Morgan Avenue: Blood on the Asphalt, Silence from City Hall

Apr 16 - A Buick SUV turned left through a Brooklyn crosswalk, crushing a 10-year-old girl as she crossed with the signal. The driver failed to yield. Her body broke beneath the front end. She died at the scene. Systemic danger, unyielding metal.

According to the police report, a Buick SUV traveling south on Wallabout Street near Franklin Avenue struck and killed a 10-year-old girl at approximately 14:33. The vehicle was making a left turn through the crosswalk when it hit the child. The report states the girl was 'crossing with the signal' at the intersection. The driver failed to yield the right-of-way and was also cited for 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The impact crushed the girl beneath the front end of the SUV, resulting in fatal injuries to her entire body. The police report highlights 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor, underscoring the lethal consequences of driver error and inattention. The victim’s lawful crossing is noted only after the driver’s failures.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4717867 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 15 - Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2024-04-15

Apr 14 - A bicyclist suffered knee and lower leg injuries after a parked SUV struck him on Berry Street in Brooklyn. The impact damaged the SUV’s right front quarter panel. The cyclist, wearing a helmet, remained conscious but bruised.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 13:50 on Berry Street in Brooklyn. A Station Wagon/SUV was parked when it struck a bicyclist traveling eastbound. The point of impact was the SUV’s right front quarter panel, which sustained damage. The bicyclist, a 41-year-old male wearing a helmet, was injured with contusions and trauma to his knee, lower leg, and foot but was not ejected and remained conscious. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The bicyclist’s helmet use was noted but not cited as a contributing factor. The SUV driver was alone in the vehicle. The collision highlights the dangers posed by parked vehicles interacting with cyclists on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4720568 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 13 - A 26-year-old male bicyclist was ejected and injured on Morgan Avenue. The crash involved improper passing or lane usage by the bicyclist, resulting in abrasions and elbow injuries. The bike overturned, but no other vehicles were damaged.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Morgan Avenue at 16:25. The bicyclist, a 26-year-old male wearing a helmet, was injured and ejected from his bike, sustaining abrasions and injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report cites "Passing or Lane Usage Improper" as the contributing factor, indicating the bicyclist's error in lane use. The bike overturned and suffered damage, while the other vehicle involved showed no damage or point of impact. The bicyclist was conscious after the crash. No other driver errors or victim behaviors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4719133 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 11 - Council targets hidden plates. Bill makes it a crime to park, stop, or drive with covered tags. Fines reach $1,000. Jail time possible. Committee weighs action. Streets demand accountability.

Int 0766-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on April 11, 2024. The bill reads: “prohibiting the parking, standing, stopping, or operation of a motor vehicle with obscured or defaced license plates.” Council Member Oswald Feliz leads, joined by Holden, Bottcher, Gennaro, Marte, Restler, Ung, and Paladino. The bill sets fines up to $1,000 and possible jail for violators. Each offense is a misdemeanor. The council aims to strip cover for reckless drivers, making it harder to dodge tickets and accountability. No safety analyst note yet, but the intent is clear: end the shield for lawless driving.

• File Int 0766-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-11

Apr 11 - Council orders DOT to reveal bike and micromobility numbers. Streets and bridges get counted. Riders’ paths mapped. City must show where safety fails and where it works. Data goes public. No more hiding the truth.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and became law September 14, 2024, as Local Law 88. The law’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Schulman, Hudson, Restler, and others. The law forces DOT to publish monthly and annual data on bike and micromobility use, plus crash and safety project details. The city must show where riders go, where danger lurks, and what it does to fix it. The mayor returned the bill unsigned, but it stands.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-11

Apr 10 - Van swung right on Broadway. Struck a man crossing with the signal. He took bruises and pain to his whole body. Driver turned wrong, failed to yield. Steel met flesh. The street did not forgive.

