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

Mar 30 - An SUV turned left. The driver failed to yield. The vehicle struck a southbound cyclist. The man flew from his bike. Blood pooled from his head. He stayed awake. The SUV’s bumper bent. The street fell silent.

A 36-year-old cyclist was hit by a turning SUV on Colonial Road near 71st Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the SUV driver failed to yield the right-of-way while making a left turn and struck the southbound cyclist. The impact ejected the cyclist, causing a head injury with severe bleeding. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet. The SUV’s left front bumper was damaged. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. No injuries were reported for the SUV driver. The cyclist remained conscious after the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4616975 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 28 - A 16-year-old boy was hit by an SUV on 4 Avenue in Brooklyn. The vehicle struck him with its left front bumper as he crossed against the signal. The teen suffered bruises and injuries to his elbow and lower arm. The driver failed to yield.

According to the police report, a 16-year-old male pedestrian was injured after being struck by a 2012 SUV traveling north on 4 Avenue in Brooklyn. The collision occurred when the pedestrian crossed against the signal at the intersection. The SUV impacted the pedestrian with its left front bumper. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor to the crash. The pedestrian sustained contusions and injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle straight ahead. No other contributing factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4616368 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 23 - A BMW SUV slammed into the back of a 2022 Acura sedan on Belt Parkway. The sedan’s driver, a 40-year-old man, suffered a neck contusion. The crash was caused by driver inattention and following too closely. Both vehicles traveled westbound.

According to the police report, a 2023 BMW SUV rear-ended a 2022 Acura sedan on Belt Parkway. The sedan’s 40-year-old male driver was injured, sustaining a neck contusion but remained conscious and was wearing a lap belt and harness. The report lists driver errors as "Driver Inattention/Distraction" and "Following Too Closely." Both vehicles were traveling westbound, going straight ahead at the time of the crash. The point of impact was the center back end of the SUV and the center front end of the sedan. No occupants were reported in the vehicles other than the injured driver. The crash highlights the dangers of distracted driving and tailgating on high-speed roadways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4614998 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 23 - Senator Gounardes wants a 25-cent fee on every online package. The money would fund city infrastructure. Trucks crowd streets. Packages pile up. The bill aims to slow the flood. City Hall will review. Delivery giants face new rules. Streets stay dangerous.

State Senator Andrew Gounardes introduced a bill on March 23, 2023, proposing a 25-cent surcharge on every online delivery package in New York City. The bill, now under review, aims to raise $226 million yearly for city infrastructure. Gounardes said, "We're proposing an infrastructure fund to help pay for some of the capital costs to mitigate some of the consequences of last-mile trucking, and freight growth." The bill responds to a surge in daily package deliveries, now at 2.3 million, and forecasts of 200,000 trucks a day by 2045. Gounardes, the bill's sponsor, wants the city—not the MTA—to control the funds. City Hall has not taken a position but said it welcomes ideas to limit emissions and advance infrastructure. The bill joins other efforts to regulate last-mile delivery and warehouse placement. No formal safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• State Senator Seeks Online Delivery Charge to Fund City Infrastructure, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-23

Mar 21 - Two sedans collided on 76 Street in Brooklyn. One driver failed to yield right-of-way. The front passenger, an 82-year-old woman, suffered a head injury and shock. Both vehicles showed front-end damage from the impact.

According to the police report, two sedans crashed on 76 Street in Brooklyn. One vehicle was traveling north going straight, while the other was making a right turn westbound. The collision occurred when one driver failed to yield the right-of-way. The front passenger in the westbound sedan, an 82-year-old woman, was injured with a head injury and experienced shock. She was wearing a lap belt and harness and was not ejected from the vehicle. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage, with impact points on the right front bumper and left front bumper respectively. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4614427 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 21 - A 68-year-old woman was struck at an intersection by an unlicensed male e-bike rider. The impact hit the pedestrian’s head, leaving her unconscious with internal injuries. The driver failed to yield right-of-way, causing serious harm.

According to the police report, a male e-bike rider traveling north on 7 Avenue struck a 68-year-old female pedestrian at the intersection with 72 Street. The pedestrian was injured in the head and rendered unconscious, suffering internal injuries. The report lists "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" as a contributing factor by the driver. The e-bike’s center front end made impact, damaging the vehicle. The driver was unlicensed at the time of the crash. The pedestrian was in the roadway performing other actions when struck. No safety equipment or helmet use was noted. The crash highlights the dangers posed by unlicensed operators failing to yield to pedestrians.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4614455 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 21 - 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

Mar 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

Mar 14 - A 68-year-old man was hit by a sedan making a left turn on 65 Street in Brooklyn. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal. The driver failed to yield and was distracted. The man suffered a head injury and remained conscious.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling west on 65 Street in Brooklyn struck a 68-year-old male pedestrian at an intersection while making a left turn. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the collision occurred. The pedestrian sustained a head injury and was conscious after the crash. The report lists driver errors including Driver Inattention/Distraction and Failure to Yield Right-of-Way. The vehicle's point of impact was the center front end, indicating the driver did not stop or slow adequately. No safety equipment or pedestrian fault was noted. The driver was licensed and operating a 2007 Nissan sedan.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4612963 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 14 - Albany lawmakers plug the MTA’s budget hole and block a fare hike. They launch a free bus pilot but refuse funds for more frequent service. Riders wait. Advocates warn: infrequent buses and trains leave New Yorkers stranded, exposed, and at risk.

