Five Dead in a Year. Still No Action.

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

A sedan and pickup crashed head-on on Bushwick Ave. Slippery pavement and bad lane use led to impact. Both sedan occupants suffered arm injuries and shock. Airbags deployed. No blame for those hurt.

According to the police report, a sedan and a pickup truck collided head-on at 19:57 on Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn. The report lists 'Pavement Slippery' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The sedan's driver, a 34-year-old man, and his 27-year-old front passenger both suffered elbow and lower arm injuries, shock, and pain or nausea. Airbags deployed for both. The sedan was going straight; the pickup was in an unspecified maneuver. The crash struck both vehicles at the center front. The report highlights driver errors tied to lane use on slick pavement. No factors are attributed to the victims.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793311 - 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

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 26-year-old woman crossing with the signal on Bushwick Avenue was struck by a southbound vehicle. The driver’s inattention and inexperience caused the crash. The pedestrian suffered upper arm injuries but remained conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, a 26-year-old female pedestrian was injured while crossing at an intersection on Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn at 5:55 p.m. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when she was struck by a southbound vehicle traveling straight ahead. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The pedestrian sustained an upper arm injury and was conscious after the collision. The driver’s failure to maintain attention and lack of experience directly contributed to the crash, highlighting systemic dangers posed by distracted driving. No other vehicle details or victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792823 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

DOT refuses to commit to a road diet for Atlantic Avenue. Council Members Hudson and Ossé demand urgent redesign. Residents fear crossing. Four dead, 473 injured in three years. DOT wants a two-year study. Advocates call the delay deadly. The danger remains.

On February 6, 2025, the City Council held a hearing on the safety of Atlantic Avenue. The Department of Transportation (DOT) would not commit to a 'road diet' or redesign for the deadly 13-block Brooklyn stretch, pending a traffic study that could take two years and requires Council funding. Council Members Crystal Hudson and Chi Ossé, along with Borough President Antonio Reynoso, demanded a fully funded redesign, calling Atlantic Avenue 'one of the most dangerous corridors in the entire borough.' Residents testified about fear and danger from speeding cars and blind turns. From 2021 to 2024, four people died and 473 were injured in 831 crashes. Advocates and lawmakers condemned DOT's reluctance, calling it emblematic of citywide failures. The rezoning plan, which could add thousands of residents, now moves to the full Council.

• DOT: Safety Improvements on Atlantic Avenue? Wait Two More Years, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-02-06

A 51-year-old woman crossing Woodbine Street in Brooklyn was struck by an SUV backing east. The driver’s inattention and unsafe backing caused knee and lower leg injuries. The pedestrian was conscious and suffered bruising from the impact.

According to the police report, a 51-year-old female pedestrian was injured at 6:58 AM on Woodbine Street in Brooklyn when a 2016 Toyota SUV backing east struck her. The pedestrian was crossing outside of a signal or crosswalk, but the report explicitly cites the driver’s errors as the cause. The contributing factors listed are "Driver Inattention/Distraction" and "Backing Unsafely." The impact occurred at the center back end of the vehicle. The pedestrian sustained contusions and injuries to the knee, lower leg, and foot, and remained conscious after the collision. The vehicle showed no damage. The report does not attribute any fault or contributing behavior to the pedestrian. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle alone at the time.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790757 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Crystal Hudson backs the Atlantic Avenue rezoning plan. She wants strong tenant protections, affordable housing, and safer streets. The plan cuts lanes, adds metered parking, and targets deadly intersections. Community boards demand more. Residents fear displacement. The fight for safety and equity continues.

On February 5, 2025, Council Member Crystal Hudson (District 35) expressed support for the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan, a rezoning proposal for central Brooklyn. The plan, conditionally endorsed by Community Boards 3 and 8, aims to create 4,600 apartments, protect manufacturing jobs, and improve street safety. The matter summary states the plan 'aims to bring nearly 4,600 new apartments, safeguard manufacturing space, and enhance pedestrian safety and infrastructure.' Hudson praised Borough President Reynoso’s recommendations, emphasizing 'strong manufacturing requirements, affordable housing, tenant protections, street safety, and workforce opportunities.' She called for a 'robust redesign of Atlantic Avenue that incorporates street safety improvements.' The plan includes a 'road diet' to reduce lanes, more metered parking, and safety upgrades at dangerous intersections. Residents and advocates raised concerns about displacement, legal protections, and infrastructure strain. The plan’s fate now rests with the city council and administration.

• Reynoso endorses Atlantic Avenue plan, calls for stronger tenant protections, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2025-02-05

Senate bill S 4421 seeks a one-year fare-free bus pilot in New York City. Michael Gianaris leads. Robert Jackson, John Liu, Julia Salazar join. The move could shift riders from cars to buses. Status: sponsorship.

