No More Body Count: Clear the Crosswalks, Cut the Speeds, End the Violence

A 24-year-old woman riding an e-scooter on Queens Boulevard was struck head-on. She was ejected, her head split and bleeding, but she stayed conscious as traffic thundered by. Driver inattention left her broken in the street.

A 24-year-old woman operating an e-scooter was struck head-on near 59-11 Queens Boulevard in Queens, according to the police report. The impact ejected her from the scooter, causing severe head injuries and heavy bleeding. The police report states that she remained conscious at the scene. The primary contributing factor cited is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction,' highlighting a systemic danger on city streets. The report notes the absence of helmet use, but only after emphasizing the role of driver distraction. The collision underscores the peril faced by vulnerable road users when drivers fail to pay attention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4781101 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council Member Julie Won pushes a bill to ban parking near all intersections. The move targets deadly blind spots. Advocates demand faster action. DOT lags behind. Intersections remain killing grounds for children and pedestrians. The city stalls. Lives hang in the balance.

On December 6, 2024, Council Member Julie Won (D-Queens) introduced a bill to ban parking within 20 feet of all intersections citywide—a measure known as daylighting. The bill, now before the City Council, would require the Department of Transportation to install daylighting barriers at a minimum of 1,000 intersections per year. The matter summary states: 'Parking right up against intersections blocks sight lines for pedestrians and drivers, leading to people to have to peak out into the street to see oncoming traffic.' Won said, 'Daylighting saves lives.' Advocates like Jackson Chabot of Open Plans back the bill, citing slow DOT progress and urgent need. Intersections account for 55 percent of pedestrian deaths and 79 percent of injuries, according to DOT. The bill follows a year of tragic child deaths and mounting public pressure for universal daylighting.

• Daylight Again! Council Seeks Universal Parking Ban At Intersections, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-06

Council bill bars cars from blocking crosswalks. No standing or parking within 20 feet. City must install daylighting barriers at 1,000 intersections yearly. Streets clear. Sightlines open. Danger cut.

Int 1138-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced December 5, 2024. The bill states: “prohibiting standing or parking a vehicle within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.” Council Member Erik D. Bottcher leads, joined by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and over two dozen co-sponsors. The law orders the Department of Transportation to install daylighting barriers at a minimum of 1,000 intersections each year, up from 100. The city must also run outreach and education. The bill aims to keep crosswalks clear, improve visibility, and protect people on foot and bike. No more hiding behind parked cars. The committee laid the bill over on April 21, 2025.

• File Int 1138-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-05

A pickup truck slammed into a taxi on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The impact struck a 75-year-old man seated in the taxi’s back seat. He suffered fatal head and internal injuries. The pickup driver lost consciousness during the crash.

According to the police report, a pickup truck traveling westbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway collided with a taxi. The pickup's center front end struck the taxi's right rear bumper. Inside the taxi, a 75-year-old man seated in the middle rear seat took the blow to his head. The report states, "A pickup struck a taxi. A 75-year-old man in the back seat took the blow with his head. He did not fly through glass. He stayed in place. His body broke inside. He died there." The contributing factor cited is "Lost Consciousness" by the pickup driver. No victim behavior was listed as contributing. The crash caused fatal internal and head injuries to the passenger, highlighting the deadly consequences of driver incapacitation behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773163 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council demands DOT show its work. The law forces public updates on every street safety project. No more hiding delays. No more silent cost overruns. Progress for bus riders, cyclists, and walkers must be tracked and posted.

Int 1105-2024 became law on May 10, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by Julie Won and co-sponsored by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others, amends the city code to require the Department of Transportation to post annual and monthly updates on all projects tied to the streets master plan. The law’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' It forces transparency on protected bike lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian signals, and upgrades. The public will see delays, costs, and status. No more secrets. The mayor returned it unsigned, but the law stands.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-11-13

A 52-year-old man on a Fly motorcycle struck the rear of a vehicle on the Koch Bridge bike path. He flew from the bike, torn and bleeding, his whole body injured. The crash left the path silent, the man conscious but battered.

A violent collision unfolded on the Koch Bridge pedestrian and bike path when a 52-year-old man riding a 2023 Fly motorcycle struck the rear of another vehicle, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 21:45, with the motorcycle traveling east. The report states the rider was 'partially ejected,' suffering severe lacerations and injuries to his entire body. He was conscious at the scene. Police cite 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor, placing responsibility on the motorcycle operator for failing to maintain a safe distance. The report notes the rider wore no helmet or armor. The rear impact left the path silent, the man torn open and bleeding. No contributing factors are listed for the other vehicle or any pedestrians.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769124 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A cyclist’s front wheel slams into a 17-year-old crossing 31st Avenue. Her knee splits open. Blood stains the street. She lies conscious, torn and bleeding in the evening light. The crash leaves pain and silence in its wake.

According to the police report, a cyclist traveling east on 31st Avenue near 51st Street struck a 17-year-old girl as she crossed the roadway. The report details that the bike’s front wheel impacted her leg, causing severe lacerations to her knee and lower leg. The victim remained conscious but was left bleeding on the asphalt. Police cite 'View Obstructed/Limited' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors to the crash. The victim was not at an intersection and was crossing without a signal, but the report explicitly lists driver inattention and obstructed view as primary causes. The collision underscores the dangers faced by pedestrians on city streets when drivers—regardless of vehicle type—fail to maintain awareness and visibility.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765119 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two sedans travel westbound on the Long Island Expressway. One loses steering control and crashes into the rear of the other. A 30-year-old driver, restrained and conscious, suffers a broken back and severe crush injuries in the violent impact.