On March 14, 2023, state legislators proposed a budget to fill the MTA’s fiscal deficit, avoid a fare hike, and fund a pilot for free buses. The bill, still under negotiation before the April 1 deadline, does not include the $300 million sought to boost off-peak bus and subway service to every six minutes. The matter summary reads: 'Legislators in Albany have proposed a budget to fill the MTA's fiscal hole, avert a fare hike, and fund a small pilot of free buses across New York City.' Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani and State Senator Andrew Gounardes pledged to keep fighting for better frequency. MTA Chairman Janno Lieber praised stable funding. Advocates like Betsy Plum criticized the omission: 'The legislature's budget ignores millions of riders stranded 12, 15, 20 minutes or more on subway platforms and at bus stops.' The budget’s failure to expand service leaves vulnerable riders waiting longer, exposed to danger and delay.

• State Legislators Fill MTA Fiscal Hole, Reject Fare Hike — But Don’t Expand Service, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-14

Mar 14 - Albany lawmakers plug the MTA’s budget hole and block a fare hike. They launch a free bus pilot but refuse to fund more frequent service. Riders wait. The streets stay dangerous. The system limps on. Vulnerable New Yorkers are left behind.

On March 14, 2023, state legislators proposed a budget to address the MTA’s fiscal crisis. The plan, discussed in committee, fills the funding gap and stops a fare hike. It launches a free bus pilot in low-income and commercial districts. The bill, backed by Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, does not include the $300 million needed to run buses and subways every six minutes off-peak. The matter summary states: 'Legislators in Albany have proposed a budget to fill the MTA's fiscal hole, avert a fare hike, and fund a small pilot of free buses.' Hoylman-Sigal supported ending Madison Square Garden’s tax break to help fund transit. Advocates and lawmakers like Zohran Mamdani blasted the omission, warning that infrequent service leaves riders stranded and exposed. The budget keeps the system afloat but fails to deliver safer, more reliable transit for those most at risk.

• State Legislators Fill MTA Fiscal Hole, Reject Fare Hike — But Don’t Expand Service, streetsblog.org, Published 2023-03-14

Mar 8 - Three Bay Ridge officers got city and state awards for shielding students during a deadly U-Haul rampage. The driver struck eight, killed one. Officers rushed to shelter kids. Politicians praised quick action. Community demanded tougher traffic violence measures and mental health support.

On March 8, 2023, State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Council Member Justin Brannan honored officers from the 68th Precinct for their response to the February U-Haul attack in Bay Ridge. The event, not tied to a specific council bill, recognized police who 'evacuated and sheltered school children' as a driver struck eight pedestrians and killed one. Gounardes said, 'These students, their families and our entire community here in southern Brooklyn will be forever grateful.' Brannan called the response 'a shining example' of local policing. The commendation took place at Bay Ridge Preparatory School. The incident sparked calls for 'enhanced measures against traffic violence' and more mental health resources at a vigil for the victims. No formal safety analysis was provided, but the focus remained on protecting vulnerable road users and preventing future harm.

• ‘Heroic’ Bay Ridge officers honored for protecting students during U-Haul attack, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-03-08

Mar 8 - Three Bay Ridge officers got city and state awards for shielding students during a deadly U-Haul rampage. The driver struck eight, killed one. Officers rushed to shelter kids. Politicians praised quick action. Community demanded tougher traffic violence measures and mental health support.

On March 8, 2023, State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Council Member Justin Brannan honored officers from the 68th Precinct for their response to the February U-Haul attack in Bay Ridge. The event, not tied to a specific council bill, recognized police who 'evacuated and sheltered school children' as a driver struck eight pedestrians and killed one. Gounardes said, 'These students, their families and our entire community here in southern Brooklyn will be forever grateful.' Brannan called the response 'a shining example' of local policing. The commendation took place at Bay Ridge Preparatory School. The incident sparked calls for 'enhanced measures against traffic violence' and more mental health resources at a vigil for the victims. No formal safety analysis was provided, but the focus remained on protecting vulnerable road users and preventing future harm.

• ‘Heroic’ Bay Ridge officers honored for protecting students during U-Haul attack, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-03-08

Mar 4 - Brooklyn power players met behind closed doors. They fought to keep the BQE wide and fast. Former party boss Frank Seddio led the charge. Some officials want fewer lanes for cleaner air and safer streets. City Hall claims neutrality. The debate rages on.

