Still Dying, Still Waiting: Streets Built for Cars, Not People

A 31-year-old man stood in the dark on Cross Island Parkway. Two SUVs hit him, one after another. His body broke beneath the steel. No intersection. No chance. The night swallowed him whole.

A 31-year-old man was killed on Cross Island Parkway late at night after being struck by two SUVs in succession, according to the police report. The narrative states, 'A 31-year-old man stood in the roadway. Two SUVs struck him, one after the other. His body broke beneath the steel. No intersection. No chance.' The crash occurred away from any intersection, with the pedestrian listed as 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Not at Intersection' and engaged in 'Other Actions in Roadway.' The first SUV, a 2023 Nissan, was 'Changing Lanes' before its right front bumper struck the man. The second SUV, a 2018 Jaguar, was described as 'Parked' with impact to its center back end. The police report lists both driver contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The report does not attribute any contributing factors to the pedestrian's behavior. The sequence and violence of the impacts underscore the vulnerability of people on foot in high-speed corridors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4763849 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan sped down Cross Island Parkway. It flipped. Six inside. A 17-year-old boy in back, no belt, thrown out. His body broke. Sirens cut the dark. Unsafe speed killed him.

According to the police report, a 2014 Nissan sedan with six occupants crashed on Cross Island Parkway while heading south. The report states, 'A 2014 Nissan, six inside, hit speed and flipped.' The sedan overturned. A 17-year-old male passenger in the left rear seat, unbelted, was ejected and killed. The police list 'Unsafe Speed' as the primary contributing factor. The narrative reads, 'A 17-year-old boy in the back, no belt, thrown clear. Whole body broken.' No other contributing factors are cited for the victim. The crash left one dead, marking another life lost to speed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4762856 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians now cross anywhere, any time. No summons. Law strips drivers of excuses. Streets shift. Power tilts to people on foot.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, rewrites New York’s pedestrian rules. The bill, heard by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, passed on September 26, 2024, and became law on October 26, 2024. Its title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way.” Sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán and co-sponsored by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, and Restler, the law lets pedestrians cross streets anywhere, even against signals. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks. The Department of Transportation must educate all street users on new rights and responsibilities. The law removes a tool police used to target walkers. It shifts blame from people on foot to the system and those behind the wheel.

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

A westbound car swept past an 80-year-old man on 48th Avenue, its bumper slamming into his head. Blood pooled on the pavement. He stayed conscious, wounded and cut. The street held no intersection, only danger and steel.

According to the police report, an 80-year-old pedestrian was walking with traffic along 48th Avenue near 206th Street at dusk when a westbound car 'passed too close.' The vehicle's right front bumper struck the man's head, causing severe lacerations and bleeding. The report notes that the pedestrian remained conscious at the scene. The crash did not occur at an intersection. The primary contributing factor cited is 'Passing Too Closely,' a clear driver error. The report does not list any pedestrian behavior as a contributing factor. The narrative documents the impact, the injuries, and the absence of intersection controls, underscoring the peril faced by those on foot when drivers fail to maintain safe distance.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757802 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A van rolled down 147th Street, brakes failed. It pinned a 26-year-old man, crushing his legs. Blood pooled on the quiet pavement. Metal pressed flesh. Parked cars stood by, silent. The man stayed conscious, pain sharp, morning still.

A 26-year-old pedestrian suffered severe crush injuries to his legs when a van rolled from rest on 147th Street near 13th Avenue in Queens, according to the police report. The incident occurred at 8:51 a.m. The report states the van’s brakes were defective, causing it to move unexpectedly and strike the man. The narrative describes the van as having 'failed brakes' and details how it 'crushed a 26-year-old man’s legs.' The victim remained conscious on the pavement, bleeding. Two parked vehicles—a van and an SUV—were involved, but only the van moved. The police report lists 'Brakes Defective' as the primary contributing factor. No driver errors beyond mechanical failure are cited. The report does not attribute any contributing actions to the pedestrian. The focus remains on the van’s mechanical failure and the resulting harm to the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4756178 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

New York will close 71 streets to cars outside schools this fall. The city adds more car-free zones for kids. Streets once deadly will now be safer for walking, play, and learning. The move targets neighborhoods hit hardest by crashes.

