No More Bodies in the Road: Demand Safe Streets Now

A young man lies unconscious in the crosswalk, head bleeding, after a Toyota sedan hits him at Delancey and Clinton. The bumper is bent. The street holds its breath. Blood pools on the asphalt. Manhattan’s danger remains, silent and cold.

A 22-year-old man was struck by a Toyota sedan at the intersection of Delancey Street and Clinton Street in Manhattan, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 4:51 a.m. The report states the pedestrian was crossing against the signal when the collision occurred. The impact left the man unconscious in the crosswalk with a head injury and severe bleeding. The police narrative describes a bent bumper and blood pooling at the scene. The report lists the contributing factor for the driver as 'Unspecified.' The only victim behavior noted as a contributing factor is 'Crossing Against Signal,' which is mentioned after the absence of any cited driver error. The focus remains on the force of the impact and the ongoing systemic danger at this intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4755651, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council bill Int 1039-2024 would stop bike share operators from charging members more than a subway fare for short rides. The cap covers e-bikes up to one hour and regular bikes up to two hours. The bill sits in committee.

Int 1039-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on September 12, 2024. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to setting maximum amounts for certain member usage fees charged by a bike share operator.' Council Member Chi A. Ossé leads as primary sponsor, joined by Restler, Marte, Hudson, Cabán, Brannan, Hanif, Brewer, and Abreu. The bill would prohibit bike share companies from charging members more than the base subway fare for e-bike rides of one hour or less, or regular bike rides of two hours or less. The law would take effect 120 days after passage and apply to new or renewed contracts. This measure aims to keep bike share affordable for New Yorkers, making cycling a more accessible option.

• File Int 1039-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-12

Night on Pearl Street. A Tesla plows into a parked taxi. Steel folds. The cab driver, thirty-five, is pinned and crushed. Sirens echo, but the street holds its breath. Metal groans. Nothing moves except the memory of impact.

A violent collision unfolded on Pearl Street near Broad in Manhattan when a Tesla sedan struck a parked taxi, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 9:30 p.m. The report describes, 'A Tesla slammed into a parked taxi. Steel crumpled. The 35-year-old driver was trapped, crushed in the cab.' Emergency responders arrived as the street stood silent, pierced only by sirens and the sound of twisted metal. The taxi driver, a 35-year-old man, suffered crush injuries and was not ejected from the vehicle. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The data shows the taxi was parked and the Tesla was traveling straight ahead before the impact. No driver errors are explicitly named in the report, but the sequence of events centers on the moving vehicle colliding with a stationary one, leaving the vulnerable driver trapped in the aftermath.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757148, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

An e-scooter, fast and unyielding, hit an 11-year-old girl off the roadway on South Street. Her face split open. She stayed conscious, blood pooling on the sidewalk. The scooter kept going, untouched, leaving pain and silence behind.

According to the police report, an e-scooter traveling at unsafe speed struck an 11-year-old girl off the roadway near South Street and Maiden Lane in Manhattan. The report states the girl was not in the roadway at the time of impact. She suffered severe lacerations to her face but remained conscious. The narrative describes the scooter as 'fast and straight,' making contact with the child and then continuing on without stopping. The police report cites 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as contributing factors. The e-scooter sustained no damage, and the driver did not remain at the scene. The report does not list any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The collision underscores the danger posed by high-speed vehicles, even off the main roadway, and the consequences of reckless operation.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4748096, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan plowed into a stopped taxi near Broadway. The cabbie, trapped and bleeding, waited for help. Police cited driver distraction. The sedan driver had no license. Metal screamed. The street fell silent.

According to the police report, a sedan crashed into a stopped taxi near 160 Broadway in Manhattan. The taxi driver, a 39-year-old man, was trapped inside his vehicle with severe lacerations. The report states the sedan driver was unlicensed and lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The sedan struck the taxi's right rear bumper with its center front end. The narrative describes the cabbie lying trapped, blood slicking the seat, as the street held its breath. No evidence in the report suggests any error or contributing factor on the part of the taxi driver. The focus remains on the unlicensed, distracted sedan driver whose actions led directly to the crash and injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4746073, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Ducati tore down Lafayette. A man entered the crosswalk. The motorcycle’s front slammed his arm. Blood pooled on the pavement. Sirens echoed. The city paused, watching danger claim another body.

