Speed Kills Here. City Lets It Happen.

Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians win the right to cross anywhere, signals or not. The law strips police of power to ticket walkers. Streets shift. The city must now teach all road users the new rules.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, amends city code to let pedestrians cross streets at any point, even against signals. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed it on October 26, 2024. The bill states: 'crossing against a traffic signal or outside a crosswalk will not be a violation.' Council Member Tiffany Cabán led, joined by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, Restler, Mealy, Louis, and Bottcher. The law bans summonses for jaywalking and orders the Department of Transportation to educate the public on new rights and responsibilities. The mayor returned it unsigned. This law removes a tool long used to target vulnerable New Yorkers.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Senate bill S 8658 orders $90 million for faster, more reliable buses and fare-free rides. Sponsors push MTA to act. Riders wait for relief. Streets choke on traffic. The city holds its breath.

Senate bill S 8658, introduced on February 27, 2024, sits in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'get congestion pricing right act,' directs the MTA to spend $45 million to boost bus frequency and reliability, and another $45 million to expand fare-free bus pilots in New York City. Senators Michael Gianaris (primary sponsor), Jabari Brisport, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and Julia Salazar back the measure. The bill demands reporting on these investments. No safety analyst has yet assessed its impact on vulnerable road users.

• File S 8658, Open States, Published 2024-02-27

A truck killed Danielle Aber in a Greenpoint crosswalk. The driver had a record of speeding. Kristen Gonzalez demanded tougher laws for repeat offenders and urgent safety fixes on Nassau Avenue. Officials say policy failure and missing infrastructure left Aber exposed.

On February 27, 2024, State Senator Kristen Gonzalez responded to the death of Danielle Aber, who was struck and killed by a truck in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The driver, Stanley Manel, was charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care. Gonzalez, representing District 59, called for the state to pass stricter traffic laws targeting drivers with multiple school zone speed camera violations, noting Manel's history of speeding. Assembly Member Emily Gallagher joined Gonzalez, highlighting the lack of traffic calming on Nassau Avenue, where Aber was killed. Gallagher stated, 'Nothing to slow traffic on Nassau: no signal, stop sign, even a painted crosswalk.' The officials urged immediate installation of pedestrian safety measures and renewed calls for policy changes to protect vulnerable road users. The incident marks the first traffic fatality in Northern Brooklyn in 2024, underscoring systemic failures in street design and enforcement.

• Greenpoint woman dies of injuries after being hit by truck in crosswalk, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2024-02-27

Danielle Aber died on Nassau Avenue. The driver, Stanley Manel, had 26 speed camera tickets. He faced minor charges. Officials demand action: lower speed limits, force repeat offenders to install speed controls, and redesign deadly streets. The city’s inaction kills.

On February 25, 2024, after Danielle Aber was killed by a repeat speeding driver in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, a coalition of elected officials demanded sweeping changes. The group—Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Council Member Lincoln Restler, and U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez—called for passage of two state bills: one mandating intelligent speed assistance devices for drivers with six or more speeding tickets in a year, and 'Sammy’s Law,' which would let the City Council lower speed limits. Their statement read, 'We’re calling on the New York State legislature to pass two critical bills that would lead to fewer incidents of traffic violence.' They also urged the Department of Transportation to install raised crosswalks and daylighting at intersections, and to convert Nassau and Norman avenues to one-way streets. The officials’ push highlights the deadly gap in accountability and infrastructure that leaves vulnerable road users at risk.

• Greenpoint Woman Dies from Injuries Sustained in Crash, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-25

A Jeep SUV changed lanes and struck a moped traveling south on 31st Street in Queens. The moped driver, a 36-year-old man, was ejected and suffered abrasions and leg injuries. Police cited driver inattention and failure to yield as causes.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on 31st Street in Queens at 3:46 p.m. A 2005 Jeep SUV, traveling south and changing lanes, collided with a 2023 Zhilo moped also traveling south. The moped driver, a 36-year-old male occupant, was ejected from his vehicle and sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors attributed to the SUV driver. The moped driver was injured but conscious. The SUV sustained damage to its right side doors, indicating the point of impact. The moped's front center end was damaged. The moped driver was not cited with any contributing factors, and no victim behaviors were noted as contributing in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4704652 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A man crossing Steinway Street in Queens was hit by a northbound vehicle. He suffered a back contusion but stayed conscious. Police cited pedestrian confusion as a factor. The crash happened away from any intersection.