On August 29, 2024, the Department of Transportation announced a record 71 school streets will close to cars this fall. The expansion, not tied to a specific council bill, builds on the Open Streets program, made permanent in 2021. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodríguez said, 'We have created a new framework to give this space back to our school children.' Councilwoman Vickie Paladino celebrated the new open street at PS 129, calling it a win for safe pick-up, drop-off, and play. Funding comes from the Public Space Equity Program, with $30 million focused on under-resourced areas. Street Lab will provide programming and street furniture. The program responds to past investigations showing higher crash and injury rates outside schools, especially in poorer neighborhoods. The city will directly fund management and operations starting in 2025, aiming to make these safety gains permanent.

• More Safe School Streets Coming To NYC This Fall, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-08-29

A taxi slowed on 149th Street. The driver’s eyes left the road. A woman’s leg broke beneath the wheel. She went into shock. The car sat unharmed. The street held its breath as pain and silence filled the dusk.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling on 149th Street near 5th Avenue in Queens struck a 60-year-old woman who was standing in the roadway. The report states, 'The taxi slowed, but the driver looked away.' The woman suffered crush injuries to her knee and lower leg and went into shock. The police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor, with additional mention of 'Passenger Distraction.' The taxi itself sustained no damage. The victim was not at an intersection and was engaged in 'Other Actions in Roadway,' but the report identifies driver distraction as the primary cause. The focus remains on the driver’s failure to maintain attention, resulting in severe injury to a pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751449 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two SUVs met head-on on Cross Island Parkway. Steel ripped. Roofs caved. A ten-year-old boy and a thirty-four-year-old woman were crushed in their seats. Five people injured. Speed and failure to yield tore lives apart in the night.

According to the police report, two sport utility vehicles collided head-on on Cross Island Parkway at 10:15 p.m. The impact was catastrophic: 'Roofs folded. Steel tore. A 10-year-old boy and a 34-year-old woman crushed in their seats. Five injured. All awake. All broken.' The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors for at least one vehicle. The narrative underscores that 'speed was too much. Yielding came too late.' Both the child and the woman, along with three others, suffered crush injuries to their entire bodies. All occupants were conscious but injured. The data points to driver actions—excessive speed and failure to yield—as the primary causes of this violent crash. No contributing factors are attributed to the victims.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750683 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

City law now forces DOT to reveal where bikes and scooters go. Streets and bridges, protected or not. Data goes public. Riders’ movement, danger, and safety projects laid bare. No more hiding the facts.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and passed on August 15, 2024. The law orders the Department of Transportation to post current bicycle and micromobility ridership data online, updated monthly or at least yearly. The matter summary reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Restler, Hudson, Schulman, and others. The law demands transparency on where riders travel and what DOT does to keep them safe. This opens the books on bike movement and exposes gaps in protection.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-08-15

A Honda motorcycle struck a Volkswagen SUV’s rear on the Long Island Expressway. The rider, helmeted but unlicensed, suffered severe bleeding. Metal screamed. The SUV’s bumper crumpled. Westbound lanes bore witness to the violence of improper lane use.

According to the police report, a 2009 Honda motorcycle collided with the rear of a Volkswagen SUV on the Long Island Expressway. The crash occurred in the westbound lanes. The motorcyclist, a 26-year-old man, was helmeted but unlicensed and suffered severe bleeding to his entire body, remaining conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors to the collision. The SUV’s left rear bumper was damaged, and the sound of impact echoed across the highway. The police report makes clear that improper lane usage and unsafe speed were central to the crash, underscoring the dangers present on New York City’s high-speed corridors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4741868 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A KIA sedan reversed near 26th Avenue. Its bumper struck a 78-year-old woman standing off the roadway. Her body crushed, pain unyielding. She stayed conscious. The car showed no damage. The street stayed indifferent.