According to the police report, a van traveling west on Broadway in Brooklyn made a right turn and struck a 36-year-old man who was crossing at the intersection with the signal. The pedestrian suffered contusions and injuries to his entire body but remained conscious. The report lists the driver’s errors as "Turning Improperly" and "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way." The point of impact was the van’s right side doors. The pedestrian’s lawful crossing is noted but not cited as a contributing factor. This crash shows the danger when drivers turn improperly and fail to yield to people in the crosswalk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4716125 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 6 - E-bike driver slammed left front, hurt knee and leg. Distraction and speed listed. Rider stayed conscious. Brooklyn street, sharp impact, bruises marked the toll.

According to the police report, a 36-year-old male e-bike driver was injured in a crash at 651 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The e-bike, traveling north and going straight, struck with its left front bumper, damaging the left front quarter panel. The rider suffered contusions and bruises to the knee, lower leg, and foot, but was not ejected and remained conscious. No victim actions were listed as contributing factors. The crash highlights the danger of distraction and unsafe speed on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4715963 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 5 - A tractor truck turned right on Williamsburg Street East and struck a parked sedan. The truck driver suffered back injuries. Police cite limited view as the cause. No other injuries reported.

According to the police report, a tractor truck making a right turn on Williamsburg Street East in Brooklyn collided with a parked sedan. The truck's right front quarter panel hit the sedan's left front bumper. The 62-year-old truck driver was injured, suffering back pain and whiplash. The report lists 'View Obstructed/Limited' as the primary contributing factor, pointing to impaired sight lines as the cause. No other contributing factors or victim actions were noted. The crash highlights the danger of limited visibility during turns on busy city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4718098 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 4 - E-bike slammed into right front panel on Bushwick Avenue. Rider, age 30, bruised knee and leg. Unsafe speed and inexperience listed as causes. Helmet worn. Night crash in Brooklyn.

According to the police report, a 30-year-old male e-bike driver was injured while traveling south on Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn at 22:08. The e-bike, a 2023 Taizhou City Senlong Motorcycle, struck the right front quarter panel. The driver suffered contusions and bruises to his knee, lower leg, and foot, with injury severity level 3. The report cites 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The driver was wearing a helmet and was not ejected. No other road users were reported injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4715170 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 2 - A sedan making an improper turn struck a motorscooter driver in Brooklyn. The rider, a 25-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg injuries. The crash caused front-end damage to the sedan but no damage to the scooter. The rider wore a helmet.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 11:20 AM near 969 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn. A sedan was making a U-turn when it collided with a motorscooter. The report cites 'Turning Improperly' as the contributing factor, indicating driver error by the sedan operator. The motorscooter driver, a 25-year-old male occupant, was injured with contusions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The scooter showed no damage, and the rider was not ejected. The rider was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but no other contributing factors were listed. The sedan sustained damage to its center front end. This crash highlights the dangers posed by improper turning maneuvers by vehicle drivers in Brooklyn.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4714223 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 28 - A 59-year-old man crashed his SUV into parked vehicles on Harrison Avenue. He suffered whole-body trauma. No one else was hurt. Police cited physical disability as a factor.

According to the police report, a 59-year-old male driver crashed his 2003 GMC SUV into parked SUVs on Harrison Avenue in Brooklyn at 11:37 p.m. The impact damaged the right front quarter panel of his vehicle. The driver was found semiconscious with injuries to his entire body. No pedestrians or other drivers were involved. The report lists 'Physical Disability' as a contributing factor in the crash. No other driver errors, such as failure to yield, were cited. The parked vehicles were unoccupied. The collision left the driver seriously injured, but no other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4715197 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 27 - 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 2024-03-27

Mar 27 - 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 2024-03-27

Mar 26 - A box truck struck the right rear bumper of a sedan traveling westbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The sedan’s front passenger suffered knee and lower leg injuries and whiplash. Police cite driver inattention as the cause of the crash.

According to the police report, at approximately 9:30 a.m., a box truck traveling westbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway collided with the right rear bumper of a sedan also heading west. The point of impact was the box truck’s left front bumper striking the sedan’s right rear bumper. The sedan carried two occupants; the front passenger, a 33-year-old female, sustained injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, and complained of whiplash. She was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. The report identifies driver inattention or distraction as the contributing factor to the crash. There are no listed contributing factors related to the passenger or victim behaviors. The collision highlights the dangers of driver distraction on high-speed roadways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4713031 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 26 - The city’s commercial waste zone plan crawls forward. Only one Queens zone launches this fall. Nineteen more wait in limbo. Oversight is absent. Haulers with deadly records win contracts. Advocates demand speed, transparency, and real safety for streets choked by trucks.