According to the police report, a 32-year-old male pedestrian was struck and injured while crossing Steinway Street in Queens at 4:18 AM. The crash occurred away from an intersection or crosswalk. The northbound vehicle hit the pedestrian at the center front end but sustained no damage. The pedestrian suffered a back contusion and remained conscious. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. No driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding were cited. The report does not provide details on the vehicle or driver. The focus remains on the pedestrian’s crossing location and confusion, as noted in the police report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4704809 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A truck hit a woman crossing Sutton Street in Greenpoint. She lies in critical condition. The driver, with a long record of violations, faces charges. Council Member Restler and others demand safer streets, calling out reckless driving and deadly intersections.

On February 23, 2024, Council Member Lincoln Restler (District 33) joined other officials in a public statement after a truck struck a pedestrian at Sutton Street and Nassau Avenue in Greenpoint. The incident left a 49-year-old woman in critical condition. The driver, Stanley Manel, was arrested and charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care. The officials' statement read: 'We’re deeply saddened and outraged at the news of yet another pedestrian being struck by an unsafe driver in Greenpoint.' Restler and colleagues highlighted the intersection's dangers and the driver's history—35 tickets since 2019, including 26 speed camera violations. They urged support for bills requiring speed control devices for repeat offenders and for Sammy’s Law, which would let NYC set its own speed limits. The group called on the Department of Transportation to install raised crosswalks and daylighting to protect pedestrians.

• Driver arrested after crash that left Greenpoint pedestrian in critical condition, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2024-02-23

Pickup truck smashed into a sedan’s side on 28th Avenue. Airbag burst. Harness pressed tight. A 29-year-old woman, belted and still, died in her seat. Alcohol played its part. Metal and blood pooled in Queens before dawn.

A pickup truck struck the side of a westbound sedan on 28th Avenue near 47th Street in Queens, killing a 29-year-old front passenger. According to the police report, the woman was belted and seated upright when the impact tore open the airbag and left her bleeding out in her seat. The crash occurred at 4:09 a.m. The report explicitly lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor. The pickup was traveling straight ahead, while the sedan was also moving westbound. The police narrative states: 'A pickup struck a westbound sedan’s side. The front passenger, 29, belted and still, bled out in her seat. Airbag torn open. Harness tight across her chest. Alcohol was involved.' No evidence in the report suggests any contributing behavior on the part of the victim. The focus remains on the lethal combination of driver action and alcohol involvement.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4705035 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A reckless driver with a long record struck a woman in a Greenpoint crosswalk. She clings to life. Officials demand action: lower speed limits, mandate speed devices, redesign streets. The city’s system failed to stop a repeat offender. Streets remain deadly.

On February 22, 2024, a woman was struck and critically injured by Stanley Manel, a driver with 26 prior speed camera violations, at Sutton Street and Nassau Avenue in Greenpoint. Manel was charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care. Nassau Avenue, a two-way street used by cyclists, lacks protective infrastructure. Following the crash, Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Council Member Lincoln Restler, and U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez called for passage of two state bills: one requiring repeat speeding offenders to install intelligent speed assistance devices, and Sammy's Law, which would let the City Council lower speed limits. They also urged the Department of Transportation to install raised crosswalks and daylighting at intersections. Their statement reads: “Lowering the speed limit and enforcing real accountability for dangerous drivers are urgent steps we must take to protect New Yorkers.”

