No More Names on Asphalt: Slow the Streets, Save the Living

Council passed Albany’s speed camera expansion. Cameras now run all day, every day. Seven members opposed. Supporters cited lives lost when cameras slept. Opponents called it a tax. The vote followed a deadly year. Danger stalks city streets, especially near schools.

On May 26, 2022, the New York City Council voted 43-7 to approve Albany’s extension and expansion of the city’s speed camera program. The measure, handled by the Transportation Committee, allows speed cameras to operate 24/7. The matter summary: 'The City Council approved Albany's extension and expansion of New York's speed camera program, allowing cameras to operate 24/7, but not before several council members voiced opposition.' Chairwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers urged action, saying, 'We must use all the tools at our disposal.' Council Members Joan Ariola, Vickie Paladino, and David Carr opposed, calling cameras a financial burden. Eric Dinowitz defended the program: 'If you don't want a speeding ticket, don't speed.' The vote came after a year of high road deaths, with special risk near schools.

• Amid Epic Crisis of Road Deaths, Some Members of the City Council Still Oppose Speed Cameras, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-05-26

A man on a Suzuki swerved on the Long Island Expressway. He tried to dodge a ghost car. The bike crashed. His left leg broke. Blood pooled in the dark. He waited, helmeted, awake, pain sharp and real.

A 54-year-old man riding a 2018 Suzuki motorcycle suffered severe leg injuries on the Long Island Expressway at 2:15 a.m. According to the police report, the rider 'swerved to dodge a phantom car.' The motorcycle crashed, shattering his left leg. The report lists 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as a contributing factor. The man was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. No other injuries were reported. The data does not indicate any driver error beyond the reaction to another vehicle. The crash left the rider conscious and bleeding, waiting for help in the night.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4525078, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council Transportation Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers racked up 17 school zone speeding tickets in 11 months. Her car has 22 violations since 2020, plus a red light ticket. She admits fault. Southeast Queens, her district, faces high rates of pedestrian death.

Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, chair of the NYC Council's Transportation Committee, received 17 school zone speeding tickets in 11 months, totaling 22 since May 2020, plus one red light violation. The violations occurred in Southeast Queens, an area with high pedestrian and motorist injury rates. Under the Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program, Brooks-Powers must take a safety course or risk her car being impounded. She admitted responsibility, expressed remorse, and pledged to improve her driving, stating, 'I absolutely pledge to do better as public safety is very important to me.' All tickets have been paid, so her car has not been towed. The article notes that camera-issued tickets do not affect a driver's license. Brooks-Powers has advocated for pedestrian safety and bus accessibility, but her driving record highlights the ongoing danger on streets not designed for safety, especially in communities of color.

• EXCLU: Council Transportation Chair’s Car Sped Through School Zones 17 Times in a Year, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-04-26

Metal tore on Grand Central Parkway. Three cars smashed. A 27-year-old woman trapped, legs crushed. Pain sharp, unyielding. Others hurt. Speed too high. No one left untouched. The road marked by violence and steel.

Three vehicles crashed westbound on Grand Central Parkway. According to the police report, 'Three cars hit. Metal screamed. A 27-year-old woman, front seat, legs crushed beneath the dash. She stayed awake. Could feel it all. Speed too fast. No one walked away unchanged.' The crash left the 27-year-old front passenger trapped with severe crush injuries to her lower legs. A 41-year-old driver reported pain across his body. Multiple others were involved, including a child, but their injuries were unspecified. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The data shows all drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead. The violence of speed left lasting harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4518097, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A box truck turned right at Union Turnpike and 193rd Street. Its front end hit an 83-year-old woman in the crosswalk. She fell. She died on the cold pavement. The truck showed no damage. The street stayed silent.

An 83-year-old woman was killed when a box truck struck her as she crossed Union Turnpike at 193rd Street in Queens. According to the police report, the truck was making a right turn when its front end hit the woman in the crosswalk. She suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. The report lists no contributing factors or driver errors, and notes the truck sustained no damage. The driver was licensed and remained at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The police report does not mention helmet use, signals, or pedestrian error. The crash left a vulnerable road user dead on a city street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4505331, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Honda sedan turned left on 94 Road. The front end struck something unseen. The airbag burst. The driver, thirty, bled from the head. He spoke in fragments. The night in Queens left him broken and dazed.

A 2015 Honda sedan made a left turn at 94 Road and 217 Street in Queens. The car's front end struck an unknown object. According to the police report, the airbag deployed. The driver, a 30-year-old man, suffered severe head lacerations and was incoherent at the scene. He wore a seatbelt. No other injuries were specified. The report lists no clear contributing factors beyond 'Unspecified.' The impact left the driver hurt and bleeding, with the car's left front bumper damaged.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4497920, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A woman died after being shoved onto Times Square subway tracks. The train struck her. Police arrested the suspect. Council Member Julie Won joined officials at the scene. Leaders promised action. The system failed a vulnerable New Yorker. Riders remain exposed.

On January 16, 2022, Council Member Julie Won (District 26) joined city and state officials in response to a fatal subway incident. The matter, titled "Suspect Charged With Murder In 'Unprovoked' Fatal Shoving Of Woman Onto Times Square Subway Tracks," details the killing of Michelle Go, who was pushed onto the tracks and struck by a train. Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul pledged to improve subway safety and address mental health and homelessness in transit. Won stood with other lawmakers, highlighting the impact on Asian-American communities. The council has not advanced specific legislation, but the event underscores the urgent need for systemic protections for vulnerable riders. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• Suspect Charged With Murder In "Unprovoked" Fatal Shoving Of Woman Onto Times Square Subway Tracks, gothamist.com, Published 2022-01-16

A Buick sedan veered on Union Turnpike. The driver, a 92-year-old man, slumped behind the wheel. The car struck hard. The airbag burst. He died alone in the seat. No other injuries reported. The street fell silent.

A 92-year-old man was killed when his Buick sedan veered west on Union Turnpike near 251st Street in Queens. According to the police report, the driver slumped behind the wheel and the car struck hard, deploying the airbag. The man died in the driver’s seat. No other occupants or bystanders were reported injured. The police report lists 'Illnes' as a contributing factor in the crash. No driver errors such as speeding or failure to yield were cited. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report. The crash underscores the sudden danger that can unfold on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4491477, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15