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

Apr 30 - Council Member Yusef Salaam pushes a resolution urging Albany to force repeat speeders to install speed governors. Families of crash victims and advocates rally behind the move. The bill targets drivers with six or more tickets. Support grows after deadly crashes.

On April 30, 2025, Council Member Yusef Salaam, Chair of the Committee on Public Safety, introduced a City Council resolution supporting New York State Senate Bill S7621. The bill, now pending, would let courts require drivers with six or more automated speeding tickets in a year to install speed limiter devices. Salaam’s resolution, co-sponsored by five council members, urges Albany to act. The matter title: 'Council Member Yusef Salaam Throws Support Behind Albany Push To Rein In Speeding Drivers.' Salaam said, 'It's very simple: it's to save lives.' The hearing drew families of crash victims and advocates like Amy Cohen and Darnell Sealy-McCrorey, who lost loved ones to reckless drivers. Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and other officials back the measure. Salaam’s leadership signals growing momentum for the first bill of its kind in the country.

• Council Member Yusef Salaam Throws Support Behind Albany Push To Rein In Speeding Drivers, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-30

Apr 30 - A stolen Porsche sped through Brooklyn. Police set a roadblock. The car veered toward officers. One fired. The driver, struck, crashed again and died at the hospital. The chase ended in Starrett City. No officers or passengers were reported hurt.

Gothamist reported on April 30, 2025, that NYPD officers shot and killed a man driving a stolen Porsche after a chase on the Belt Parkway. Police said the driver, spotted near Brighton Beach, "maneuvered onto the service road in [the] direction of several officers who set up a roadblock to stop this vehicle." When the driver "veered toward one of the officers and nearly hit him," an officer fired, striking the driver. The car continued another mile before crashing again. The driver died at Brookdale Hospital. The incident was captured on police body cameras. Officers were treated at local hospitals but not injured. The article notes this was the fourth fatal police shooting by NYPD in 2025. The event highlights risks of high-speed chases and the dangers posed by fleeing vehicles near roadblocks.

• Police Shoot Driver After Parkway Chase, Gothamist, Published 2025-04-30

Apr 28 - Council pushes Albany to force speed limiters on chronic speeders. The move targets reckless drivers. Streets stay deadly while the bill sits in committee. Pedestrians and cyclists wait for action.

Resolution 0854-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, urges passage of S.7621/A.7979. The measure calls for 'requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by nine co-sponsors including Yusef Salaam and Shahana Hanif. The bill landed in committee on April 24, 2025, with no vote yet. If passed at the state level, it would force repeat speeders to install devices that block speeding. The Council’s action highlights the ongoing risk to vulnerable road users as reckless drivers remain unchecked.

• File Res 0854-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-28

Apr 28 - Council pushes Albany to force speed limiters on chronic speeders. The move targets reckless drivers. Streets stay deadly while the bill sits in committee. Pedestrians and cyclists wait for action.

Resolution 0854-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, urges passage of S.7621/A.7979. The measure calls for 'requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by nine co-sponsors including Yusef Salaam and Shahana Hanif. The bill landed in committee on April 24, 2025, with no vote yet. If passed at the state level, it would force repeat speeders to install devices that block speeding. The Council’s action highlights the ongoing risk to vulnerable road users as reckless drivers remain unchecked.

• File Res 0854-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-28

Apr 24 - Two SUVs collided on 68th Street in Brooklyn. One driver lost consciousness. Three people hurt. Metal twisted. Pain followed. The street bore the mark of impact.

Two station wagons collided on 68th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a driver lost consciousness, causing the crash. Three people were injured: a 40-year-old male driver, a 53-year-old male driver, and a 47-year-old male passenger. The report lists 'Lost Consciousness' as the contributing factor. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The injured wore lap belts and harnesses. The crash left pain and damage in its wake.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807897 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 24 - Council bill orders NYPD to check temp plates and VINs. Cops must publish parking enforcement reports. Bill sits in Public Safety. Streets stay risky while data hides in shadows.

Int 1252-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced April 24, 2025. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to police department parking enforcement.' Council Members Farah N. Louis (primary), Oswald Feliz, Justin L. Brannan, Lincoln Restler, Robert F. Holden, and Chris Banks sponsor the measure. It forces NYPD to verify license plates and VINs on vehicles with temp tags or those ticketed for violations. NYPD must also publish quarterly parking enforcement reports. No safety analyst has assessed the bill's impact on vulnerable road users.