According to the police report, a KIA sedan backed up near 208-11 26th Avenue in Queens at 14:53. The vehicle struck a 78-year-old woman who was standing off the roadway. The report states, 'A KIA sedan backed up. No damage to the car. A 78-year-old woman stood off the roadway. The bumper found her. Her whole body crushed. She stayed conscious. The pain did not let go.' The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to her entire body and remained conscious at the scene. The police report identifies 'Backing Unsafely' as the contributing factor for the crash. No vehicle damage was reported. The data makes clear: driver error—specifically unsafe backing—directly led to severe injury for a vulnerable pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4742811 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A diesel truck rammed a northbound pickup on Whitestone Expressway. Metal folded, glass burst, three young adults trapped inside. Neck bones cracked. The truck’s nose caved, the pickup’s rear torn open. All survived, but the scars will linger.

According to the police report, a diesel tractor truck struck the rear of a northbound Ford pickup truck on Whitestone Expressway at 8:37 a.m. The report states, 'A diesel truck slammed into a northbound Ford pickup. The truck’s nose folded. The pickup’s rear tore open.' Three young adults inside the pickup—ages 20, 27, and 29—suffered severe neck crush injuries. None were ejected; all remained strapped in as the vehicle crumpled around them. The police report lists 'Following Too Closely' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors for the crash. The force of the impact left the pickup’s right rear bumper destroyed and the truck’s front end mangled. The data makes clear: driver error behind the wheel of the tractor truck led to devastating injuries for the pickup’s occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4740029 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Mazda SUV swung right on 160th Street. Metal met flesh. A 53-year-old woman on a bike went down, her leg shattered beneath the front left wheel. Blood pooled. She stayed conscious, silent, helmetless, pain radiating through the dusk.

A collision unfolded on 160th Street near Council District 19 at 7:40 p.m., involving a Mazda SUV and a woman riding a bicycle, according to the police report. The report states the SUV was making a right turn when it struck the cyclist, who was traveling east. The cyclist, a 53-year-old woman, suffered crush injuries to her lower leg after the SUV’s front left quarter panel hit her. She remained conscious but was bleeding on the pavement. According to the police report, 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' was cited as the contributing factor, highlighting a critical driver error. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this detail is listed only after the driver’s failure to yield. The impact and resulting injury underscore the dangers faced by cyclists when drivers do not yield as required.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731994 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Hyundai sedan tore down Cross Island Parkway. Metal twisted, glass shattered. The driver, a 30-year-old woman, stayed conscious as crush injuries swept her body. The car’s right front quarter bore the brunt. The night air held the sound.

A Hyundai sedan traveling north on Cross Island Parkway crashed, inflicting severe crush injuries on its sole occupant, a 30-year-old woman. According to the police report, the vehicle's right front quarter panel sustained heavy damage. The driver remained conscious, restrained by a lap belt and harness, but suffered injuries described as spreading through her entire body. The report states the driver was licensed and alone in the car. Both contributing factors are listed as 'Unspecified,' providing no further detail on the cause. The narrative notes, 'A Hyundai sedan slammed hard on its right front. The driver, a 30-year-old woman, stayed conscious. Her seatbelt held. Her bones did not. Crush injuries spread through her body like fire through dry grass.' No other vehicles or road users are named in the report, and no driver errors are specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729233 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Abandoned poles and wires block sidewalks, trap walkers, and threaten cyclists. This bill sets strict deadlines for removal and transfer. Delay ends. Streets clear. Danger cut.

Int 0921-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on May 23, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Justin L. Brannan with Holden, Vernikov, Marmorato, and Paladino, demands owners remove abandoned or unsafe utility poles, wires, and appurtenances within 60 days—or immediately if dangerous. Transfers to new poles must happen in 30 days. The matter title reads: 'timelines for the removal of abandoned or unsafe utility poles, wires, and appurtenances, and the transfer of appurtenances to newly erected poles.' Swift action means fewer sidewalk traps and less risk for those on foot or bike.

