Brooklyn’s Streets Bleed—How Many More Must Die Before City Hall Acts?

Mar 29 - A garbage truck making a left turn collided with a parked sedan on 81 Street in Brooklyn. The sedan’s driver suffered neck injuries and whiplash. The crash exposed dangers from driver errors and vehicle maneuvers in tight urban spaces.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 6:29 AM on 81 Street near 4 Avenue in Brooklyn. A garbage truck traveling north was making a left turn when it struck the left rear bumper of a parked sedan. The sedan’s 58-year-old male driver, who was wearing a lap belt and remained conscious, sustained neck injuries described as whiplash. The report cites "Other Vehicular" as a contributing factor to the crash, indicating driver error related to vehicle operation. The garbage truck’s right front bumper and the sedan’s left rear bumper were damaged. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved. The collision highlights risks posed by large vehicles maneuvering in constrained city streets and the consequences of driver mistakes during such maneuvers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4713316 - 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 26 - An unlicensed driver making a left turn failed to yield right-of-way, colliding with another vehicle. The driver suffered a fractured hip and upper leg injury. Police cite failure to yield and driver distraction as key factors in the Brooklyn crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 9:00 PM near 6408 Fort Hamilton Parkway in Brooklyn. The unlicensed driver of a 2023 Toyota SUV was making a left turn when he failed to yield right-of-way, resulting in a collision. The driver, a 36-year-old male occupant, sustained a fractured and dislocated injury to his hip and upper leg. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The driver was wearing a lap belt and harness and was not ejected from the vehicle. Multiple vehicles were involved, but the primary cause was the unlicensed driver’s failure to yield while turning left. No victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712983 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 24 - Drivers rack up speed and red light camera tickets. No points. No suspensions. Gianaris backs a bill to yank registrations after five violations. Victims’ families and DOT demand action. The loophole leaves reckless drivers free to kill.

Queens Senator Michael Gianaris, with Assemblymember William Magnarelli, introduced a bill to suspend vehicle registrations after five speed or red light camera violations in one year. The measure remains in committee. The bill responds to a fatal flaw: 'We have no mechanism right now, under law, to crack down on extremely reckless drivers,' said Brooklyn State Sen. Andrew Gounardes. The current law lets drivers rack up dozens of camera tickets and keep driving, since no points are added to licenses. Gianaris’s bill aims to close this loophole. DOT and crash victims’ families, including Juliane Williams, whose daughter was killed by a speeding driver, press for stronger penalties and expansion of the red light camera program. The Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program expired with little effect. The city’s vulnerable road users remain at risk while repeat offenders face few real consequences.

• FATAL FLAW: NYC reckless motorists can keep driving no matter how many speed camera tickets they get, amny.com, Published 2024-03-24

Mar 23 - An intoxicated driver with a permit license struck a parked SUV in Brooklyn. The sedan's right front bumper hit the SUV’s left rear quarter panel. The driver suffered head injuries and minor bleeding, enduring shock at the scene.

According to the police report, a 33-year-old male driver with a permit license was involved in a crash at 9:00 AM in Brooklyn. The driver was operating a 2014 sedan traveling east when he collided with a parked 2022 SUV. The point of impact was the sedan's right front bumper against the SUV's left rear quarter panel. The report lists alcohol involvement as a contributing factor twice, indicating impairment played a critical role. The driver was not ejected and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. He sustained head injuries with minor bleeding and was in shock at the scene. The report does not cite any victim behaviors contributing to the crash, focusing on the driver's alcohol impairment and loss of control as the cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4711822 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 20 - Senate passes S 6808. The bill creates first responder safety zones. It sets speed limits in these zones. Lawmakers act after crashes and close calls. The vote is strong. The danger is real. The streets demand change.

Senate bill S 6808, titled 'Relates to establishing first responder safety zones and setting speed limits in such safety zones,' moved through committee and passed multiple Senate votes between May 2023 and March 2024. Primary sponsor John Mannion led the push, joined by Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Iwen Chu, and Pamela Helming. The bill aims to carve out protected zones for first responders and lower speed limits in those areas. The measure passed with broad support, reflecting urgency after repeated crashes near emergency scenes. The bill’s text and votes show lawmakers responding to the deadly toll of reckless driving near first responders. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, passengers, and responders—stand in harm’s way. The bill targets that risk.

• File S 6808, Open States, Published 2024-03-20

Mar 18 - A Ford making a right turn struck an 18-year-old man outside a Brooklyn intersection. The car’s bumper hit his hip and leg. He was conscious, hurt, and left with abrasions. The crash shows driver error in a danger zone.

