No More Empty Chairs: Demand Safe Streets Now

Council bill pushes cheaper bike share for students sixteen and up. City’s Department of Transportation must set new rates. More teens could ride. Bill sits in committee. Streets may see more young cyclists. Danger remains. System must protect them.

Int 1287-2025, introduced May 28, 2025, sits with 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 a discounted bike share rate for public school students aged 16 or older,” would require the Department of Transportation to set a discounted rate for eligible students. Council Member Christopher Marte leads as primary sponsor, joined by Gale A. Brewer, Shahana K. Hanif, Sandy Nurse, Linda Lee, Keith Powers, Lincoln Restler, Chi A. Ossé, Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Althea V. Stevens, and Farah N. Louis. The measure aims to make cycling more accessible for youth, but the city must ensure safe streets as more young riders join traffic. The bill remains under committee review.

• File Int 1287-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-28

A teen cyclist struck an SUV’s side in the Bronx. The crash left him ejected, bleeding from the face. Police say passenger distraction played a role. The street saw chaos. The boy was hurt. Metal and flesh met hard pavement.

A 16-year-old cyclist was injured after colliding with the right side doors of a parked SUV on 3rd Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, 'Passenger Distraction' contributed to the crash. The teen was ejected from his bike and suffered severe facial lacerations. The SUV was parked at the time, and its occupants, including a right rear passenger and the driver, were not reported injured. The report lists no driver errors beyond passenger distraction. No mention of helmet use or signaling appears in the contributing factors. The crash highlights the danger when attention lapses inside vehicles intersect with vulnerable road users outside.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814236, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan struck a man at Webster Avenue and East 168th Street. The impact crushed his body. He died at the scene. Police cite unsafe speed. The street stayed quiet after. Another life ended by a fast car in the Bronx night.

A 43-year-old male pedestrian was killed when a sedan traveling south on Webster Avenue at East 168th Street struck him. According to the police report, the crash occurred at 12:44 a.m. The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to his entire body and died at the scene. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The sedan’s center front end hit the victim while going straight ahead. No other vehicles or persons were involved. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor. The police report makes clear: unsafe speed by the driver led to this fatal impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811637, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan turns left on Webster Avenue and crashes head-on into a moped. Two young riders are thrown to the street. Blood stains the pavement. A 24-year-old woman screams, torn and wounded. The nineteen-year-old driver is bruised but conscious.

According to the police report, a sedan making a left turn on Webster Avenue near 1538 struck a moped head-on. The impact ejected both moped riders onto the pavement. The report states, 'A sedan turns left, strikes a moped head-on. Two young riders are thrown. Blood pools by torn legs. A woman, 24, screams through lacerations.' The 24-year-old female passenger suffered severe lacerations and was thrown from the moped. The nineteen-year-old moped driver was bruised but conscious. The police report does not specify contributing factors or driver errors, but the sedan's left turn directly preceded the collision. The narrative notes the moped passenger was not wearing a helmet, mentioned after the description of the crash sequence.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4808597, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Mercedes plowed into a Ford on the Major Deegan Expressway. The Ford’s driver died at the wheel, his body broken by the impact. Darkness lingered. Police cite driver inattention. The road bore witness to another life lost to distraction.

According to the police report, a Mercedes sedan traveling southbound on the Major Deegan Expressway struck the rear of a 2009 Ford sedan at 3:47 a.m. The Ford’s driver, a 39-year-old man, died at the scene. The report states the Mercedes 'crushed the rear' of the Ford, leaving the victim dead at the wheel with injuries to his entire body. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor in the collision. The Ford was hit in the right rear bumper by the Mercedes’s left front bumper, consistent with a rear-end impact. The victim was unbelted, but the police report does not cite this as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the deadly consequences of driver distraction, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800421, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A concrete mixer rolled north on Park Avenue. A 60-year-old woman lay broken at E 168th Street. The truck did not stop. The intersection fell silent. The city’s machinery rolled on, leaving a body and questions in its wake.

According to the police report, a concrete mixer traveling north on Park Avenue at the corner of E 168th Street in the Bronx struck a 60-year-old woman at the intersection. The report states the woman suffered crush injuries to her entire body and was found unconscious, her breath gone. The vehicle's point of impact was the right front bumper. The police report notes that the truck did not stop after the collision. No specific driver errors are listed in the contributing factors, which are marked as 'Unspecified.' The victim was described as a pedestrian at the intersection, engaged in 'Other Actions in Roadway.' The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the presence of a large truck in a pedestrian-heavy intersection and the lethal consequences when such vehicles fail to yield or stop.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797758, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

An Audi SUV veered north on Jerome Ave, the driver’s attention stolen by something outside. The right front slammed, metal buckled, airbag burst. A 32-year-old man, head bloodied, remained conscious—crushed beneath the weight of distraction.