• File Int 1252-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

Apr 24 - Council pushes Albany to force speed limiters on chronic speeders. The move targets reckless drivers. Streets stay deadly while the bill sits in committee. Pedestrians and cyclists wait for action.

Resolution 0854-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, urges passage of S.7621/A.7979. The measure calls for 'requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by nine co-sponsors including Yusef Salaam and Shahana Hanif. The bill landed in committee on April 24, 2025, with no vote yet. If passed at the state level, it would force repeat speeders to install devices that block speeding. The Council’s action highlights the ongoing risk to vulnerable road users as reckless drivers remain unchecked.

• File Res 0854-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

Apr 24 - Council pushes Albany to force speed limiters on chronic speeders. The move targets reckless drivers. Streets stay deadly while the bill sits in committee. Pedestrians and cyclists wait for action.

Resolution 0854-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, urges passage of S.7621/A.7979. The measure calls for 'requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by nine co-sponsors including Yusef Salaam and Shahana Hanif. The bill landed in committee on April 24, 2025, with no vote yet. If passed at the state level, it would force repeat speeders to install devices that block speeding. The Council’s action highlights the ongoing risk to vulnerable road users as reckless drivers remain unchecked.

• File Res 0854-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

Apr 24 - Council pushes Albany to force speed limiters on chronic speeders. The move targets reckless drivers. Streets stay deadly while the bill sits in committee. Pedestrians and cyclists wait for action.

Resolution 0854-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, urges passage of S.7621/A.7979. The measure calls for 'requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by nine co-sponsors including Yusef Salaam and Shahana Hanif. The bill landed in committee on April 24, 2025, with no vote yet. If passed at the state level, it would force repeat speeders to install devices that block speeding. The Council’s action highlights the ongoing risk to vulnerable road users as reckless drivers remain unchecked.

• File Res 0854-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

Apr 24 - Council pushes Albany to force speed limiters on chronic speeders. The move targets reckless drivers. Streets stay deadly while the bill sits in committee. Pedestrians and cyclists wait for action.

Resolution 0854-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, urges passage of S.7621/A.7979. The measure calls for 'requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by nine co-sponsors including Yusef Salaam and Shahana Hanif. The bill landed in committee on April 24, 2025, with no vote yet. If passed at the state level, it would force repeat speeders to install devices that block speeding. The Council’s action highlights the ongoing risk to vulnerable road users as reckless drivers remain unchecked.

• File Res 0854-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

Apr 24 - A 101-year-old woman crossed with the light. An SUV turned left. The driver was unlicensed. She died days later. Her family mourns. The street remains the same.

According to the New York Post (April 24, 2025), Taibel Brod, 101, was fatally struck by a 2023 GMC Yukon while crossing Brooklyn Avenue at Montgomery Street in Crown Heights. Police say Brod had the light. The driver, Menachem Shagalow, 65, was unlicensed and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation and failure to exercise due care. The article quotes Brod's grandson: "She was extremely independent till her last day." Brod died less than two weeks after the crash. The incident highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians, especially from unlicensed drivers. Shagalow was released with a desk appearance ticket. The case underscores persistent gaps in enforcement and street design that leave vulnerable road users exposed.

• Unlicensed Driver Kills Brooklyn Matriarch, New York Post, Published 2025-04-24

Apr 23 - Taibel Brod crossed with the light. The SUV turned left, struck her. She fell. Two weeks later, she died. The driver had no license. Police charged him. The street stayed open. The city moved on.

NY Daily News reported on April 23, 2025, that Taibel Brod, 101, was killed after an SUV hit her while she crossed Montgomery St. in Crown Heights with the walk signal. The driver, Menachem Shagalow, turned left without a license and struck Brod. Police charged him with aggravated unlicensed operation and failure to exercise due care. The article quotes Brod’s son, who called the crash a "tragedy." Brod died from her injuries nearly two weeks later. The case highlights persistent dangers for pedestrians, especially from unlicensed drivers and left turns at intersections. No changes to the street were reported.

• Unlicensed SUV Driver Kills Brooklyn Elder, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-23

Apr 22 - A bus struck two SUVs on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Nine people hurt. Children and adults suffered head, face, back, and leg injuries. Driver inattention listed as the cause. Metal, glass, pain. No pedestrians involved.

