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

Feb 21 - A father killed. Seven hurt. A U-Haul rampage tore through Bay Ridge. Neighbors gathered by candlelight. Officials called for safer streets and mental health care. The city mourned. The danger remains. Vision Zero is still just a promise.

On February 21, 2023, Bay Ridge held a vigil after a deadly U-Haul attack killed YiJie Ye, a delivery driver and father, and injured seven others. The event was not a council bill but a public response to traffic violence. State Senator Andrew Gounardes, mentioned in the event, spoke of the need for government action to make streets safer, saying, 'There’s work to do on every level of government to make the streets safer.' Mayor Eric Adams emphasized Vision Zero and the need for mental health resources, stating, 'Vision Zero [should be] an actualization as we make our streets safe.' Steve Mei, of the Chinese-American Planning Council, called for more city-funded mental health services, especially for seniors. The vigil underscored the community’s grief and the urgent need for systemic change to protect vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst assessment was provided.

• ‘He came here because of his three children’: Bay Ridge community honors victim of U-Haul attack at candlelit vigil, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-02-21

Feb 15 - Two vehicles crashed on Ridge Boulevard in Brooklyn. The SUV struck the sedan’s left front bumper. Both drivers and a front passenger suffered whiplash and neck or back injuries. Failure to yield and unsafe speed contributed to the crash.

According to the police report, a 2016 Ford SUV traveling south and a 2007 Mazda sedan traveling east collided on Ridge Boulevard. The SUV impacted the sedan’s left front bumper. The sedan’s driver, 33, and front passenger, 32, were injured with neck and back whiplash. The front passenger was wearing a lap belt and harness. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The sedan driver’s contributing factors were unspecified. Both drivers were licensed in New York. No occupants were ejected. The crash caused center front end damage to the SUV and left front bumper damage to the sedan.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605984 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - A GMC pickup hit a 66-year-old man head-on near 73rd Street. His neck was crushed. He lay semiconscious on the cold Brooklyn pavement. Aggressive driving. No time to yield. One driver. One wounded pedestrian. Steel against flesh.

A 2022 GMC pickup truck struck a 66-year-old man near 3rd Avenue and 73rd Street in Brooklyn. The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to his neck and was left semiconscious on the pavement. According to the police report, 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' contributed to the crash. The truck's center front end hit the man. No other injuries were reported. The report highlights driver aggression and failure to yield as key factors in this violent collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605835 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - A pickup truck hit a moped head-on near 3rd Avenue. The moped rider, thirty-two, lay torn and semiconscious. Blood pooled on the street. The truck’s front end crumpled. Aggressive driving fueled the crash. Flesh met steel in Brooklyn.

A pickup truck struck a moped head-on on 72nd Street near 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn. The 32-year-old moped rider suffered severe lacerations and was found semiconscious, according to the police report. The truck’s front end was crushed. According to the police report, 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' was a contributing factor in the crash. The moped rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data. No other injuries were reported. The scene left blood pooling on the asphalt, a stark mark of violence on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605829 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - A pickup truck and moped slammed head-on on Bay Ridge Parkway. The moped rider, a 44-year-old man, died from crush injuries. Aggressive driving and failure to yield paved the way. The street bore the weight of loss.

A deadly crash unfolded on Bay Ridge Parkway near 5th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a pickup truck and a moped collided head-on while both vehicles traveled straight. The 44-year-old man driving the moped suffered fatal crush injuries and died at the scene. The report lists 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as a contributing factor, highlighting dangerous driver behavior. The narrative states, 'Aggression and failure to yield cleared the path.' The moped rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause remains the aggressive actions behind the wheel. No other injuries were specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605745 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - A moped and a pickup truck collided head-on on Bay Ridge Parkway in Brooklyn. The moped driver, a 51-year-old man, suffered a head injury and concussion. Both vehicles were traveling north. Police cited aggressive driving as a contributing factor.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on Bay Ridge Parkway involving a moped and a pickup truck, both traveling north. The moped driver, a 51-year-old male occupant, sustained a head injury resulting in a concussion. The report lists aggressive driving or road rage as a contributing factor to the crash. Both vehicles impacted at their center front ends. The moped driver was not ejected and remained conscious after the crash. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted. The pickup truck was registered in Arizona and was a 2022 model. The moped driver was not using any safety equipment at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605830 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - A pick-up truck struck a 30-year-old male bicyclist on Bay Ridge Parkway. The cyclist suffered a fractured hip and upper leg. Police cited aggressive driving as a contributing factor. Both vehicles were traveling north and collided front to front.