According to the police report, a 32-year-old male driver of an Audi SUV was injured while traveling north on Jerome Ave near E 172 St in the Bronx. The crash occurred at 12:49 a.m. The report states the SUV veered off course after the driver was distracted by something outside the car, a factor explicitly listed as 'Outside Car Distraction.' The vehicle’s right front bumper took the impact, and the airbag deployed. The driver suffered head injuries and crush injuries but remained conscious at the scene. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The incident underscores the danger posed when drivers’ attention is diverted from the road.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4796290, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two men died inside a crumpled sedan after a head-on collision with an SUV on Park Avenue. Neither wore seat belts. The crash, marked by metal screams and shattered heads, left the street silent beneath green traffic lights.

According to the police report, a violent head-on collision occurred on Park Avenue near Claremont Parkway in the Bronx, involving a sedan and an SUV. Two men, ages 24 and 32, were passengers in the sedan and suffered fatal head injuries. Both were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. The vehicles collided front-to-front while traveling straight ahead. The report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor in the death of the 32-year-old passenger, indicating driver failure to obey traffic signals or signs. The narrative describes the aftermath: 'Metal screamed. Lights stayed green. Their heads took the blow. The street went quiet.' No other driver errors or victim behaviors are listed as contributing factors. The crash highlights the deadly impact of driver disregard for traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4763624, 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 moped blasted through the light at 3rd Avenue and Saint Pauls Place. It struck a 55-year-old woman on an e-bike. She flew, face-first, no helmet. Blood pooled. She was conscious, bleeding, her face torn open.

According to the police report, a moped disregarded traffic control at 3rd Avenue and Saint Pauls Place and struck a 55-year-old woman riding an e-bike. The report states the moped 'ran the light' and hit the e-bike, causing the rider to be ejected and land face-first on the pavement. The woman suffered severe lacerations to her face and was conscious but bleeding at the scene. The police report explicitly lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the contributing factor, underscoring the moped driver's failure to obey the signal. The report notes the e-bike rider was not wearing a helmet, but this detail is mentioned after the driver’s violation and is not cited as a contributing factor. The crash left blood on the pavement and a rider seriously hurt, all rooted in a driver’s disregard for basic traffic law.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4754501, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 20-year-old e-bike rider collided with a sedan and taxi near Fulton Avenue. He lay bleeding in the street, his face torn, eyes open but lost. The night echoed with the violence of improper lane use and metal on flesh.

According to the police report, a 20-year-old male e-bike rider suffered severe facial injuries after colliding with two westbound vehicles—a sedan and a taxi—near 1225 Fulton Avenue in the Bronx at 11:50 p.m. The report states he was found incoherent and bleeding heavily in the street. The official contributing factor cited is 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper,' highlighting a failure in lane discipline that led to the crash. Both the sedan and taxi were westbound, with the taxi parked at the time of impact. The e-bike rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet, but the police report does not list these as contributing factors. The focus remains on the improper lane usage that resulted in a vulnerable road user suffering grave injuries under the Bronx night.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4744266, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council Member Stevens doubts Citi Bike demand in the Bronx. She sees full docks, asks if they should shrink. Experts fire back: full docks mean high use. Ridership surges. DOT stands firm. Bike-share stays. Riders keep moving.

At a May 8, 2024, City Council oversight hearing, Council Member Althea Stevens questioned the need for a Citi Bike dock in her South Bronx district. She said, "If we're seeing that these stations aren't being used adequately ... is there another option, can we make the docks smaller?" The Department of Transportation, led by Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, defended the current system. Bike-share experts like David Eddington countered that full docks signal popularity, not neglect. Citi Bike General Manager Patrick Knoth explained that point-in-time observations mislead, as ridership is strong and docks are planned based on trends. Citi Bike usage in Stevens's district rose 48 percent from 2022 to 2023, with most riders using reduced fares. The hearing highlighted the need for a comprehensive, accessible bike-share network, especially as e-bikes make hilly areas more reachable.

• Explainer: Why a Full Citi Bike Dock Doesn’t Mean No One’s Using It, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-07-04

A man crossed the Major Deegan alone at night. A southbound Toyota struck him with its right front bumper. His head broke. His limbs twisted. No crosswalk. No signal. Only silence and steel remained.

