No More Half Measures: Blood Stains Riverdale’s Streets

A northbound sedan hit a 35-year-old man at the Jerome Avenue intersection. Blood pooled on the street. The driver clutched an injured arm. Witnesses watched in silence as confusion and pain filled the Bronx morning.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling north on Jerome Avenue near 3545 struck a 35-year-old pedestrian at the intersection. The report notes the pedestrian suffered a head injury with severe bleeding and remained conscious at the scene. The driver, a 57-year-old man, was also injured, gripping his arm after the collision. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor, highlighting driver error in the crash. The report also mentions 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The narrative describes a scene marked by blood, confusion, and silent witnesses, underscoring the violence and chaos that unfolded at the intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808770, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Bronx River Parkway, early morning. A Toyota sedan slams into a Volkswagen SUV’s rear quarter. Metal tears. A young woman, unbelted, is thrown halfway out. Blood streaks her arm. She lies unconscious. Others moan, pain raw and immediate.

According to the police report, a Toyota sedan struck the left rear quarter of a southbound Volkswagen SUV on Bronx River Parkway at 3:10 a.m. The impact partially ejected a 20-year-old woman from the sedan, leaving her unconscious with blood on her arm. The report states, 'A Toyota sedan struck the rear quarter of a southbound Volkswagen SUV. A 20-year-old woman, no belt, was partially ejected. Blood on her arm. Unconscious. Others moaned. One man clutched his neck.' Police list 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as a contributing factor for both vehicles, and 'Unsafe Lane Changing' for at least one occupant. The crash left multiple passengers injured, exposing the dangers of sudden driver actions and chain reactions on city roads.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805374, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A moped, pushed too fast by an unlicensed teen, crashed into an SUV’s rear on E 204 St. His head struck hard. Blood pooled. The street froze. Sirens came late. The city’s danger pulsed in the silence.

According to the police report, an 18-year-old unlicensed male was driving a moped southbound on E 204 St near E Mosholu Pkwy S when he struck the rear of a station wagon/SUV. The report states the moped was traveling at 'Unsafe Speed.' The teen’s head hit the vehicle, causing bleeding and crush injuries, but he remained conscious. The SUV’s right rear bumper cracked from the impact. The police report explicitly cites 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor, and notes the moped driver was unlicensed at the time of the crash. No contributing factors are attributed to the SUV driver. The focus remains on the systemic danger of unlicensed, speeding drivers on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4802363, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

After a hit-and-run injured a child, Bronx lawmakers called for speed humps and stop signs. They refused proven fixes like road diets and daylighting. Council Member Dinowitz claimed streets are too narrow for lane removal. DOT denied their request, citing low crash data.

On March 10, 2025, Council Member Eric Dinowitz and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz pressed the city for speed humps and four-way stop signs in Riverdale, following a hit-and-run that injured a 9-year-old girl. Their request, sent to the Department of Transportation before the crash, was denied due to low car volumes and insufficient crash history. The lawmakers, at a press conference, supported speed humps and stop signs but opposed road diets and universal daylighting. Eric Dinowitz argued, 'If you walked down any of these streets, they are far too narrow to narrow any more.' He also rejected citywide daylighting, insisting, 'Daylighting has to be done corner by corner.' The council member has criticized DOT’s safety efforts before, framing the agency as unresponsive. No safety analyst assessment was provided for this action.

• Riverdale Pols Push for Some Street Safety, But Balk at More Serious Interventions, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-10

A sedan turned left on Bainbridge. A man on a bike rode straight. Metal struck flesh. He flew, helmetless, face to pavement. Blood pooled. He lay conscious, torn open, the night closing around him.

According to the police report, a sedan making a left turn at Bainbridge Avenue and East Mosholu Parkway South in the Bronx struck a northbound cyclist who was traveling straight. The report states the driver was inattentive or distracted, listing 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The cyclist, a 41-year-old man, was ejected from his bike and suffered severe facial lacerations. He remained conscious at the scene. The narrative describes the impact: 'Metal struck flesh. He flew, helmetless. His face hit pavement. Blood pooled.' The police report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the primary driver error. The crash underscores the danger posed by inattentive drivers making turns across the paths of vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790738, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A city bus swerved to dodge a double-parked car. It crashed through a wall and dangled over a Bronx overpass. No one was hurt. Debris rained down. The city’s parking chaos left concrete cracked and nerves frayed.

