man suffered knee and lower leg injuries after a bus struck him on East 125 Street. The impact came from the bus’s left front bumper. Driver inattention and distraction caused the collision at a busy intersection.

According to the police report, a bus traveling west on East 125 Street in Manhattan struck a 62-year-old male pedestrian playing in the roadway at an intersection near Lexington Avenue. The pedestrian sustained contusions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, resulting in shock. The point of impact was the bus’s left front bumper, which also sustained damage. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor for the crash, repeated twice, highlighting the driver’s failure to maintain focus. No other factors such as pedestrian error or safety equipment were noted as contributing. The victim was not blamed; the crash underscores the dangers posed by distracted driving in busy urban environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4703058 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - Senate passes S 2714. Bill pushes complete street design. Aim: safer roads for all. Pedestrians, cyclists, and riders get space. Car dominance challenged. Lawmakers move to cut street carnage.

Senate bill S 2714, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' advanced through committee and passed several Senate votes, most recently on March 27, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy with support from Jake Ashby, Jamaal Bailey, and others, the bill mandates street designs that protect everyone—not just drivers. The measure saw strong support but faced opposition from some senators. By requiring complete street principles, S 2714 aims to reduce danger for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. The bill marks a shift away from car-first planning, forcing cities to build streets for people, not just traffic.

• File S 2714, Open States, Published 2024-02-13

Feb 12 - A man rode west on East 117th. His bike hit something head-on. The frame collapsed. Blood streaked his face. He lay semiconscious, bleeding, as the street fell silent.

A 28-year-old man riding a bicycle west on East 117th Street near 1st Avenue suffered severe facial bleeding after his bike struck an object head-on, according to the police report. The report describes the scene: 'His bike struck something head-on. The frame folded. Blood ran down his face. He lay semiconscious, bleeding, as the street held its breath.' The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but the police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors or vehicle operator actions were cited as contributing factors in the official data. The crash occurred in the early morning darkness. The focus remains on the impact and the resulting injuries, with the cause left undetermined in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4701966 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 9 - An unlicensed e-bike driver collided with a parked sedan on East 98 Street in Manhattan. The rider suffered facial abrasions and was conscious at the scene. Alcohol involvement was noted, highlighting dangerous driver behavior in this nighttime crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 21:37 on East 98 Street in Manhattan. The collision involved an unlicensed e-bike driver traveling north who struck a parked sedan, impacting the sedan's center back end and the e-bike's center front end. The e-bike driver, a 43-year-old male, sustained facial abrasions and was conscious but injured. The report cites alcohol involvement as a contributing factor, emphasizing impaired driver behavior. The sedan was parked at the time of impact, indicating the e-bike driver failed to maintain control or attention. No other contributing factors were specified. The e-bike driver was not wearing any safety equipment. This crash underscores systemic dangers posed by impaired and unlicensed operators on vulnerable vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4702469 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19