A collision occurred at the corner of Lafayette Street and Grand Street in Manhattan when a southbound Ducati motorcycle struck a 34-year-old man crossing the intersection. According to the police report, the motorcycle was traveling at an 'Unsafe Speed.' The impact from the motorcycle’s left front bumper caused severe bleeding to the pedestrian’s arm and hand. The report explicitly lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor on the part of the motorcycle driver. The police narrative describes the scene: 'A Ducati sped south. A man stepped into the street, against the light. The bike’s front struck his arm. Blood spread on the crosswalk.' The pedestrian was reported as 'Conscious' but suffering from 'Severe Bleeding.' The report also notes the pedestrian was 'Crossing Against Signal,' but this detail follows the documented driver errors of unsafe speed and failure to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4742187, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Ford pickup truck surged onto Jackson Street, crushing four people not in the roadway. Three women and a man, ages 30 to 59, died beneath the truck’s front end. The street ran red. Metal and bone. No warning. No escape.

According to the police report, a Ford pickup truck traveling north on Jackson Street near Water Street struck four pedestrians who were not in the roadway. The report states the victims—three women and one man, ages 30 to 59—were hit head-on and suffered fatal crush injuries to the chest and skull. All four died at the scene, pinned beneath the truck’s front end. The police narrative describes the collision as occurring off-street, with the pedestrians explicitly listed as 'not in roadway.' The report lists the contributing factor for the driver as 'Unspecified.' No pedestrian behavior was cited as contributing. The crash highlights the lethal danger when a large vehicle leaves the roadway and enters spaces where people walk or gather.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738033, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

DOT will drop speed limits to 20 mph on 49 streets this September. Only a sliver of city roads get safer. Regional slow zones start in lower Manhattan. Council Member Marte backs the move. Advocates want faster, broader action. Most streets stay risky.

On June 27, 2024, the NYC Department of Transportation announced it will use new powers from Sammy's Law to lower speed limits from 25 to 20 mph on 49 street segments starting September 2024, with 201 more to follow by late 2025. The measure covers just 0.13% of city streets, possibly reaching 0.8% if regional slow zones expand. The first such zone will be south of Canal Street in lower Manhattan. DOT can only lower limits street by street unless the City Council acts. Council Transportation Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers confirmed no citywide bill exists. Council Member Christopher Marte welcomed the slow zone in his district, citing rampant speeding off the bridges. Advocates and officials demand faster, broader action, saying, 'Twenty is plenty wherever you'll find people, and in New York that's everywhere.' DOT says it will prioritize areas near schools and neighborhoods with more non-white and low-income residents. The rollout is slow. Most streets remain unchanged.

• DOT Begins Slow Process of Lowering Speed Limits on a Small Number of Streets, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-27

A 27-year-old cyclist crashed into a sedan’s side on Fulton Street. His face struck steel. Blood pooled on the pavement. He stayed conscious. The car showed no damage. The cyclist was left with severe lacerations and no helmet.

According to the police report, a 27-year-old male cyclist collided with the right side doors of a Toyota sedan while both were traveling west on Fulton Street. The report states, 'A cyclist, 27, struck a sedan’s side. No helmet. His face hit steel. Blood marked the pavement. He stayed conscious. The car was fine. He was not.' The cyclist suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious at the scene. The sedan sustained no damage and its occupants were unharmed. The police report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. No driver errors or vehicle violations are cited in the data. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this detail is mentioned only after the contributing factor. The crash underscores the raw physical risks faced by cyclists on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4733458, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Toyota sedan hit a 67-year-old man head-on at West and Liberty. He lay bleeding from the head, conscious beneath the city’s lights. The impact left the intersection silent, save for the echo of metal and flesh colliding.

A 67-year-old pedestrian was struck head-on by a southbound Toyota sedan at the corner of West Street and Liberty Street in Manhattan, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 21:27. The report states the man was crossing in the dark when the sedan, traveling straight, hit him with its center front end. The pedestrian was left conscious but bleeding severely from the head. According to the police report, 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' was listed as a contributing factor. No driver-specific errors such as 'Failure to Yield' or 'Distraction' were cited in the report. The narrative describes the victim as crossing with no signal or crosswalk. The focus remains on the impact and the vulnerability of the pedestrian at this intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4724988, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A young woman pedaled straight down Washington Street. Her bike snapped at the front. Flesh tore. Blood pooled fast. She lay silent, stunned, the city indifferent. Metal failed. The street swallowed her pain.