NY1 reported on January 17, 2025, that a BxM1 MTA bus partially drove off the Henry Hudson Parkway overpass near Kappock Street after the driver swerved to avoid a double-parked car. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz stated, "We’re told by the MTA that the bus was trying to get around an illegally double-parked car, and he hit the wall and went through it." The crash damaged the overpass wall and scattered debris onto the street below. No injuries were reported, though conflicting accounts left passenger presence unclear. City Councilman Eric Dinowitz highlighted the broader issue: "We’re seeing all over the city parking regulations not being enforced." The incident underscores the risks posed by illegal parking and the need for stricter enforcement and infrastructure checks.

• MTA Bus Hangs Off Bronx Overpass, NY1, Published 2025-01-17

A Volkswagen SUV hit a 61-year-old woman as she crossed Riverdale Avenue. She stayed conscious, pain flooding her body, skin torn open. The driver kept going straight. The street fell silent. The city’s danger pressed in.

A 61-year-old woman was struck by a Volkswagen SUV while crossing Riverdale Avenue near 3815, according to the police report. The crash occurred outside of a crosswalk. The report states, 'A 61-year-old woman stepped into the street. No crosswalk. A Volkswagen SUV struck her.' The woman remained conscious after impact, suffering severe lacerations and pain throughout her body. The police report describes her injuries as affecting her 'entire body' and notes 'severe lacerations.' The SUV driver was traveling straight ahead at the time of the collision. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are explicitly identified in the report, but the narrative confirms the driver continued straight and struck a pedestrian crossing mid-block. The focus remains on the impact and the resulting injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4779364, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A young man on an e-bike was crushed beneath two southbound cars on Webster Avenue. Slick pavement, harsh lights. His body broken, the bike destroyed. Three vehicles kept moving. He did not.

A 24-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed on Webster Avenue near East 233rd Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the crash occurred when the e-bike rider was struck and crushed beneath two southbound vehicles—a 2018 Audi sedan and a 2023 Honda SUV. The report describes the pavement as 'slippery' and the lighting as 'harsh.' The police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor, as well as the hazardous road surface. The e-bike was demolished, and the cyclist suffered fatal crush injuries to his entire body. The police report notes that all involved vehicles were traveling straight ahead at the time of the crash. No contributing factors are attributed to the victim. The report underscores the lethal consequences of driver inattention and dangerous road conditions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775744, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 24-year-old woman crossed Corlear Avenue with the signal. An SUV turned left, its bumper smashing her head. She fell. Blood pooled. She did not move. The street stayed quiet. The SUV showed no damage. The city’s silence deepened.

A 24-year-old woman was struck while crossing Corlear Avenue at West 230th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal when a 2022 SUV, driven by a licensed driver, made a left turn and hit her with the left front bumper. The impact caused head injuries and apparent death at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. The narrative notes, 'The bumper struck her head. She fell. Blood pooled. She did not move.' The SUV sustained no visible damage. The victim’s action—crossing with the signal—is documented in the report, but the focus remains on the driver’s failure to yield. The crash unfolded in a moment, leaving the street quiet and the danger of left turns unmitigated.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774091, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A BMW SUV reversed off Broadway, striking three pedestrians—a man, another man, and an infant girl. Abdomen crushed. Pelvis shattered. All conscious. All broken. The SUV showed no damage. The street stayed quiet. Metal met flesh. Lives changed.

According to the police report, a BMW SUV backed into three pedestrians off the roadway near 5716 Broadway in the Bronx at 11:35 p.m. The victims—a 43-year-old man, a 39-year-old man, and an infant girl—suffered severe crush injuries to their abdomens and pelvises. All three were conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Backing Unsafely' as contributing factors. The pedestrians were not in the roadway at the time of the crash. The SUV showed no visible damage. The police report makes no mention of any victim behavior contributing to the crash. The impact left bodies broken while the vehicle remained unscathed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4771956, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A motorcycle struck a slowing SUV on Major Deegan Expressway. The rider, 33, was hurled onto the asphalt, torn and bleeding. Steel and speed carved him open. The crash left a body marked by violence and a road stained by impact.

