Bronx Streets Bleed While City Sleeps—Push Riley to Protect the Vulnerable Now

A 78-year-old woman crossed White Plains Road. An SUV struck her. She fell. Head trauma. Medics rushed her to Jacobi. She died. The driver stayed. No charges. Another night. Another life lost to traffic in Williamsbridge.

NY Daily News reported on May 25, 2025, that a 78-year-old woman was fatally struck while crossing White Plains Road at East 216th Street in the Bronx. The crash happened around 10:20 p.m. Saturday. The article states, 'The victim was crossing White Plains Road at E. 216th St. in Williamsbridge when a 56-year-old woman driving north in a 2024 Toyota RAV4 hit her.' The victim suffered severe head trauma and died at Jacobi Medical Center. The driver remained at the scene and faced no immediate charges. The incident highlights the ongoing dangers faced by pedestrians at Bronx intersections, especially after dark. No details were given about driver speed, visibility, or street design. The case underscores persistent risks for older New Yorkers on city streets.

• Elderly Pedestrian Killed Crossing Bronx Street, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-25

A 76-year-old woman died on White Plains Road. An SUV hit her head-on. Police cite driver inattention. The crash happened late at night. The street turned deadly in an instant. One life ended. The driver walked away.

A 76-year-old female pedestrian was killed when a northbound SUV struck her on White Plains Road at East 216th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the vehicle's center front end hit the pedestrian, causing fatal head injuries. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The driver, a 56-year-old woman, was licensed and uninjured. No other injuries were reported among the vehicle occupants. The pedestrian was not at an intersection at the time of the crash. The police report does not list any pedestrian error or equipment as a factor. Systemic danger persists when driver distraction meets vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815461, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A taxi struck a woman crossing at White Plains Road. She suffered severe hip and leg wounds. The driver failed to yield. The street stayed open. The city’s danger showed in the blood on the asphalt.

A taxi traveling south on White Plains Road in the Bronx hit a 37-year-old woman at the intersection with East 220th Street. According to the police report, the pedestrian was injured, suffering severe lacerations to her hip and upper leg. The report states, “Failure to Yield Right-of-Way” as the contributing factor for the crash. The driver, a 61-year-old man, was licensed and uninjured. No damage was reported to the vehicle. The data lists no other contributing factors. The crash highlights the ongoing risk faced by pedestrians at Bronx intersections when drivers fail to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811922, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A young man on an e-bike crashed into the rear of a parked pick-up truck on Colden Ave. His helmet stayed on, but blood ran from his head. The truck’s bumper bore the wound. Two men watched, unscathed, under Bronx streetlights.

According to the police report, a 25-year-old male riding an e-bike struck the rear of a parked pick-up truck near 3311 Colden Ave in the Bronx at 22:46. The report states, 'A pick-up truck sat parked. A 25-year-old on an e-bike struck its rear. His helmet held, but his head bled. The truck’s bumper bore the mark.' The e-bike rider suffered severe lacerations to the head, while the two men associated with the truck were not injured. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' and does not cite any explicit driver errors or victim behaviors as contributing to the crash. The incident underscores the persistent danger posed by large, stationary vehicles in the streetscape, especially at night.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805794, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two sedans slammed head-on near Bronxwood Avenue. Metal twisted, airbags burst. Four people inside crushed, stunned, incoherent. Parked cars struck in the chaos. The street fell silent, wreckage marking the cost of unsafe speed and reckless force.

On E 216th Street near Bronxwood Avenue in the Bronx, two sedans collided head-on, tearing through the night. According to the police report, the crash occurred at 1:09 a.m. and involved a 2008 Acura sedan and a 2013 Nissan sedan, both traveling straight ahead. The report details that 'Unsafe Speed' was a contributing factor, with one driver also flagged for 'Alcohol Involvement.' The narrative describes airbags bursting and metal folding, leaving four occupants—two drivers and two passengers—injured. Victims suffered crush injuries, with one semiconscious, two incoherent, and one in shock. The force of the collision sent vehicles into parked cars, compounding the destruction. The police report makes clear: unsafe speed and driver recklessness shattered the quiet, leaving bodies broken and a street scarred.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785315, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council calls on the MTA to lock in Access-A-Ride’s on-demand e-hail pilot. Riders with disabilities and seniors need fast, flexible trips. Demand surges. The program means fewer waits, more freedom. The city urges permanence. Vulnerable New Yorkers depend on it.

Resolution 0695-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced December 19, 2024, it urges the MTA to make the Access-A-Ride On-Demand E-Hail Pilot Program permanent. The resolution states: 'The Council of the City of New York calls on the MTA to make permanent the Access-A-Ride On-Demand E-Hail Pilot Program.' Council Member Nantasha M. Williams leads as primary sponsor, joined by Menin, Riley, Cabán, Brannan, and Hanif. The program, launched in 2017, lets people with disabilities and seniors book paratransit rides on demand, not days in advance. Ridership jumped from 7,386 to 22,372 monthly trips in one year. The council wants the MTA to expand access and improve service. The resolution centers vulnerable riders, demanding transit that meets their needs.