A 27-year-old woman suffered severe lacerations to her leg when her bicycle broke at the front while riding straight on Washington Street near Canal, according to the police report. The report describes how her 'bike broke at the front,' causing her to sustain a deep leg wound and enter a state of shock, with 'blood pooled on the pavement.' The narrative notes she wore no helmet, but the police report does not list helmet use as a contributing factor. No other vehicles or driver errors are cited in the report. The data underscores the vulnerability of cyclists to equipment failure and the harsh consequences when infrastructure or machinery fails. The city moved on as she lay injured, her pain unnoticed by the passing world.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4726950, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council targets hidden plates. Bill slaps fines and jail time on drivers who cover or deface tags. No more hiding from cameras. Law aims to strip shields from reckless motorists. Committee weighs next steps. Streets demand accountability.

Int 0766-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced April 11, 2024, the bill bans parking, standing, stopping, or operating a vehicle with obscured or defaced license plates. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the parking, standing, stopping, or operation of a motor vehicle with obscured or defaced license plates.' Council Member Oswald Feliz leads as primary sponsor, joined by Holden, Bottcher, Gennaro, Marte, Restler, Ung, and Paladino. The bill hits violators with up to $1,000 fines, possible jail, and escalating penalties for repeat offenses. The measure aims to end the dodge—drivers hiding plates to evade enforcement. The committee now holds the bill for review.

• File Int 0766-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-11

Steel slammed steel on Grand Street. A truck and sedan collided head-on. The 27-year-old driver, conscious but bleeding from the head, was pinned in the wreck. Distraction steered disaster. Sirens chased silence down Eldridge.

A head-on collision between a truck and a sedan unfolded at Grand Street and Eldridge Street in Manhattan, according to the police report. The crash left a 27-year-old male driver injured, suffering crush injuries and bleeding from the head, but conscious at the scene. The police report attributes the crash to 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' Both vehicles were traveling straight before impact, with the truck moving north and the sedan heading west. The report details that steel met steel as the two vehicles collided, emphasizing the force of the impact. No contributing factors are listed for the victim beyond the cited driver inattention. The data underscores distraction behind the wheel as the critical factor in this violent collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4715621, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Two motorcycles sped south on FDR Drive near the Manhattan Bridge. One slammed into a Honda SUV’s rear bumper, shattering on impact. A 28-year-old rider was ejected headfirst onto the asphalt, bleeding but conscious. Speed and reckless lane changes shaped the violent crash.

According to the police report, two motorcycles were traveling southbound on FDR Drive near the Manhattan Bridge at unsafe speeds. One motorcycle, operated by an unlicensed 28-year-old male, collided with the left rear bumper of a Honda SUV that was proceeding straight ahead. The report states the motorcycle rider was ejected headfirst onto the roadway and suffered severe head injuries while not wearing a helmet. Both motorcycles were cited for 'Unsafe Speed' and were changing lanes prior to the collision. The SUV sustained damage to its left rear bumper. Another motorcycle occupant, a 12-year-old passenger, was also ejected and suffered fractures. The police report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors. This crash highlights the deadly consequences of excessive speed and dangerous lane changes on New York City highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4715490, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council calls for state action on e-bike licensing. The bill targets commercial e-bikes, forcing registration and employer liability for violations. Sponsors say it will help identify dangerous riders and shift fines to companies, not workers. The measure sits in committee.

Resolution 0224-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, urges Albany to pass S.7587/A.7833—the 'Commercial E-Bike Licensing Act.' The resolution, introduced March 7, 2024, calls for 'the registration of bicycles with electric assist used for commercial purposes and creates liability for employers for certain violations.' Council Member James F. Gennaro leads as primary sponsor, joined by Gale A. Brewer, Christopher Marte, Alexa Avilés, Farah N. Louis, and Justin L. Brannan. The bill would require commercial e-bikes to be registered and display visible license information. Employers, not delivery workers, would be fined for violations like sidewalk riding. The council frames this as a way to identify dangerous vehicles and hold companies accountable, aiming to reduce injuries and deaths among pedestrians and cyclists. The measure remains under committee review.