Senate bill S 4421, now at the sponsorship stage, proposes a one-year fare-free bus pilot in New York City. The bill summary reads: 'Provides a fare-free bus pilot program in New York City for one year, subject to appropriations.' Michael Gianaris sponsors, with Robert Jackson, John Liu, and Julia Salazar as co-sponsors. Introduced on February 4, 2025, the bill awaits committee review. No safety analyst has assessed its impact on vulnerable road users. The pilot could change how New Yorkers move, but its effect on street safety remains unstudied.

• File S 4421, Open States, Published 2025-02-04

Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso demands DOT cut car lanes and boost safety on deadly Atlantic Avenue. He calls for a road diet, better bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and metered parking. DOT offers piecemeal fixes, but no bold redesign. Advocates want more.

On January 29, 2025, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso pressed the Department of Transportation to overhaul a six-lane stretch of Atlantic Avenue as part of a rezoning plan. Reynoso’s recommendations—outlined in his official statement—include a road diet, pedestrian and cyclist upgrades, and paid parking. He criticized DOT’s lack of detail, saying, 'Daylighting streets is necessary, but a bare minimum.' The Atlantic Avenue Mixed Use Plan, now heading to a Department of City Planning hearing, would rezone 13 blocks and remove parking minimums for new housing. Council Member Crystal Hudson acknowledged the community’s demand for safety but stopped short of backing a road diet. DOT has promised some safety tweaks—painted neckdowns, daylighting, planters, a new bike lane—but not a full redesign. Advocates and Transportation Alternatives call for protected bike lanes and pedestrian plazas. Reynoso’s push highlights the gap between incremental fixes and the urgent need for systemic change to protect vulnerable road users.

• BP Reynoso: DOT Must Open its Street Safety Toolkit on Atlantic Ave., Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-01-29

A cargo van struck Mayya Gil, 95, and her aide in Brooklyn. Gil died. The driver turned left, hit them in the crosswalk. No charges filed. Gil survived war and disaster, but not New York traffic. Another senior lost to city streets.

Gothamist (2025-01-26) reports that Mayya Gil, 95, was killed while crossing Cropsey Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. A man driving a cargo van made a left turn and struck Gil and her home health aide. The aide survived; Gil did not. Police made no arrests or charges. The article notes, 'She was a very active lady.' Gil was the second elderly pedestrian killed in Brooklyn that month. Transportation Alternatives highlighted that 46 senior pedestrians died in city crashes last year. The crash underscores the ongoing risk to older New Yorkers at crosswalks and the lack of driver accountability in such incidents.

• Elderly Woman Killed Crossing Cropsey Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-01-26

Council leadership handed street policy to car-first politicians. Safety bills stalled. Parking won. Cyclists and pedestrians lost. Deaths stayed high. Advocates condemned the shift. The Speaker and committee heads blocked reforms. Vulnerable New Yorkers paid the price.

""[Intro 606] that was brought forth by Bob Holden wouldn't have seen the light of day and wouldn't have gotten as many signatures as it has now because the leadership wouldn't have had it that way. We wouldn't allow for what I consider his false narrative and public perception to dictate safety and safety policy."" -- Antonio Reynoso

On January 21, 2025, the City Council, under Speaker Adrienne Adams, set its transportation agenda. The session saw progressives sidelined as the Council prioritized car-centric bills, including Intros 103 and 104 (parking protection) and hearings on Intro 606 (e-bike registration). The Common Sense Caucus, known for opposing bike lanes and congestion pricing, led the charge. Progressive members lost key committee seats. Universal daylighting (Intro 1138) and other safety reforms stalled. Council Member Julie Won continued to push for daylighting but faced resistance. As Streetsblog reported, 'roadway safety is simply not a priority.' Advocates and former members criticized the Council for failing to hold the mayor accountable on the Streets Master Plan and for focusing on parking over safety. The Council's actions marked a retreat from previous street safety gains, leaving vulnerable road users exposed.

• ‘Progressives’ Turn Council’s Transportation Policy Over to Republicans, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-01-21

An 11-year-old boy suffered abrasions and leg injuries after a distracted SUV driver struck him while he crossed Myrtle Avenue outside a crosswalk. The impact hit the vehicle’s left front bumper, leaving the child injured but conscious.

According to the police report, a 2021 Toyota SUV traveling southeast on Myrtle Avenue struck an 11-year-old pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk. The vehicle's left front bumper was the point of impact. The pedestrian sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, classified as injury severity level 3, but remained conscious. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor to the crash. The pedestrian was crossing without a signal, but the report does not list this as a contributing factor. The driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead when the collision occurred. This incident highlights the dangers posed by distracted driving on city streets, especially to vulnerable pedestrians outside designated crossings.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790329 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Assembly bill A 2299 targets reckless drivers. Eleven points or six camera tickets in a year triggers forced speed control tech. Lawmakers move to curb repeat speeders. Streets demand fewer deadly risks.