According to the police report, a 2022 Ford driven by a licensed man made a right turn on Fort Hamilton Parkway near 65th Street in Brooklyn at 20:12. The vehicle struck an 18-year-old male pedestrian outside an intersection. The point of impact was the right front bumper. The pedestrian suffered abrasions and trauma to his hip and upper leg, with injury severity level 3. The report lists unspecified contributing factors, but no pedestrian fault. The data highlights driver error during the turn as the critical factor in this crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4710687 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 18 - A 79-year-old sedan driver suffered a head injury after his vehicle was struck from behind by an SUV traveling westbound on Belt Parkway. The impact caused internal injuries and loss of consciousness, highlighting driver error in maintaining safe distance.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on Belt Parkway at 17:03 involving a 2008 SUV and a 2008 sedan, both traveling westbound. The SUV struck the sedan at the center back end, damaging its right front bumper. The sedan's 79-year-old male driver was injured, suffering a head injury and internal complaints, and experienced loss of consciousness. The driver was wearing a lap belt and was not ejected. The report indicates 'Lost Consciousness' as a contributing factor, but does not specify victim fault. The collision suggests failure by the SUV driver to maintain a safe following distance or control, resulting in a rear-end impact. No other contributing factors were listed for the victim or the SUV driver. This crash underscores the dangers posed by driver errors such as inadequate attention or speed control on high-speed roadways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4710686 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 18 - An inattentive SUV driver collided head-on with a northbound e-bike on 65 Street in Brooklyn. The unlicensed e-bike rider was partially ejected and suffered serious leg injuries. The SUV driver was licensed but distracted, causing the crash.

According to the police report, at 4:40 AM on 65 Street near Fort Hamilton Parkway in Brooklyn, a licensed SUV driver traveling east collided with a northbound e-bike. The e-bike rider, a 26-year-old male operating without a license, was partially ejected and sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors for the e-bike rider, while the SUV driver was also noted for 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The SUV's right front bumper struck the e-bike's center front end, resulting in significant vehicle damage and serious injury to the vulnerable rider. The crash highlights the dangers posed by distracted driving and unlicensed operation in Brooklyn's streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4710429 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 15 - A Jeep slammed into a Honda’s rear on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The 81-year-old Honda driver died at the wheel, neck broken. No skid marks. The crash came sudden, hard, final. Following too closely left no room for mercy.

According to the police report, a 2024 Jeep struck the rear of a 2000 Honda traveling westbound on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway at 12:05 a.m. The Honda’s 81-year-old driver, belted in, died at the scene with a broken neck. The report notes, 'No skid marks. No second chances.' The primary contributing factor cited is 'Following Too Closely,' indicating the Jeep driver failed to maintain a safe distance. The data does not list any contributing factors related to the victim’s behavior. The impact was to the Honda’s right rear bumper, with the Jeep’s right front bumper taking the hit. The report’s language and evidence focus on the Jeep driver’s failure to keep distance, a systemic danger on high-speed expressways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709835 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 7 - Council aims to ban moving billboards. These rolling ads distract drivers. The bill locks in an existing rule. Streets need fewer distractions. Safety for walkers and riders comes first.

Bill Int 0541-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced March 7, 2024, by Council Members Bottcher (primary), Brannan, Brewer, and Restler, it seeks to ban moving billboards. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to banning moving billboards.' These billboards are already illegal under city rules. The bill would codify 34 RCNY 4-12(j), making the ban law. Bottcher and co-sponsors want to cut visual clutter and driver distraction. The bill was referred to committee on March 7, 2024.

• File Int 0541-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Mar 7 - Council bill forces DOT to act fast. Traffic study calls get answers in 60 days. No more endless waits. Streets stay dangerous while requests stall. Delay kills. Action saves.

Int 0542-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, laid over since March 7, 2024. The bill reads: 'requiring that traffic study determinations be issued no later than 60 days from the date a traffic control device is requested by a city council member or community board.' Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Brooks-Powers, Vernikov, and Morano. The bill cracks the whip on DOT, ending open-ended delays. Fast answers mean less time waiting for life-saving signals and signs. The city’s slow grind leaves people at risk. This bill demands speed.

• File Int 0542-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Mar 7 - Council aims to keep sightseeing buses out of bus lanes during rush. The bill targets morning and evening peaks. Streets clear for city buses, not tourists. Pedestrians and cyclists get a break from double-deckers.

Bill Int 0543-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on March 7, 2024. The measure, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to restricting the use of bus lanes by sight-seeing buses,' blocks sightseeing buses from bus lanes on weekdays, 7–10 a.m. and 4–7 p.m. Sponsors Lincoln Restler (District 33, primary) and Justin L. Brannan (District 47, co-sponsor) push to keep bus lanes clear for transit. No sightseeing bus stops allowed in bus lanes during these hours. The bill responds to congestion and crowding, giving vulnerable road users more space and fewer blind spots.

• File Int 0543-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Mar 7 - Council wants every e-bike and scooter tagged and tracked. Plates on wheels. Riders face new rules. Lawmakers say it’s about order. The bill sits in committee. Streets wait.

Int 0606-2024 was introduced on March 7, 2024, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring that every bicycle with electric assist, electric scooter and other legal motorized vehicle be licensed and registered," would force all e-bikes, e-scooters, and similar vehicles not covered by DMV rules to register with DOT and display visible plates. Council Member Inna Vernikov is the primary sponsor, joined by 26 co-sponsors including Holden, Farías, Riley, and others. The bill was laid over in committee and has not advanced. No safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• File Int 0606-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Mar 1 - A motorcycle struck the right front bumper of a pickup truck making a left turn on 3 Avenue. The motorcyclist, a 51-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg abrasions. Police cite driver reaction to an uninvolved vehicle as a key factor.