• File Res 0695-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-19

Council wants autism warning plaques on city streets. Parents could request signs. The bill sits in committee. Sponsors say it alerts drivers. No proven safety gain for children. The city keeps counting on signs. Streets stay dangerous.

Int 1142-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced December 19, 2024. The bill is titled, "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing child with autism warning plaques on streets." Council Member Kevin C. Riley is the primary sponsor, joined by Ariola, Joseph, Moya, Won, Banks, Narcisse, Paladino, and Marmorato. Their action: referral to committee. The bill requires the Department of Transportation to install warning plaques at the request of a parent or guardian. It details the process for requesting, installing, and removing these signs. The stated aim is to alert motorists to the presence of a child with autism. There is no evidence these plaques reduce crashes or protect children. The city continues to rely on signage, not street redesign, to address systemic danger.

• File Int 1142-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-19

A BMW sedan, driven by a permit holder, tore through Eastchester Road in the Bronx. A 60-year-old man died beneath its wheels. Parked cars shuddered. The street was dark. The driver was distracted. The man’s body bore the crush.

A 60-year-old pedestrian was killed when a BMW sedan, operated by a driver holding only a permit, struck him on Eastchester Road near Givan Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, the crash occurred just after midnight, and the street was dark. The report states the driver was inattentive or distracted at the time of the collision. The impact was so forceful that parked cars were damaged. The pedestrian was not in a crosswalk when struck, but the police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The driver’s permit status is noted in the narrative, underscoring a lack of full licensure. The report does not cite any pedestrian actions as contributing factors. The focus remains on the driver’s distraction and permit status, which led to fatal consequences for the man in the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775743, 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 flatbed truck turned left at Bronxwood Avenue. A 64-year-old man crossed with the light. Steel crushed flesh. The truck stopped. The man lay still. The intersection fell silent, marked by violence and the weight of machinery.

A 64-year-old man was killed when a flatbed truck struck him at the intersection of Bronxwood Avenue and East 229th Street in the Bronx, according to the police report. The crash occurred as the truck was making a left turn. The report states, 'A flatbed truck turned left. A 64-year-old man crossed with the light. The front end struck him. His body crushed beneath steel.' The pedestrian was crossing with the signal at the intersection, as explicitly noted in the police data. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' but the narrative and vehicle data confirm the truck's left turn and the pedestrian's lawful crossing. The man suffered fatal crush injuries to his entire body. No driver errors beyond the left turn are specified, but the sequence underscores the lethal risk posed by turning vehicles to people in crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758508, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Steel tore on Bronx Boulevard as a BMW SUV veered and slammed a parked Nissan. A 37-year-old man’s back was crushed in the silence. The street froze. The crash left one injured, the city’s danger exposed again.

According to the police report, at 3:02 a.m. near 3640 Bronx Boulevard, a BMW SUV traveling north veered and struck a parked Nissan sedan. The report states the impact folded steel and left a 37-year-old male driver with crush injuries to his back. He remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor, highlighting a critical driver error. The Nissan was parked at the time of the collision, and no other injuries were reported. The evidence in the report underscores the consequences of improper lane usage, as the SUV’s movement directly led to the severe injury of the sedan’s occupant. No victim actions are cited as contributing factors. The crash stands as another instance of systemic road danger in the Bronx.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757079, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council members and developers vow to build up to 200 parking spaces per project near new Bronx Metro-North stations. Despite no city parking mandates, car storage dominates debate. Transit access takes a back seat. Vulnerable road users face more cars, more risk.

On July 10, 2024, the City Council held a hearing on proposed rezonings around new Metro-North stations in the Bronx. The matter, titled 'Transit-Oriented Bronx Developments Will Have Ample Parking, Developers Tell Council,' focused on whether to require parking in new residential and commercial projects. Council Members Amanda Faris, Kevin C. Riley, Rafael Salamanca, and Kristy Marmorato all pressed for developers to include parking, despite the city's move to waive mandates. Riley called parking 'a huge issue.' Developers, including Baker Development, promised up to 200 spaces per project. Bronx City Planning Director Paul Philips said, 'We certainly expect developers to provide parking.' The debate ignored the danger more parking brings: more cars, more conflict, more risk for people walking and biking. No safety analyst weighed in, but the outcome is clear—transit-oriented in name, car-centric in practice.

• Transit-Oriented Bronx Developments Will Have Ample Parking, Developers Tell Council, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-07-10

A moped hit a 45-year-old woman mid-block on White Plains Road. She lay semiconscious, blood pooling from her head. The rider did not yield. The Bronx street stayed hard. The blood stayed red. Impact left silence and sirens.

According to the police report, a moped traveling north on White Plains Road in the Bronx struck a 45-year-old woman who was not at a crossing. The collision occurred mid-block at 2823 White Plains Road at 10:50 a.m. The report states the woman was left semiconscious, suffering severe bleeding from a head injury. The police report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for both the driver and the incident overall. The narrative notes, 'The rider did not yield.' No other contributing factors are listed for the pedestrian. The focus remains on the moped operator's failure to yield, which led directly to the severe injury of the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4734620, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two sedans slammed head-on on Hammersley Avenue. Steel twisted. Airbags burst. A 35-year-old woman, legs broken and burned, was pulled out alive. Four rode in one car, one in the other. Failure to yield carved pain into the Bronx night.