Assembly bill A 2299, now in sponsorship, sits with the New York State Assembly. Introduced January 16, 2025, the bill 'requires the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices if a driver accumulates eleven or more points on their driving record during a 24 month period, or receives 6 speed camera or red light camera tickets during a twelve month period.' Primary sponsor Emily Gallagher leads a bloc of co-sponsors, including Rebecca Seawright, Andrew Hevesi, and others. The measure aims to clamp down on repeat speeders with mandatory speed-limiting tech. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 2299, Open States, Published 2025-01-16

A sedan hit a 20-year-old woman crossing with the signal on Covert Street. She suffered hip and leg bruises. The driver failed to yield. The car showed no damage. The woman stayed conscious.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling northeast on Covert Street in Brooklyn struck a 20-year-old female pedestrian as she crossed at the intersection with the signal. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the driver's contributing factor. The woman sustained a contusion and bruising to her hip and upper leg but remained conscious after the impact. The vehicle showed no visible damage. The driver's failure to yield directly led to the pedestrian's injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787580 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan traveling south on Wyckoff Avenue rear-ended another vehicle, causing knee and lower leg injuries to the driver. The crash resulted from driver inattention, leaving the victim conscious but injured with abrasions and leg trauma.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 300 Wyckoff Avenue in Brooklyn around midnight. A sedan driven by a 46-year-old male was involved in a rear-end collision, impacting the center back end of another vehicle. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the crash. The injured party was the sedan driver, who sustained abrasions and injuries to the knee, lower leg, and foot but was not ejected and remained conscious. The vehicle damage was noted on the right rear bumper of the struck vehicle and the center front end of the sedan. Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead. The report does not indicate any contributing factors from the victim, focusing solely on the driver's distraction as the cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4786653 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate bill S 1675 would force carmakers to face the facts. Every vehicle gets a pedestrian safety score. The public sees it. No more hiding danger behind steel and glass.

Senate bill S 1675, now at the sponsorship stage, sits with the New York State Senate. Filed January 13, 2025, it aims to 'create a pedestrian safety rating system for motor vehicles which shall be posted on the department of motor vehicles' website.' Senator Andrew Gounardes leads, joined by Leroy Comrie, Michael Gianaris, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Robert Jackson, Liz Krueger, Zellnor Myrie, Gustavo Rivera, Julia Salazar, Luis R. Sepúlveda, and Toby Ann Stavisky. The bill demands transparency. It would show the public which cars endanger walkers and which spare them. No safety analyst has yet weighed in, but the intent is clear: expose the risk, protect the vulnerable.

• File S 1675, Open States, Published 2025-01-13

A sedan making a left turn collided head-on with a southbound moped on Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn. The moped driver, wearing a helmet, and the sedan driver both suffered serious injuries. Police cite driver inattention and unspecified errors in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 21:46 on Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn. A sedan traveling north was making a left turn when it struck a moped traveling south. The moped driver, a 44-year-old male wearing a helmet, sustained injuries to his entire body and was not ejected. The sedan driver, a 37-year-old female, also suffered neck injuries. The report identifies driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor for the moped driver and unspecified errors for the sedan driver. Both vehicles sustained center front end damage. The collision highlights critical driver errors, including failure to yield while turning and inattention, which led to serious injuries for both vehicle occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792798 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A BMW, steered by an unlicensed man, veered headlong into an Infiniti on Hancock Street. A woman in the front seat, bloodied and dazed, suffered crushing head wounds. Distraction behind the wheel left her stunned and broken in Brooklyn’s morning light.

According to the police report, a BMW sedan driven by an unlicensed man was traveling straight on Hancock Street near Wilson Avenue in Brooklyn when it veered head-on into an Infiniti sedan. The crash occurred at 7:40 a.m. The report states, 'A BMW, driven by an unlicensed man, veered head-on into an Infiniti. A 50-year-old woman, unbelted in the front seat, sat bleeding from the head. Stunned. Crushed. Distraction had taken the wheel.' The primary contributing factor cited is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The unlicensed status of the BMW driver is also documented. The 50-year-old woman, a front passenger in the Infiniti, suffered severe head injuries and was left in shock, according to the report. The data does not list any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The collision underscores the lethal consequences when driver distraction and lack of licensure intersect on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785130 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan turning left struck a 23-year-old woman in Brooklyn. She crossed with the signal. The car’s bumper hit her knee and leg. She was left injured and in shock. The street stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, a 23-year-old female pedestrian was injured at Stockholm Street and Wyckoff Avenue in Brooklyn at 4:50 a.m. She was crossing with the signal when a northbound sedan, making a left turn, struck her with its right front bumper. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The pedestrian suffered abrasions and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, and was in shock. The sedan’s right front quarter panel was damaged. No driver errors were listed in the report. The crash underscores the risk to pedestrians at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785120 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04