According to the police report, a pick-up truck and a bicycle collided head-on on Bay Ridge Parkway. The bicyclist, a 30-year-old man, was injured with a fractured and dislocated hip and upper leg. The report lists aggressive driving and road rage as contributing factors. Both vehicles were traveling straight north when the crash occurred. The bicyclist was not ejected and was conscious after the crash. The truck sustained front-end damage, as did the bicycle. No safety equipment was noted for the bicyclist. The police report highlights the driver's aggressive behavior as the primary cause of the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4606406 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - A pick-up truck and an e-bike collided head-on on Fort Hamilton Parkway in Brooklyn. The 38-year-old female cyclist suffered abrasions and injuries to her knee and lower leg. Police cited aggressive driving as a contributing factor in the crash.

According to the police report, a pick-up truck and an e-bike traveling north on Fort Hamilton Parkway collided head-on. The cyclist, a 38-year-old woman, was injured with abrasions and trauma to her knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists aggressive driving and road rage as contributing factors to the crash. The cyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. The truck sustained damage to its center front end. The collision caused bodily injury to the cyclist, who remained conscious and was not ejected. No other driver errors or victim actions were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605831 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - A pick-up truck and a bicyclist collided head-on on Senator Street. The 33-year-old cyclist suffered knee and lower leg fractures. Police cited aggressive driving as a factor. The cyclist was conscious and not ejected but seriously injured.

According to the police report, a pick-up truck and a bicycle collided head-on while both were traveling north on Senator Street. The bicyclist, a 33-year-old man, sustained fractures and dislocations to his knee and lower leg. The report lists aggressive driving and road rage as contributing factors to the crash. The cyclist was not wearing any safety equipment and was conscious after the collision. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage. No other contributing factors were specified. The report does not assign fault to the bicyclist but highlights the driver's aggressive behavior as a key cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605836 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Feb 10 - An 11-year-old boy was struck by a pick-up truck while crossing Bay Ridge Avenue in Brooklyn. The truck hit him with its right front bumper. The boy suffered fractures and dislocations to his knee and lower leg. The driver was inattentive.

According to the police report, an 11-year-old pedestrian was injured after being hit by a 2021 Dodge pick-up truck traveling east on Bay Ridge Avenue in Brooklyn. The collision occurred when the boy was crossing outside an intersection. The truck struck the boy with its right front bumper, causing fractures and dislocations to his knee and lower leg. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of impact. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4604605 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 10 - An 83-year-old woman was struck by a sedan turning left on 3 Avenue in Brooklyn. She suffered a hip and upper leg injury. The driver failed to yield right-of-way and was distracted. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal.

According to the police report, an 83-year-old female pedestrian was injured while crossing 3 Avenue at an intersection in Brooklyn. The driver of a 2009 Ford sedan was making a left turn when the collision occurred. The pedestrian suffered a contusion and injuries to her hip and upper leg. The report lists driver errors as Failure to Yield Right-of-Way and Driver Inattention/Distraction. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal at the time of impact. The vehicle sustained no damage. The driver was licensed and traveling north. The pedestrian remained conscious after the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4604606 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 10 - Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.

• Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-10

Feb 6 - Lawmakers raced up Smith-9th Streets station. They showed how slow, underfunded trains force riders to run or wait in the cold. They called for more state money, not fare hikes. They want frequent, reliable service to pull people from cars and save lives.

On February 6, 2023, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon (District 52) joined a public event spotlighting the impact of MTA underfunding and slow subway service. The event, covered by brooklynpaper.com, saw Simon and other officials racing at Smith-9th Streets station to dramatize the daily struggle of straphangers. The matter focused on 'the impact of low MTA funding and long wait times.' Simon said, 'It is really critically important...for people to be able to take reliable, safe, regular, speedy-enough transit service. That’s what’s going to get people out of their cars.' State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymembers Robert Carroll and Zohran Mamdani also participated, urging Albany to boost state funding and implement congestion pricing. The lawmakers oppose fare hikes and the rider-funded model, calling for public dollars to improve frequency and reliability. No formal bill was cited, but the advocacy targets the state budget and MTA funding structure.

• Straphanger sprint: Pols race to subway platform to highlight slow service, MTA underfunding, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-02-06

Feb 5 - A 9-year-old boy was injured by an e-bike in Brooklyn. The bike, traveling north, hit the pedestrian outside the roadway. The child suffered abrasions and injuries to his knee and lower leg. Driver distraction and unsafe speed contributed to the crash.

According to the police report, an e-bike traveling north on 71st Street in Brooklyn struck a 9-year-old pedestrian who was not in the roadway. The child sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors, along with unsafe speed. The point of impact was the center front end of the e-bike. The pedestrian was conscious after the crash. No helmet or signaling issues were noted. The crash highlights the dangers posed by distracted e-bike riders traveling at unsafe speeds near pedestrians.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4603263 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 5 - Lawmakers and advocates climbed the city’s highest subway station. They demanded more from Governor Hochul’s MTA budget. They want six-minute off-peak trains. They reject fare hikes. They call for taxing the wealthy to fund better, faster service. Riders wait. Danger lingers.