• File Res 0224-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

A Chevy SUV hit a 55-year-old man head-on on Canal Street before dawn. The impact killed him instantly, his body broken beneath the headlights. The street was empty, the sky still dark. He died alone, another life ended by steel.

A 55-year-old man was killed when a Chevy SUV traveling east on Canal Street struck him head-on, according to the police report. The crash occurred just before dawn. The report states the pedestrian was 'crossing, no signal, or crosswalk' and was not at an intersection. The SUV's point of impact was the center front end, and the vehicle was described as 'going straight ahead.' The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian. The narrative notes the victim 'died there, alone, under the empty sky.' No specific driver errors are cited in the report, but the fatal outcome underscores the lethal risk vulnerable road users face on wide, fast-moving corridors like Canal Street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4707766, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Three sedans collided mid-turn on FDR Drive. Metal shrieked. A 57-year-old man crushed at the wheel. A six-year-old girl pinned in the back seat, neck injured, crying. Southbound traffic surged past. No one stopped. Systemic failure echoed in steel.

According to the police report, three sedans crashed near FDR Drive and Delancey Street during a right turn. The report states, 'Three sedans slammed mid-turn. A man, 57, crushed at the wheel. A 6-year-old girl pinned in the back seat, neck hurt, crying.' Both the man and the child suffered crush injuries, with the girl sustaining neck trauma. The police report lists 'Turning Improperly' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. These driver errors—improper turning and tailgating—created a chain reaction that left two people injured. The report notes that southbound traffic continued moving and no one stopped. The focus remains on the hazardous driver behaviors and the systemic dangers present at this Manhattan intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4707032, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Councilmember Marte wants more bike parking. He introduced bills to add covered storage in parks and city buildings. Cyclists face theft and lack of safe spots. Marte says secure storage means peace of mind. Advocates call it a needed step.

On February 29, 2024, Councilmember Christopher Marte of District 1 introduced a package of bills to the New York City Council. The bills, now before committee, aim to expand bike parking and storage in city parks and buildings. The matter summary states: 'A package of bills before the City Council would create more bike parking and storage in local parks and city-owned buildings to protect against theft.' Marte, the sponsor, said, 'The city is transforming to be a more bike-friendly place, but to increase that safety, to increase that accessibility, we need to make sure that we have bike storage that people can feel confident of where they're gonna leave their bikes.' Emily Jacobi of Transportation Alternatives backed the bills, noting, 'These bills will expand bike parking and bike accessibility across New York City.' The bills target the gap between car and bike parking, aiming to give cyclists safer, more reliable options.

• Manhattan councilmember pitches for more bike parking to prevent theft, gothamist.com, Published 2024-02-29

Council moves to outlaw driving with fake or expired plates. The bill sets fines and a short grace period for expired tags. Lawmakers say this targets scofflaws who dodge accountability. The measure now sits with the Public Safety Committee.

Int 0177-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle with fraudulent or expired license plates.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Feliz, Salamanca, Powers, Restler, Won, Brewer, Schulman, Ung, Marte, Hudson, Avilés, De La Rosa, and the Brooklyn Borough President. The bill makes it unlawful to drive with fake or expired plates, including temporary ones. Civil penalties apply, but drivers with expired plates get a 10-day window to fix the issue. The bill aims to close loopholes that let reckless drivers evade detection and accountability. It awaits further action in committee.

• File Int 0177-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council members push for a new DOT unit to crack down on illegal parking. The bill sits in committee. Streets choke with blocked lanes. Pedestrians and cyclists pay the price. The city waits for action.

Bill Int 0264-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The measure, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the establishment of a parking enforcement unit within the department of transportation,' would require DOT to create a dedicated parking enforcement unit. Council Member Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Joseph, Feliz, Louis, Marte, Won, Salaam, Farías, Riley, Bottcher, and Hudson. The bill aims to enforce laws and rules on parking violations. No safety analyst has yet assessed its impact on vulnerable road users. The bill remains under committee review, with no vote or enactment date set.

• File Int 0264-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28