According to the police report, a motorcycle collided with the rear of a slowing SUV on Major Deegan Expressway at 14:03. The rider, a 33-year-old man, was ejected from his motorcycle and suffered severe lacerations across his entire body. The report describes the rider as conscious but bleeding and torn after being thrown onto the roadway. The primary contributing factor cited in the police report is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The motorcycle's center front end struck the SUV's center back end, underscoring the violence of the impact. No victim behavior is listed as a contributing factor in the report. The crash highlights the lethal consequences of driver inattention on New York City roads.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766547, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A moped overturned on Kingsbridge Avenue. The unlicensed rider, helmetless, was thrown to the pavement. Blood pooled in the dark. Sirens cut the silence. The rider lay semiconscious, head bleeding, as the street bore witness to another violent crash.

According to the police report, a 2023 JIAJU moped overturned on Kingsbridge Avenue near Naples Terrace in the Bronx. The sole occupant, a 35-year-old male, was driving southbound when the crash occurred. The report states the rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet. He was ejected from the moped, landed on the pavement, and suffered a severe head injury, described as 'head bleeding' and 'semiconscious.' The police narrative notes the crash ended in 'silence, sirens, and blood.' While the report lists the contributing factors as 'unspecified,' it explicitly documents the rider's lack of a license and helmet. No other vehicles or road users were involved, and no victim behaviors are cited as contributing factors after the driver errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774089, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council bill Int 1069-2024 slashes legal parking time for tractor-trailers and similar trucks to 90 minutes. Commercial vehicles clogging curbs will face tighter limits. The measure targets streets where hulking rigs linger, blocking sightlines and endangering walkers and riders.

Int 1069-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on September 26, 2024. The bill reads: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park." It limits parking for tractor-trailer combinations, tractors, truck trailers, and semi-trailers to 90 minutes, down from three hours. Council Member Kevin C. Riley leads as primary sponsor, joined by Nantasha M. Williams, Darlene Mealy, Sandy Nurse, and others. The bill was referred to committee the day it was introduced. No safety analyst has yet assessed the direct impact on vulnerable road users, but the measure aims to keep large trucks from blocking curbs and crosswalks, where they threaten pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 1069-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Council passed a law letting pedestrians cross streets anywhere, at any time. Jaywalking is now legal. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks or against signals. The law shifts blame from walkers to drivers. Streets belong to people again.

Int 0346-2024, now Local Law 98 of 2024, was enacted by the City Council on October 26, 2024, after passing the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way," lets pedestrians cross roadways at any point, even against traffic signals. It erases penalties for so-called jaywalking. Sponsors include Tiffany Cabán (primary), Lincoln Restler, Crystal Hudson, Shahana K. Hanif, Julie Won, Mercedes Narcisse, Darlene Mealy, Erik D. Bottcher, and Farah N. Louis. The Council voted overwhelmingly in favor. The law requires the Department of Transportation to educate all road users about these new rights. By ending jaywalking enforcement, the city removes a tool often used to blame victims and target the vulnerable. The law marks a shift: streets are for people, not just cars.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

A car swung too fast at East 241st and Cranford. The right front bumper slammed into a young man’s head as he crossed with the light. Blood pooled. He stayed conscious, wounded, upright, bleeding on the street.

At the corner of East 241st Street and Cranford Avenue, a car making a right turn at unsafe speed struck a 23-year-old man in the head with its right front bumper. According to the police report, the pedestrian was 'crossing with the signal' at the intersection when the vehicle 'turned fast, too fast.' The report notes 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The impact caused severe bleeding, but the victim remained conscious and did not fall. The police narrative describes blood pooling on the pavement as the man stayed awake. The driver’s failure to control speed and disregard for traffic controls are cited as direct causes. No mention is made of any pedestrian error or contributing behavior.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4742223, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Midnight on Broadway. An SUV crushed its right front, steel twisted. Inside, a woman slumped semiconscious, neck torn, blood pooling. No passengers. Only the hum of streetlights and the slow drip of injury in the Bronx night.