On February 5, 2023, legislators and advocates rallied for increased MTA funding and more frequent subway service. The event, led by Assembly Members Zohran Mamdani and Robert Carroll, State Senator Andrew Gounardes, and Riders Alliance’s Betsy Plum, responded to Governor Hochul’s budget proposal. The matter: 'Advocates and legislators raced up the stairs...to press their case for Gov. Hochul to do more to fill the MTA's fiscal gap.' Hochul’s plan stabilizes finances but does not boost service or halt fare hikes. Mamdani and Gounardes called for six-minute off-peak trains and new taxes on the wealthy. Gounardes said, 'We all know that we need better service and we need more service.' The proposal remains under negotiation. No safety analyst has assessed the direct impact on vulnerable road users, but frequent, reliable transit is vital for their safety.

• ON THEIR MARKS: Legislators Demand More from Hochul’s MTA Budget Proposal, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-05

Jan 29 - Two vehicles crashed at 87 Street and Ridge Boulevard in Brooklyn. Both drivers were making right turns when impact occurred. One driver suffered back injuries and whiplash. Alcohol was involved. Damage focused on front ends of both vehicles.

According to the police report, a 2019 SUV and a 2020 sedan collided while both drivers were making right turns on 87 Street near Ridge Boulevard in Brooklyn. The SUV driver, a 24-year-old man, was injured with back pain and whiplash but was conscious and wearing a lap belt. The report lists alcohol involvement as a contributing factor. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage, with the SUV impacted on the left front bumper and the sedan on the center front end. No ejections occurred. The report does not specify other driver errors beyond alcohol involvement. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4601469 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 27 - A sedan backing north on 80th Street struck a westbound bicyclist. The 43-year-old woman suffered bruises and elbow injuries. Police cited driver inattention and unsafe backing. No vehicle damage was reported. The cyclist was conscious and not ejected.

According to the police report, a 2016 Volkswagen sedan was backing north on 80th Street in Brooklyn when it collided with a westbound bicyclist. The bicyclist, a 43-year-old woman, was injured with contusions and injuries to her elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report lists driver errors as backing unsafely and driver inattention or distraction. The cyclist was not wearing safety equipment and was conscious after the crash. The sedan and bike sustained no damage. The collision highlights the dangers of inattentive backing maneuvers in urban settings.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4601058 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 26 - Mayor Adams pledged $375 million for public spaces and open streets. He promised to crack down on reckless drivers and electrify for-hire vehicles by 2030. But he skipped transit upgrades, parking reform, and deeper equity. Critics called the vision incomplete.

""The ROADS Act, as mentioned by Mayor Adams today, could save hundreds of lives each year, and would be crucial in achieving Vision Zero, once and for all. I strongly support any and all efforts to crack down on reckless drivers and to keep our streets safe for all. I look forward to partnering with Mayor Adams to achieve that goal," he said." -- Andrew Gounardes

On January 26, 2023, Mayor Adams delivered his State of the City address, outlining new transportation and public space plans. The speech promised a $375-million investment in public spaces, permanent open streets, and a push for zero-emission for-hire vehicles by 2030. Adams also highlighted bills targeting reckless drivers and announced a new Director of the Public Realm. The mayor said, 'We will require the 100,000-plus high-volume for-hire vehicles to be zero-emissions by 2030.' Council Member Andrew Gounardes praised the ROADS Act, saying it 'could save hundreds of lives each year.' But advocates like Open Plans and Betsy Plum criticized the lack of action on transit equity, parking reform, and access for low-income New Yorkers. The address left out bus lane expansion, Fair Fares growth, and city fleet reduction, drawing fire for missing bold, systemic change.

• ANALYSIS: The Mayor’s State of the City: Something For Everyone (But Not Enough), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-26

Jan 25 - A bus struck an SUV starting from parking at 5 Avenue in Brooklyn. The SUV driver, a 23-year-old woman, suffered back contusions. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way as the cause. No ejections occurred. Damage hit front bumpers.

According to the police report, a bus traveling north collided with a 2019 SUV that was starting from parking near 6751 5 Avenue in Brooklyn. The SUV driver, a 23-year-old female occupant, was injured with back contusions but remained conscious and was not ejected. The report lists failure to yield right-of-way as the contributing factor to the crash. The bus impacted the right front bumper of the SUV, which sustained damage to its left front bumper. Another parked SUV was also damaged on its left rear bumper. The SUV driver was wearing a lap belt and harness at the time. The crash highlights driver error in yielding right-of-way at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4600596 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19