Five Dead in a Year. Still No Action.

A 17-year-old female e-bike rider collided on Central Avenue. She suffered a facial abrasion but remained conscious. The crash involved failure to yield right-of-way. The e-bike’s front center and another vehicle’s left side doors were damaged.

According to the police report, a 17-year-old female driver on an e-bike traveling south on Central Avenue was injured in a crash. She sustained a facial abrasion and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The e-bike’s center front end and another vehicle’s left side doors were damaged. The e-bike rider was not ejected and wore no safety equipment. No other contributing factors were specified. The crash highlights a driver error that led to injury without further details on the other vehicle involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4622474 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A sedan struck the rear of a stopped vehicle on Wilson Avenue in Brooklyn. The driver of the rear vehicle, a 40-year-old woman, suffered neck injuries and shock. The crash was caused by following too closely. Both vehicles were eastbound.

According to the police report, two sedans traveling east on Wilson Avenue collided when the rear vehicle struck the center back end of the front vehicle, which was stopped in traffic. The driver of the rear sedan, a 40-year-old woman, was injured with neck trauma and experienced shock. The report lists "Following Too Closely" as the contributing factor. The front vehicle was stationary, and the rear vehicle failed to maintain a safe distance. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted. Both vehicles were registered in New York, and the rear driver was licensed. The impact caused damage to the center back end of the front vehicle and the center front end of the rear vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4623266 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

An e-bike and SUV collided on Central Avenue. The e-bike rider was partially ejected and suffered a fractured elbow and dislocation. The SUV struck the bike’s right side doors. The rider was conscious but injured.

According to the police report, a 23-year-old male e-bike rider traveling south on Central Avenue was partially ejected when a station wagon/SUV traveling in the same direction struck the right side doors of the bike. The rider sustained a fracture and dislocation to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report lists "Passing Too Closely" as a contributing factor to the crash. The e-bike rider was not wearing any safety equipment. The SUV’s left front quarter panel was damaged. The rider was conscious at the scene but seriously injured. No other driver errors were specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4620240 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

Two sedans collided on Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn. The rear driver, distracted and following too closely, struck the front vehicle. The 25-year-old driver suffered a back injury and shock. Both vehicles showed no visible damage.

According to the police report, two sedans traveling north on Bushwick Avenue collided when the rear driver failed to maintain a safe distance and was inattentive. The contributing factors listed include "Following Too Closely" and "Driver Inattention/Distraction." The 25-year-old male driver of the rear vehicle was injured, sustaining internal back injuries and experiencing shock. He was not ejected and was not using any safety equipment. Both vehicles showed no visible damage despite the collision. The front vehicle was struck at the center back end, while the rear vehicle impacted at the center front end. No other persons were reported injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4620757 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

Two sedans collided on Cypress Avenue after midnight. Two young male passengers suffered back injuries and whiplash. Police cite alcohol and driver distraction. Both victims were conscious and restrained.

According to the police report, two sedans crashed on Cypress Avenue at 12:38 a.m. The impact struck the front quarter panels of both vehicles. Two 22-year-old male passengers were injured, each suffering back injuries and whiplash. Both were conscious and wore lap belts and harnesses. The police report lists alcohol involvement and driver inattention or distraction as contributing factors. One sedan was parked before the crash, while the other was moving straight ahead. No pedestrians were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4618642 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

Two SUVs crashed on Bushwick Avenue. One driver turned right into the path of a northbound SUV. The collision struck the right side doors of the turning vehicle and the left front quarter panel of the other. One driver suffered back injuries and whiplash.

According to the police report, two sport utility vehicles collided on Bushwick Avenue. One SUV was making a right turn while the other traveled straight north. The impact hit the right side doors of the turning SUV and the left front quarter panel of the northbound vehicle. The driver of the turning SUV, a 47-year-old man, was injured with back pain and whiplash. The report lists "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" as the contributing factor for both drivers. Both drivers were licensed and operating their vehicles legally. The injured driver was wearing a lap belt and was not ejected from the vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4617942 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A 26-year-old male bicyclist was injured on Harman Street in Brooklyn. The crash involved a vehicle turning improperly. The cyclist suffered back injuries and was in shock. The impact damaged the bike's left front quarter panel.