According to the police report, a station wagon or SUV traveling southbound on Broadway near 6421 in the Bronx crashed at midnight. The right front of the vehicle was crushed. The sole occupant, a 34-year-old woman, was found semiconscious, suffering severe neck lacerations and bleeding. She was wearing a lap belt. The report lists 'Other Vehicular' as a contributing factor, indicating a vehicle-related error or malfunction played a role in the crash. No other vehicles or persons were involved, and no victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors. The focus remains on the vehicle's failure and the resulting harm to its driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727082, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Yamaha motorcycle struck an Acura SUV at East 237th and Furman. The rider flew, hip crushed, blood on asphalt. No helmet. Speed unforgiving. Semiconscious, he lay broken as the street swallowed the night.

According to the police report, a Yamaha motorcycle collided with the side of an Acura SUV at the intersection of East 237th Street and Furman Avenue in the Bronx around 9:30 p.m. The report states, 'A Yamaha slammed the side of an Acura. The rider flew. No helmet. Hip crushed. Blood on asphalt. Semiconscious. Speed too fast.' The listed contributing factor is 'Unsafe Speed.' The motorcycle rider, a 42-year-old man, was ejected and suffered severe hip and upper leg injuries, described as 'crush injuries,' and was found semiconscious at the scene. The police report notes the absence of a helmet but cites 'Unsafe Speed' as the primary contributing factor. The SUV, traveling north, sustained damage to its left side doors. No injuries to SUV occupants are reported. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when speed overwhelms city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4724341, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A pickup swung left across White Plains Road. A motorbike charged straight. Steel clashed. A 25-year-old man slammed down, helmeted but bleeding, sprawled and silent on the hard city street.

According to the police report, a pickup truck attempted a left turn on White Plains Road as a motorbike traveled straight through the intersection. The vehicles collided, with the pickup's right front bumper striking the center front end of the motorbike. The report cites 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors, highlighting driver errors that led to the crash. The 25-year-old motorbike rider suffered severe bleeding and was found unconscious, with injuries to his entire body. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The narrative describes the aftermath: 'His helmet stayed on. His blood did not. He lay still, broken across the road’s hard face.' The collision underscores the lethal consequences when drivers disregard traffic control and misuse lanes.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4722051, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council Members Marte and Dinowitz push for covered bike parking in parks and city buildings. The bill demands weather-proof shelters and storage, aiming to meet the city’s cycling surge. Lawmakers want fewer cars, more bikes, and safer streets for all.

On February 29, 2024, Council Member Chris Marte introduced a bill in the New York City Council requiring covered bike parking in parks and city-owned buildings. The bill, co-sponsored by Council Member Eric Dinowitz, is under committee review. The legislation states, 'the city would have to install between one and five weather-proof enclosures with six to eight spaces apiece, depending on the size of the park.' Parks over 2.5 acres must have at least one shelter; parks over 250 acres need five. City buildings over 10,000 square feet, including public schools, must provide bike storage for workers and visitors. Marte said, 'If we want to get off the reliance of people commuting by car, we have to offer them alternative ways to get there.' The Parks Department and city agencies must report on implementation or explain impracticality. This bill targets safer, more accessible bike infrastructure for New Yorkers.

• Pols Want Covered Bike Parking at Parks, City Buildings, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-02-29

A BMW sedan plowed into a moped on Mosholu Parkway, shattering the night. The rider, thrown and killed, lay motionless. The police report cites traffic control disregarded. The moped twisted, the street stained, danger unchecked.

A deadly collision unfolded on Mosholu Parkway near Bainbridge Avenue in the Bronx at 12:05 a.m. According to the police report, a BMW sedan struck a moped at the front, ejecting the 35-year-old moped rider and causing fatal head injuries. The report states, 'Traffic signal ignored.' The moped lay twisted in the dark, its rider showing no pulse. The contributing factor listed is 'Traffic Control Disregarded,' highlighting the BMW driver's failure to obey a traffic signal. The moped rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet, as noted in the police report, but these details are mentioned only after the primary driver error. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers disregard traffic controls, with the vulnerable moped rider bearing the brunt of systemic danger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4692380, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14