Council Bill for commercial waste zone reform, passed in 2019, remains stalled. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will launch only one zone in central Queens after September 3, 2024. The oversight task force has not met in two years. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who authored the law as a Council member, called DSNY’s rollout a 'missed opportunity' for clarity and accountability. Justin Wood of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest warned, 'The system cannot achieve transformational change if it is treated as a limited pilot program.' The city’s goal to cut truck miles falls short of original promises. Action Carting, whose driver killed a cyclist in 2017, secured contracts for 14 zones. Advocates say the lack of outreach, oversight, and clear safety benchmarks leaves vulnerable road users at risk. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• Commercial Waste Zone Rollout Too Slow and Unclear: Advocates, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-26

Mar 23 - A cyclist barreled down Driggs Avenue and slammed headfirst into a parked Jeep. His skull split open. Blood streaked the morning street. The Jeep’s doors bore a deep dent. The bike’s front end crumpled. The rider stayed conscious.

A 39-year-old cyclist was severely injured after striking a parked Jeep on Driggs Avenue near 559 Driggs, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 8:20 a.m. The report states the cyclist 'struck a parked Jeep,' was 'ejected,' and 'landed hard.' The narrative describes 'blood pooled,' 'his head split open,' and the cyclist remained 'conscious' with 'severe lacerations.' The Jeep’s 'doors bore the dent,' and the 'bike’s front crumpled.' The police report lists 'Other Vehicular' as a contributing factor, but does not specify any cyclist behavior as a cause. No helmet use or cyclist error is cited as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the collision’s violent impact and the systemic danger posed by parked vehicles in the cyclist’s path.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712331 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 22 - A 5-year-old boy suffered a hip and upper leg contusion after a distracted driver struck him while he was getting on or off a vehicle near Kent Avenue in Brooklyn. The impact came from the car’s front center, leaving the child injured but conscious.

According to the police report, the crash occurred near 420 Kent Avenue in Brooklyn at 11:47 p.m. A 5-year-old male pedestrian was injured when a Honda SUV traveling north struck him. The point of impact was the vehicle’s center front end. The child was getting on or off a vehicle other than a school bus when the collision happened. The police report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the crash. The pedestrian sustained a contusion and bruising to his hip and upper leg but remained conscious. No other contributing factors related to the pedestrian’s behavior were noted. The driver was going straight ahead at the time of impact, indicating a failure to maintain attention to the roadway and surroundings.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712050 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 22 - A 58-year-old woman suffered full-body injuries after a sedan failed to yield while making a left turn. The impact occurred at an intersection where the pedestrian was crossing with the signal. The driver’s error and glare contributed to the collision.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling east on Meeker Avenue made a left turn and struck a 58-year-old female pedestrian crossing at the intersection with the signal. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her entire body and was in shock, complaining of pain and nausea. The report identifies the driver’s failure to yield right-of-way as the primary contributing factor. Additionally, glare was noted as a contributing factor affecting the driver’s visibility. The vehicle’s point of impact was the right front bumper, and despite the collision, the sedan sustained no damage. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle alone. This crash highlights the dangers posed by driver errors like failure to yield, especially at intersections where pedestrians have the right-of-way.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712326 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 21 - A box truck collided with an e-bike on Meserole Street in Brooklyn. The 33-year-old bicyclist was ejected and suffered abrasions and lower leg injuries. The crash involved driver inattention and confusion, with no vehicle damage reported.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 2:00 PM on Meserole Street in Brooklyn. A box truck traveling southwest and an e-bike traveling west collided head-on. The bicyclist, a 33-year-old male, was ejected from his e-bike and sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for both the truck driver and the bicyclist, along with 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' affecting the bicyclist. The box truck driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead, as was the e-bike rider. Neither vehicle sustained damage, but the bicyclist was injured and conscious at the scene. The report highlights driver inattention as a key cause, emphasizing systemic danger posed by distracted driving.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712035 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19