According to the police report, a 26-year-old male bicyclist was injured in a crash on Harman Street near Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn. The collision involved a vehicle turning improperly, which was identified as a contributing factor. The bicyclist was not ejected but suffered back injuries and was in shock. The bike was traveling east going straight ahead when it was struck on the right front bumper, causing damage to the left front quarter panel. The other vehicle was starting from parking and impacted the bike's left front bumper. The report lists 'Turning Improperly' as the driver error. No helmet or signaling factors were noted. The bicyclist was the sole occupant of the bike and was not visibly complaining of injury at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4618650 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

Brooklyn’s Age-Friendly Task Force released ten sharp recommendations. The focus: safer sidewalks, better bus driver training, and more housing for older adults. Council Member Crystal Hudson backed the push. The plan aims to cut danger for Brooklyn’s aging population.

On March 27, 2023, the Age-Friendly Brooklyn Task Force released ten policy recommendations to make Brooklyn safer and more inclusive for its 352,000 residents aged 65 and older. The initiative, supported by Council Member Crystal Hudson, Chair of the City Council Committee on Aging, and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, narrows 33 ideas to ten urgent actions. The report calls to 'ensure safe, clean, well-maintained sidewalks with well-lit intersections,' and to 'provide training to MTA bus drivers on working with older riders and riders with disabilities.' Hudson stated, 'We have to do all we can to ensure that our communities are responsive to the needs of our aging population.' The recommendations target housing, transportation, and public safety, aiming to reduce risks for older pedestrians and transit users.

• BP’s Age-Friendly Task Force releases 10 recommendations for an age-inclusive Brooklyn, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-03-27

A car sped down Grove Street at dusk. The driver passed too close. The front end struck a 15-year-old boy. His leg split open. Blood pooled. The driver fled. The boy stayed awake, pain sharp and raw.

A 15-year-old boy walking on Grove Street was struck by a car passing too closely. According to the police report, 'the front slammed into a 15-year-old boy. His leg split open. Blood pooled on the asphalt. He stayed awake. The driver never stopped.' The report lists 'Passing Too Closely' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The boy suffered severe lacerations to his lower leg and foot but remained conscious at the scene. The driver did not remain after the crash. No mention of helmet or signaling was made in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4616169 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

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 2023-03-21

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

An SUV made a left turn on Bushwick Avenue and struck an e-bike rider going straight. The e-bike rider, a 51-year-old man, suffered a facial abrasion. The SUV’s right front quarter panel was damaged in the crash. The rider remained conscious.

According to the police report, a 51-year-old male e-bike rider was injured when an SUV made an improper left turn on Bushwick Avenue and collided with him. The e-bike rider sustained a facial abrasion and was conscious after the crash. The SUV, traveling northwest, was making a left turn and impacted the e-bike at its center front end. The report lists 'Turning Improperly' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The SUV driver was licensed and the collision damaged the vehicle’s right front quarter panel. No helmet or signaling issues were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4611305 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

City Hall floats three-lane BQE. Electeds push back. Two lanes, they say, or fewer. Advocates want transit, not more highway. Officials call City Hall’s claims false. The fight is sharp. Vulnerable road users watch as cars and trucks rule the debate.

On March 3, 2023, City Hall reignited debate over the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) lane count. Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi claimed some locals want three lanes each way, but 17 elected officials, including State Sen. Julia Salazar, Sen. Andrew Gounardes, Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, and Council Member Lincoln Restler, publicly rejected the idea. Salazar said, 'no to three lanes. Two lanes at most.' Gounardes confirmed, 'all support a two-lane highway.' Gallagher wrote, '2 lanes if any.' Restler called City Hall’s statements 'plainly inaccurate.' The Department of Transportation delayed environmental review to study both options. Advocates and officials urge investment in mass transit, not highway expansion. Vulnerable road users remain at risk as the city weighs more lanes for cars and trucks.

• City Hall: We Hear that People Want to Keep Three-Lane BQE (Really?!), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-03

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 2023-02-28

A pick-up truck struck an eastbound e-scooter on Hancock Street. The 21-year-old scooter rider was ejected and injured, suffering abrasions to his elbow and lower arm. Unsafe speed by both vehicles contributed to the crash.