According to the police report, two sedans collided head-on near Hammersley Avenue and Gunther Avenue in the Bronx. The crash involved a 2012 Volkswagen sedan traveling south with a single occupant and a 2016 Honda sedan traveling east with four occupants. The report states both vehicles were 'going straight ahead' when they struck each other, with the point of impact listed as 'center front end' for both cars. The narrative describes the aftermath: 'Steel crumpled. Airbags burst. A 35-year-old woman, burned and broken in the legs, was pulled conscious from the wreck.' The police report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for both drivers. No mention is made of any victim behavior contributing to the crash. The focus remains on driver error and the violent consequences of failing to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731286, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A taxi slammed into a 59-year-old woman crossing Co-op City Boulevard near Dreiser Loop. Blood pooled from her head. She stayed conscious as the cab’s crumpled front end gleamed under tinted glass. The street fell silent around the impact.

A 59-year-old woman was struck and injured by a taxi while crossing Co-op City Boulevard near Dreiser Loop, according to the police report. The collision occurred as the taxi was traveling straight ahead and hit the pedestrian head-on, causing severe bleeding from her head. The report notes the cab’s front end was crumpled and its tinted windows obscured the driver’s face. According to the police report, 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' and 'Tinted Windows' were listed as contributing factors. The pedestrian was crossing against the signal and was not at an intersection, as documented in the report, but the presence of tinted windows is also cited as a factor. The focus remains on the driver’s visibility and the systemic risks posed by vehicle design and street conditions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728927, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two SUVs collided head-on at East 233rd and Boston Road. Metal twisted. A 44-year-old man gripped the wheel, blood pouring from his arm. The crash was sudden, the pain sharp. The turn was wrong. The street bore the brunt.

At the intersection of East 233rd Street and Boston Road in the Bronx, two sport utility vehicles slammed into each other head-on, according to the police report. The report states both vehicles were involved in 'Turning Improperly.' One SUV, traveling east, was going straight ahead, while the other, traveling southwest, was making a left turn. The impact crushed the front ends of both vehicles. A 44-year-old male driver suffered severe lacerations to his lower arm and hand but remained conscious, as detailed in the police narrative: 'A 44-year-old man clutched the wheel, blood streaming from his arm. He did not lose consciousness.' The police report explicitly lists 'Turning Improperly' as the contributing factor for both drivers, underscoring driver error as the cause of the crash. No mention is made of any victim behavior contributing to the collision. The crash highlights the ongoing danger at intersections where driver actions can have immediate, violent consequences.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727541, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A van collided with a parked sedan near Elgar Place. Three young men in the back, unbelted, took the brunt. Their necks crushed, pain silent beneath skin and bone. The van showed no damage. The impact left trauma behind.

According to the police report, a van traveling west near 100 Elgar Place in the Bronx struck a parked sedan. The report states, 'a van struck a parked sedan. Three young men in the back, unbelted, suffered crushed necks.' All three passengers, aged 21 to 25, sustained severe neck injuries described as 'crush injuries.' The van showed no visible damage. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for both the van's driver and one of the injured passengers. No other contributing factors are cited. The sedan was parked and unoccupied at the time of impact. The report does not mention any victim behaviors as contributing factors. The collision underscores the ongoing danger posed by driver inattention on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727990, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Abandoned cars choke sidewalks and crossings. Int 0857-2024 orders city crews to tow vehicles that block streets or hide their plates. Council pushes for swift removal—seventy-two hours after notice. Streets clear. Danger drops for those on foot and bike.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced April 18, 2024. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to towing vehicles that are an encumbrance on the street.' It requires the Department of Sanitation to remove vehicles blocking the street within 72 hours of notice. The NYPD must tow cars with missing, obscured, or improper plates and stickers. Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Salamanca, Brannan, Feliz, Ayala, Louis, Brewer, Avilés, Mealy, Ung, Restler, Farías, Hudson, Riley, and Schulman. The bill targets vehicles that endanger pedestrians and cyclists by blocking sightlines and crossings. It aims to clear hazards fast, making streets safer for all vulnerable road users.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-18

A pickup turned left across East 222nd. A moped slammed in. A young passenger flew off, struck the street, blood pooling from his head. Sirens cut through the Bronx night. Failure to yield left a man broken and bleeding.

According to the police report, a pickup truck was making a left turn at East 222nd Street and Laconia Avenue when a westbound moped, traveling straight, collided with the truck. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The moped’s unlicensed rider continued straight, and the impact ejected a 22-year-old male passenger from the moped. The passenger struck the street and suffered a severe head injury, described as 'severe bleeding,' and was found conscious at the scene. The police report notes the passenger was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned after the primary driver error. The crash underscores the danger when drivers fail to yield, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4717158, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14