• Serious Crash in Greenpoint Again Reveals Flaws in City Design, Enforcement Against Reckless Drivers, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-22

A 41-year-old male bicyclist suffered upper arm and shoulder injuries in Queens. The crash involved improper lane usage by another vehicle. The cyclist was conscious and complained of whiplash after the impact to the bike's rear center.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Northern Boulevard in Queens at 6:30 AM. The bicyclist, a 41-year-old man, was traveling eastbound on his bike when he was struck at the center back end. The report cites 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor, indicating driver error by the other vehicle involved. The bicyclist was injured with upper arm and shoulder trauma and complained of whiplash but was not ejected and remained conscious. The police report does not list any contributing factors related to the bicyclist's behavior or safety equipment. The collision's point of impact and vehicle damage confirm the bicyclist was hit from behind, underscoring the dangers posed by improper lane use and passing maneuvers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4704318 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A moped driver suffered knee and lower leg injuries after a collision with an SUV in Queens. The crash occurred at night when the moped struck the SUV’s left front bumper. Police cite traffic control disregard and driver distraction as causes.

According to the police report, the crash happened at 10:11 PM on 35 Street near 31 Avenue in Queens. A 39-year-old male moped driver was ejected and sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The moped collided with the left front bumper of a northbound SUV. The report identifies 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The moped driver was wearing a helmet and held a permit license. The SUV driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead. The impact occurred at the center front end of the moped and the left front bumper of the SUV. The report highlights driver errors, specifically failure to obey traffic controls and distraction, as key causes of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4702921 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A sedan struck a 61-year-old man crossing 41 Avenue in Queens. The man suffered head injuries and bruises. Driver visibility was blocked. The car’s front bumper was destroyed.

According to the police report, a 2018 Toyota sedan heading north on 41 Avenue in Queens hit a 61-year-old male pedestrian who was crossing in a marked crosswalk. The pedestrian suffered head injuries and bruising but remained conscious. The sedan’s right front bumper was demolished in the crash. The report lists 'View Obstructed/Limited' and 'Obstruction/Debris' as contributing factors, showing that the driver’s visibility was compromised. These driver-related errors played a central role in the collision. The pedestrian’s actions were noted but not cited as a cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4703325 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A Queens crash on Ditmars Boulevard left a 32-year-old male driver injured. Two SUVs and a sedan collided when one vehicle failed to yield right-of-way. The impact caused elbow and lower arm injuries, highlighting dangerous driver errors in traffic.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 7:55 AM on Ditmars Boulevard in Queens. The collision involved two Station Wagons/SUVs and one sedan. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. One SUV was 'Starting in Traffic' while the other was 'Stopped in Traffic,' and the sedan was 'Going Straight Ahead.' The point of impact was the left front bumper of the sedan and one SUV, and the right front bumper of the other SUV. A 32-year-old male driver, an occupant in one of the vehicles, suffered injuries to his elbow and lower arm but was not ejected and remained conscious. The report does not list any contributing factors related to the victim's behavior. This crash underscores the dangers posed by driver errors, specifically failure to yield, in multi-vehicle collisions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4702919 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A sedan and an SUV collided in Queens, injuring three men. All occupants suffered back or arm injuries and whiplash. Both drivers were licensed and traveling north. The SUV was parked pre-crash; the sedan was moving straight ahead at impact.

According to the police report, the crash occurred in Queens near 24-70 29 Street at 12:54 a.m. A 2018 Ford sedan traveling north and a 2021 Ford SUV, initially parked, collided. The SUV sustained center back end damage, while the sedan had front center damage. The sedan driver and two passengers, all males aged 31 to 32, were injured with back injuries, whiplash, and contusions. All occupants were conscious and restrained with lap belts and harnesses. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The report lists contributing factors as unspecified, with no mention of driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The focus remains on the collision dynamics and resulting injuries without attributing fault to the victims.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4702430 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

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 2024-02-13

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 2024-02-13

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 2024-02-13

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 2024-02-13

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 2024-02-13

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 2024-02-13