At 8:02 AM on 3 Avenue near Senator Street, a motorcycle traveling northeast collided with the right front bumper of a southbound pickup truck making a left turn, according to the police report. The motorcyclist, a 51-year-old male driver, sustained abrasions to his knee, lower leg, and foot but was not ejected and remained conscious. The report identifies "Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle" as the primary contributing factor, indicating the drivers' responses to other traffic influenced the crash. The pickup truck driver, a licensed female, was operating a 2019 vehicle and the motorcycle driver was licensed as well. The collision caused damage to the truck's center front end and the motorcycle's left front quarter panel. No victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4706239 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 28 - Council moves to outlaw fake plates. Fraud hides reckless drivers. Bill targets sellers, sets fines. Streets need truth. Law aims to strip shields from danger.

Bill Int 0178-2024 sits with the Committee on Public Safety after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the sale or distribution of fraudulent license plates," makes it illegal to sell or distribute fake or temporary plates, with civil penalties for violators. Council Member Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Feliz, Schulman, Ung, Marte, Hudson, Brewer, Brannan, and Avilés. The bill was referred to committee the same day. Fraudulent plates let reckless drivers vanish. This measure aims to close that escape, exposing those who endanger lives.

• File Int 0178-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council urges Albany to pass SAFE Streets Act. Lower speed limits. Rights for crash victims. Safe passing for cyclists. Complete streets. City demands action as deaths rise. Streets remain deadly. Lawmakers must act.

Resolution 0090-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it calls on the state to pass S.2422 ('Sammy’s Law') and A.1901, part of the SAFE Streets Act. The matter title: 'Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.2422... allowing New York city to establish a lower speed limit, and A.1901, enacting a crash victims bill of rights.' Council Member Shahana K. Hanif leads, joined by Gutiérrez, Hudson, Nurse, and others. The resolution demands lower speed limits, crash victim rights, safe passing for cyclists, and complete street design. It cites rising traffic deaths and the failure of current measures. The Council wants Albany to give the city real power to protect people on its streets.

• File Res 0090-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council passed a law forcing taxis and for-hire cars to post bold warnings on doors. The signs tell passengers: look for cyclists before you open up. A small step. The city hands out the decals. No cost to drivers.

Int 0193-2024 became law on May 31, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' was sponsored by Lincoln Restler and co-sponsored by over twenty council members, including Gutiérrez, Hudson, and Rivera. The law mandates clear warning decals on all rear passenger doors of taxis and for-hire vehicles. The Taxi and Limousine Commission will provide the signs at no cost. The measure aims to cut down on 'dooring'—a threat to cyclists citywide. The mayor returned the bill unsigned, but it became law.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 26 - Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge remains a hazard. Activists want a road diet and protected bike lanes. The city has stalled. Council Member Brannan stays quiet. State Senator Gounardes backs the push. Advocates press on. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 26, 2024, activists renewed calls for the Department of Transportation to extend the Fourth Avenue redesign into Bay Ridge. The campaign, led by Bike South Brooklyn, the Bay Ridge Environmental Group, and Transportation Alternatives, demands a 'better, safer Fourth Avenue' with a road diet and protected bike lanes. Council Member Justin Brannan, who represents Bay Ridge, has a mixed record—once supportive, now silent as his term ends. State Senator Andrew Gounardes supports the redesign, citing risks to pedestrians and cyclists: 'the design of the street puts your safety at risk.' The DOT has not proposed changes south of Sunset Park, leaving Bay Ridge exposed. Advocates vow to keep fighting for safety, regardless of political will.

• Activists Renew Push For Redesign of Fourth Ave. in Bay Ridge, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-26

Feb 23 - Lawsuits stall congestion pricing. Disabled riders lose. Elevators and upgrades freeze. Streets choke. Politicians demand action. Money for accessibility dries up. The city’s most vulnerable wait. Wheelchair users, seniors, parents, all stuck. The system fails those who need it most.

On February 23, 2024, at a press conference, Brooklyn State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon condemned lawsuits blocking the MTA’s congestion pricing plan. The matter, titled 'Congestion Pricing Opponents Are Blocking Disabled Access to Mass Transit, Politicians Charge,' highlights how legal challenges from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, the United Federation of Teachers, and others have forced the MTA to halt critical accessibility upgrades. Gounardes declared, 'That’s not gonna happen if the money’s not there.' The MTA earmarked $6 billion for accessibility, aiming to make 70 stations ADA accessible and modernize 78 elevators. Disability advocates like Elizabeth Valdez and Joe Rappaport stressed that most disabled New Yorkers rely on subways and buses, not private cars. Christopher Schuyler noted congestion pricing would speed up paratransit and wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Without funding, the city’s most vulnerable remain stranded.

• Congestion Pricing Opponents Are Blocking Disabled Access to Mass Transit, Politicians Charge, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-23