• File Int 0921-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-05-23

A Dodge SUV, moving too fast, struck a stopped Honda on Utopia Parkway. Metal screamed. A 73-year-old man, belted in, suffered crushing injuries. The afternoon stilled as bodies and steel absorbed the force. Speed left its mark.

According to the police report, a Dodge SUV traveling south on Utopia Parkway at an unsafe speed collided with the rear of a stopped Honda SUV. The crash occurred in the early afternoon. The report states, 'A Dodge SUV, speeding south, slammed into a stopped Honda. Metal groaned.' The 73-year-old male driver of the Honda, who was wearing his seatbelt, sustained crush injuries to his entire body but remained conscious at the scene. The police report explicitly cites 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the collision. The impact was severe enough to cause significant damage to both vehicles, with the Dodge's left front bumper striking the Honda's center back end. No actions or errors are attributed to the injured driver in the report. The focus remains on the danger posed by excessive speed on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4721899 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 2003 Honda SUV moved east on 33rd Avenue. The driver, seventy-two, belted in, was crushed across the body. Failure to yield shattered metal and bone. The street fell silent. The wound lingered, heavy and sharp.

According to the police report, a 2003 Honda SUV was traveling east on 33rd Avenue when it was involved in a collision. The driver, a 72-year-old man, was the sole occupant and suffered crush injuries to his entire body. He was conscious at the scene, restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor, underscoring a critical driver error that led to the crash. The narrative states, 'The cause: failure to yield. The wound: the frame.' No evidence in the report suggests any victim behavior contributed to the crash. The focus remains on the driver's failure to yield, which resulted in severe injury and a shattered vehicle frame.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4720801 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan barreled south on Francis Lewis Boulevard, slamming into an SUV and a parked car. The driver, head bloodied, lay unconscious. Alcohol and distraction fueled the crash. The street was silent, the toll loud and clear.

A violent crash unfolded on Francis Lewis Boulevard near 46th Avenue in Queens when a southbound sedan struck the rear of a sport utility vehicle and then collided with a parked car. According to the police report, the 29-year-old male driver of the sedan was found unconscious, suffering severe head bleeding. The report explicitly lists 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors to the crash. The narrative details how the sedan 'slammed into the rear of an SUV, then a parked car,' leaving the driver slumped and bleeding. No evidence from the report indicates any error or contributing action by the SUV occupants or the parked vehicle. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of driver impairment and distraction, as documented by the responding officers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4719200 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Three SUVs tore north on Cross Island Parkway. Metal slammed metal. Glass exploded. Four men, ages seventeen to forty-four, crushed in their seats. Belts held. Bones broke. Speed carved pain into steel. All awake. All broken.

On Cross Island Parkway, three SUVs collided in a violent chain-reaction, leaving four men aged 17 to 44 with severe crush injuries. According to the police report, all vehicles were traveling northbound when the crash occurred at 19:50. The report describes the scene: 'Three SUVs, metal to metal. A hard strike. Glass burst. Four men, ages 17 to 44, crushed in their seats. Belts held them tight. All awake. All broken. Speed carved the pain into steel.' The official contributing factor listed is 'Unsafe Speed.' This systemic danger—drivers operating at speeds too high for control—directly led to the catastrophic injuries. No other contributing factors were cited for the victims. The report does not attribute any fault to the injured occupants, who were all restrained by seatbelts at the time of impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4718077 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council targets hidden plates. Bill makes it a crime to park, stop, or drive with covered tags. Fines reach $1,000. Jail time possible. Committee weighs action. Streets demand accountability.

Int 0766-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on April 11, 2024. The bill reads: “prohibiting the parking, standing, stopping, or operation of a motor vehicle with obscured or defaced license plates.” Council Member Oswald Feliz leads, joined by Holden, Bottcher, Gennaro, Marte, Restler, Ung, and Paladino. The bill sets fines up to $1,000 and possible jail for violators. Each offense is a misdemeanor. The council aims to strip cover for reckless drivers, making it harder to dodge tickets and accountability. No safety analyst note yet, but the intent is clear: end the shield for lawless driving.

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