A 35-year-old man was killed while crossing the Major Deegan Expressway in the early morning hours, according to the police report. The report states that a southbound Toyota sedan struck the pedestrian with its right front bumper. The narrative details, 'His head broke. His limbs twisted. No crosswalk. No signal. Just silence and steel.' The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was crossing where there was no signal or crosswalk, as documented in the police report. The contributing factors for both the driver and the pedestrian are listed as 'Unspecified.' The focus remains on the impact and the lethal danger present on this high-speed roadway, where a single misstep or moment of inattention can result in fatal consequences for those outside a vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4730009, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A bus rolled west on Jerome Avenue. Its rear struck a baby boy at East 170th. Blood on his face, he cried out. The bus did not stop. The street echoed with pain. The child survived. The city moved on.

According to the police report, a westbound bus struck a baby boy with its left rear quarter panel at the intersection of Jerome Avenue and East 170th Street in the Bronx. The report states the child, a male pedestrian, suffered severe bleeding to his face and was conscious after the impact. The narrative notes, 'A baby boy, face bloodied, struck by the rear of a westbound bus. He cried. He lived. The bus did not stop.' The driver of the bus continued without stopping at the scene. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' offering no further detail on driver error, but the failure to remain at the scene is clear. No mention is made of any pedestrian actions contributing to the crash. The report centers the harm: a child, struck and left behind, while the bus and city moved on.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731004, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two SUVs converged on a Bronx crosswalk. A 31-year-old woman, crossing with the signal, was crushed. Distracted drivers did not see her. The light changed. She died there, her body broken on Washington Avenue.

A 31-year-old woman was killed at the corner of Washington Avenue and East 167th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal when two station wagons/SUVs struck her, causing fatal crush injuries to her entire body. The report states both drivers were distracted, listing 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The narrative describes the victim as being 'crushed by two SUVs' and confirms she 'died there, her body broken.' The police report explicitly notes that the pedestrian was 'crossing with the signal,' placing her in the right of way. The deadly outcome was directly linked to driver distraction, with no contributing factors assigned to the victim's actions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728165, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A moped crashed into a turning Mercedes at East 169th and Morris. The rider, 20, unlicensed, suffered a torn leg. Blood pooled by the curb. The police report cites traffic control disregarded. The night stayed silent after impact.

According to the police report, a moped and a Mercedes SUV collided at the corner of East 169th Street and Morris Avenue in the Bronx at 12:32 a.m. The moped, traveling west, struck the left side doors of the Mercedes as it made a left turn. The report states, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the contributing factor. The narrative describes the moped rider, a 20-year-old man, suffering severe lacerations to his leg, with blood pooling near the curb. The report notes the light was red at the time of the crash. The moped rider was unlicensed. The focus remains on the disregard for traffic control devices, as cited in the official account, which led to the violent collision and serious injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4730878, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 28-year-old man riding north on Webster Avenue was thrown from his Harley and crushed. Helmeted, he lay in shock as the street claimed him. No other driver stopped. The Bronx pavement bore witness to another body broken by speed and steel.

According to the police report, a 28-year-old man was riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle northbound on Webster Avenue near East 167th Street at 4:05 a.m. when he struck the right front of an unspecified object or vehicle. The report states he was 'thrown from the bike. Helmeted. Crushed.' The man suffered crush injuries to his entire body and was found in shock. The narrative notes, 'No other driver stopped.' The police report does not list any contributing factors or driver errors, nor does it mention any actions by other vehicles or pedestrians. The only detail about the rider’s behavior is that he was wearing a helmet, as recorded in the report. The crash left the rider ejected and gravely injured, underscoring the lethal risks faced by vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4722666, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man pedaled south on Jerome Avenue before dawn. A vehicle followed too close, struck him from behind. His face split open. Blood pooled on the asphalt. He stayed conscious, alone, bleeding in the dark.

According to the police report, a 34-year-old man riding a bike southbound on Jerome Avenue near East 161st Street was struck from behind before dawn. The report states the cyclist suffered a severe facial injury, with blood pooling on the asphalt, but remained conscious at the scene. The police report identifies 'Following Too Closely' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors to the crash. The impact was to the center back end of the bicycle. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this detail is listed after the driver errors. The incident underscores the danger faced by vulnerable road users when drivers fail to maintain safe following distances and remain attentive.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4722567, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan tore down Grand Concourse. The unlicensed driver ran the light, struck a 75-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She died in the street, her body shattered by speed and disregard.

According to the police report, a 75-year-old woman was killed at Grand Concourse and East 164th Street when a sedan, driven by an unlicensed operator, struck her with its left front bumper. The report states the woman was 'crossing with the signal' at the intersection. The driver was traveling at 'unsafe speed' and 'disregarded traffic control,' as cited in the contributing factors. The sedan was heading south and made no attempt to yield. The victim suffered fatal crush injuries to her entire body and died at the scene. The police report makes clear the driver’s lack of license and failure to obey traffic signals were central to the deadly impact. The victim’s actions—crossing with the signal—are noted only after the driver’s violations.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4716652, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14