A bus crashed into two SUVs on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway in Brooklyn. According to the police report, driver inattention and distraction caused the crash. Nine people were injured, including children and adults. Injuries ranged from head and face wounds to back and leg pain. The bus hit the center rear of both SUVs. Passengers and drivers were shaken, some left with visible injuries, others with complaints of pain or nausea. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the main contributing factor. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807696 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 22 - SUV hit an 83-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She suffered arm abrasions. Police cite failure to yield and driver distraction. The street became a danger zone in seconds.

An 83-year-old woman was struck by a southbound SUV while crossing 92nd Street with the signal. She suffered abrasions to her arm. According to the police report, the driver failed to yield right-of-way and was inattentive or distracted. The crash happened at the intersection, with the SUV’s front end making contact. No injuries were reported for the driver or other occupants. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The pedestrian’s actions were lawful. Systemic danger persists at crossings where drivers disregard signals.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807425 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 19 - A sedan driver opened a door into a northbound e-bike. The rider, twenty, suffered arm abrasions. Police cite driver inattention. Metal and flesh met on 13th Avenue. The street did not forgive.

An e-bike rider, age twenty, was injured when a parked sedan's door struck him on 13th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, both vehicles were northbound; the sedan was parked, the e-bike was moving straight. The e-bike rider suffered abrasions to his arm. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The sedan's right side doors were damaged. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806653 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 19 - Two SUVs slammed together on the Gowanus Expressway. Passengers suffered head and back injuries. Speed and distraction fueled the crash. Metal twisted. Pain followed.

On the Gowanus Expressway eastbound exit 18 in Brooklyn, two SUVs collided. Several passengers were injured, including a 31-year-old man with head trauma and a 25-year-old woman with back injuries. According to the police report, 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' were major contributing factors. The report also lists 'Other Vehicular' as a factor. One driver was unlicensed. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The impact left multiple people in shock and pain, underscoring the danger when speed and distraction take the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806652 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 17 - Sedan turned left. E-scooter kept straight. Impact was hard. Fifteen-year-old girl thrown, head cut. Police cite failure to yield. Brooklyn street, late at night. Another young rider hurt.

A sedan making a left turn on 7th Avenue collided with a northbound e-scooter. The e-scooter driver, a 15-year-old girl, suffered a head injury and was partially ejected. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The sedan struck the e-scooter at the center front end. No other injuries were reported. The crash happened late at night in Brooklyn. The police report lists only the driver’s failure to yield as a contributing factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806815 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 17 - SUV struck right front. Elderly driver hurt. Head injury. Shock. Crash triggered by reaction to another vehicle. Belt Parkway, Brooklyn. No pedestrians or cyclists involved.

An 82-year-old woman driving a 2006 Chevy SUV on Belt Parkway in Brooklyn was injured when her vehicle's right front quarter panel was struck. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle.' The driver suffered a head injury and was in shock. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The report lists 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as the contributing factor. The driver was wearing a lap belt and harness.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806393 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 16 - Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez indicted a repeat speeder for killing three. He slammed weak laws. Tickets pile up, but drivers dodge real punishment. Gonzalez backed a bill for speed limiters on chronic offenders. He demanded action to stop reckless driving and protect lives.

On April 16, 2025, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez issued a forceful statement after indicting Miriam Yarimi, a repeat speeder, for killing three family members in Brooklyn. Gonzalez criticized New York’s laws, saying, 'The law is very restrictive in allowing district attorney’s to pursue murder charges in these types of cases.' He noted Yarimi’s 21 speeding and five red-light tickets did not trigger license points or insurance penalties. Gonzalez questioned why the NYPD cannot seize cars based on repeated violations and called for legislative change. He endorsed State Sen. Andrew Gounardes’s bill (S7621), which would require speed limiter technology for drivers with six or more automated enforcement tickets in a year, describing it as a way to fight 'violent car culture.' Gonzalez urged lawmakers to make it easier to prosecute and prevent reckless driving, centering the deadly risk to families and vulnerable road users.

• Brooklyn DA Lays Out Why Roads Are Unsafe, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-16

Apr 16 - New research from Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets announced a report detailing NYC's top 10 super speeders.

• Road report: Here’s where lead-foot drivers repeatedly get speed-camera tickets in NYC, The Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-04-16