On March 4, 2023, a closed-door City Hall meeting gathered Brooklyn political figures to debate the future of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The event, organized by Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi, focused on whether to reduce the BQE from three lanes to two. Former Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Frank Seddio opposed the lane reduction, urging allies to resist the change. The meeting excluded some officials who support shrinking the highway, such as Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon and State Senator Andrew Gounardes, who cite environmental and community health concerns. Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized the city for favoring a three-lane solution and sidelining affected communities. City Hall denied taking a side, stating, 'the decision would be based on a DOT traffic study.' No formal council bill or vote was recorded, and no safety analyst assessed the impact on vulnerable road users.

• THE POWER BROKERS: Brooklyn Machine Fights Smaller BQE at Closed-Door City Hall Meeting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-04

Mar 3 - South Brooklyn residents rallied in Coney Island. They slammed the MTA’s bus redesign plan. Protesters warned that cutting stops would strand seniors and people with disabilities. Council Member Justin Brannan led the charge, demanding the MTA keep vital service for vulnerable riders.

On March 2, 2023, Council Member Justin Brannan (District 47) joined southern Brooklyn residents at a public protest against the MTA’s proposed Brooklyn bus network redesign. The event, covered by brooklynpaper.com, centered on fears that eliminating bus stops would harm those with few transit options. The matter, titled 'Southern Brooklynites blast MTA’s proposed bus redesign at Coney Island protest,' drew attention to the impact on seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income riders. Brannan launched a petition urging the MTA to reconsider, stating, 'I'm going to make sure the MTA knows this plan won't fly with me.' The protest reflects deep concern that the redesign would cut lifelines for the city’s most vulnerable road users.

• Southern Brooklynites blast MTA’s proposed bus redesign at Coney Island protest, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-03-03

Mar 3 - 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

Mar 3 - Governor Hochul’s budget dodges state duty. City pays more, gets less. Riders face fare hikes, no better service. State hoards surplus, starves transit. Lawmakers protest. Suburbs dodge taxes. The city shoulders the load. Riders pay the price. Streets stay dangerous.

Governor Hochul’s 2023 state budget proposal, analyzed March 3, 2023, keeps New York State’s long-running refusal to match MTA funding under law 18-b. The budget, now under legislative review, forces New York City to cover a $500 million gap, while the state sits on an $8.7 billion surplus. The matter: 'Hochul's budget not only asks city residents to cover the largest chunk of the MTA's budget gap, but does so in part by continuing long-running practices that essentially under-fund the MTA by millions of dollars each year.' Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas and State Sen. Andrew Gounardes both object, demanding the state honor its legal obligations. Riders Alliance and Reinvent Albany condemn the austerity. With fare hikes looming and no service improvements, city transit riders—often pedestrians and cyclists—bear the brunt. The budget leaves vulnerable road users exposed, as transit stagnates and car dominance persists.

• Analysis: Hochul Turns Her Back on Transit Riders With Her MTA Budget, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-03

Feb 26 - Four people hurt in a chain-reaction crash on the Belt Parkway Ramp. SUVs slammed together. Whiplash and back injuries. Police blame following too closely. Metal crumpled. Pain followed.

According to the police report, a multi-vehicle crash unfolded on the Belt Parkway Ramp in Brooklyn. Four occupants—three men driving and one woman riding up front—suffered whiplash, back, and chest injuries. All remained conscious and wore lap belts. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' as the cause. SUVs and a sedan struck each other, crushing center front and back ends. No one was ejected. The crash shows the danger when drivers tailgate on ramps. Driver error, specifically following too closely, led to the collision and injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4608801 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 22 - A sedan crashed into an e-bike in Brooklyn. Two e-bike riders, a man and a woman, suffered bruises. Police cite driver distraction. Metal twisted. Riders hurt. Streets unforgiving.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling west on Fort Hamilton Parkway struck a northbound e-bike at 65th Street in Brooklyn. The e-bike carried three people. Two were injured: a 40-year-old male driver and a 33-year-old female passenger, both suffering contusions and bruises. The sedan’s left front bumper and the e-bike’s right front quarter panel were damaged. The report lists "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as the contributing factor. No safety equipment was noted for the e-bike riders. The crash underscores the danger when drivers lose focus and vulnerable road users pay the price.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4607547 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 21 - Two SUVs crashed on 67th Street in Brooklyn. The female driver suffered chest injuries and shock. Both vehicles hit front bumpers. Police cited driver inattention as the cause. The injured driver was restrained and not ejected.

According to the police report, two sport utility vehicles collided on 67th Street in Brooklyn. The female driver of one SUV was injured, sustaining chest trauma and shock. She was wearing a lap belt and harness and was not ejected from the vehicle. The crash involved impact to the right front bumper of one SUV and the left front bumper of the other. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors. The female driver was going straight ahead while the male driver was entering a parked position. No other injuries or contributing factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4607394 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19