According to the police report, a pick-up truck traveling south on Hancock Street collided with an eastbound e-scooter. The e-scooter driver, a 21-year-old man wearing a helmet, was ejected and sustained abrasions to his elbow and lower arm. The report lists unsafe speed as a contributing factor for both the truck and the e-scooter. The truck struck the right side doors of the scooter with its center front end. The driver of the truck was licensed and traveling straight ahead. The e-scooter driver was also going straight ahead at the time of impact. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4608670 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A sedan struck two parked cars on Knickerbocker Avenue. Driver and passenger, both 23, suffered neck and head injuries. Police cite driver inattention and distraction. Metal bent. Lives jarred.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling north on Knickerbocker Avenue collided with two parked sedans. The crash injured both the 23-year-old driver and the front passenger. The driver suffered neck injuries; the passenger sustained head injuries. Both reported whiplash. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as the primary contributing factors. The moving sedan's right front bumper struck the left rear and left front quarter panels of the parked vehicles. Neither occupant was ejected. Both remained conscious after the crash. No other contributing factors were cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4608032 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

Council grilled DSNY for dragging its feet on commercial waste zone reform. Delays keep rogue haulers on the street. Reckless driving and deaths persist. Members pressed for urgency. DSNY offered shifting timelines. The city’s most vulnerable remain at risk.

On February 23, 2023, the City Council held an oversight hearing on the delayed rollout of commercial waste zone reform, first mandated by law in 2019. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) admitted the overhaul would not start until late 2024, with citywide coverage years away. The matter, described as a fix for a 'free-for-all system that led to reckless driving and fatalities,' remains stalled. Council Members Lincoln Restler and Julie Menin pressed DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch on the slow pace and shifting deadlines. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who introduced the original legislation, stressed the need for clear guidance. StreetsPAC’s Eric McClure highlighted the deadly consequences of delay. DSNY opposes a bill from Council Member Sandy Nurse to create a working group to address these setbacks. The ongoing delay leaves vulnerable road users exposed to dangerous private carting trucks.

• Council to DSNY Commish: Move Faster on Rogue Carting Biz, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-23

City delays overhaul of commercial trash pickup. Streets stay dangerous. Trucks keep killing. Councilmember Restler slams the slow pace. Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso demands worker safety. The pilot starts late 2024. Full reform waits. Lives hang in the balance.

Bill 2019, the commercial waste zone reform, faces another setback. The Department of Sanitation announced on February 22, 2023, that the citywide overhaul will not begin until late 2024, with a pilot program in one zone. The reform, first set under Mayor de Blasio, aims to fix inefficiency, worker mistreatment, environmental harm, and traffic carnage. The matter summary notes at least 43 deaths and 107 injuries from commercial garbage trucks in nine years. Councilmember Lincoln Restler called the timeline 'extremely slow' and said delays undermine the law's worker and environmental justice goals. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, sponsor of the 2019 bill, stressed that safety improvements for workers are essential and overdue. The pilot zone is still undetermined. Full implementation will roll out across 20 zones over two years, but for now, the danger remains.

• Overhaul of private trash pickup in NYC delayed until 2024, gothamist.com, Published 2023-02-22

The BQE slices through North Brooklyn, choking streets with noise and fumes. City leaders have tools to force state DOT to the table but hold back. Advocates demand Adams use his power. The highway’s shadow falls hardest on those walking and biking nearby.

This opinion piece, published February 21, 2023, calls on Mayor Adams to wield the city’s legal leverage over the state Department of Transportation (DOT) regarding the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The article, titled 'Mayor Adams Has Leverage to Force a Reluctant State DOT to Budge on the BQE,' details how city DOT can veto regional transportation plans and must approve state highway projects within city limits. Jon Orcutt, former city DOT official, urges Adams to push for a full corridor plan and not settle for piecemeal fixes. Assembly Member Emily Gallagher and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso are named as officials demanding state DOT return to the process. The BQE has long divided North Brooklyn, bringing pollution and danger to dense neighborhoods. Advocates want the city to use its power to protect residents and vulnerable road users from the harms of urban highways.

• OPINION: Mayor Adams Has Leverage to Force a Reluctant State DOT to Budge on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-21