According to the police report, two sedans were traveling westbound on the Long Island Expressway near 40.732033°N, 73.91893°W around 23:35. One sedan experienced a steering failure, causing it to collide with the rear of the other vehicle. The report states, 'One lost steering. The other struck from behind.' A 30-year-old male driver, restrained by a lap belt, was crushed in his seat and sustained a broken back but remained conscious at the scene. The primary contributing factor cited by police is 'Steering Failure.' The collision caused severe crush injuries to the driver. No victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors. The crash highlights mechanical failure and driver loss of control as the cause of this serious expressway collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765017 - 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

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 2024-09-10

Flatbed truck rolled east. Cyclist crossed north. Metal struck skull. Blood pooled. Truck kept moving. Cyclist lay bleeding. Driver inattention marked the crash.

According to the police report, a flatbed truck traveling east on Queens Boulevard at 35th Street struck a 23-year-old male bicyclist crossing north. The cyclist suffered severe head bleeding and lay conscious but helmetless. The report states the truck 'kept rolling' while 'the bike did not.' Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The cyclist’s lack of helmet is noted in the report, but the primary error identified is the truck driver's inattention. The impact left blood pooling on the asphalt, showing the brutal cost of distraction behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752810 - 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

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

Steel struck flesh on 43rd Street. A Tesla turned left. A moped kept straight. The rider’s leg shattered under the car’s weight. No helmet. Blood on the pavement. Night air thick with sirens and the cold bite of metal.

A violent collision unfolded at 43rd Street and 50th Avenue in Queens when a Tesla sedan turned left and struck a moped traveling straight, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 8:15 p.m. The report details that the moped rider, a 26-year-old man, suffered severe crush injuries to his leg and was conscious at the scene. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. The moped rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the driver errors. The Tesla’s left front bumper collided with the moped’s right front, sending the rider to the pavement. The police report’s language—'Steel struck flesh. A 26-year-old man crumpled to the pavement, leg crushed'—underscores the brutal impact and the dangers faced by vulnerable road users when drivers fail to yield or pay attention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4748128 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A moped, driven too fast and without a license, slammed into a 61-year-old man crossing Woodside Avenue. Both men fell. Blood pooled on the asphalt. The machine lay shattered. The street bore the mark of reckless speed.

According to the police report, a moped traveling east on Woodside Avenue near 67th Street struck a 61-year-old pedestrian mid-block. Both the pedestrian and the moped rider, age 34, suffered severe bleeding and injuries to their entire bodies. The report states the moped was operated at 'Unsafe Speed' and that the driver was 'Unlicensed.' The Zongzhen moped sustained heavy front-end damage. The narrative describes the moped as tearing down the street 'too fast,' before colliding with the pedestrian. Police list 'Unsafe Speed' as the primary contributing factor. The pedestrian was crossing the street outside a crosswalk or signal, but no pedestrian actions are cited as contributing factors. The focus remains on the unlicensed, speeding driver whose actions left two people bleeding on the pavement.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4743841 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A box truck swung right on Greenpoint Avenue. An e-bike rider, just 28, kept straight. She was thrown, her hip shattered. She died there, helmet on, beneath the Queens sun. Failure to yield and driver distraction ended her ride.

According to the police report, a box truck was making a right turn at Greenpoint Avenue and 43rd Street in Queens when it struck a 28-year-old woman riding an e-bike straight through the intersection. The impact ejected her from the bike, shattering her hip and causing fatal injuries. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors on the part of the truck driver. The e-bike rider was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the driver's errors. The collision occurred at 11:35 a.m., with the truck's right front bumper cited as the point of impact. The woman died at the scene, another life ended by a driver’s failure to yield and lack of attention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4741425 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A moped turned right, striking a bicycle from behind on Queens Boulevard. A GMC SUV then hit a 36-year-old pedestrian head-on, crushing his lower body. Both drivers failed to yield right-of-way, causing chaos at the intersection.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at Queens Boulevard and Jackson Avenue in Queens around 19:43. A moped was making a right turn and struck a bicycle from behind, damaging the moped's left side doors and the bike's center back end. Subsequently, a GMC SUV traveling straight ahead struck a 36-year-old pedestrian head-on, causing contusions and crush injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor for both the moped and SUV drivers. Additionally, the pedestrian was noted for 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Turning Improperly,' while the bicyclist was cited for 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded.' The sequence highlights systemic dangers when multiple drivers fail to yield at busy intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4739338 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Ford carry-all turned left at 47th Avenue and 46th Street. The truck struck a 16-year-old girl in the center of the crosswalk. She suffered fatal head wounds. The driver’s view was obstructed. The truck showed no damage. The license remained.

A deadly collision unfolded at the corner of 47th Avenue and 46th Street in Queens when, according to the police report, a Ford carry-all making a left turn struck a 16-year-old pedestrian in the center of the crosswalk. The report states the girl was crushed and suffered fatal head wounds. The driver’s actions are underscored by the police report’s citation of 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a contributing factor. The truck sustained no damage, and the driver kept his license, according to the police report. No contributing factors were attributed to the victim. The report details the systemic danger faced by pedestrians at intersections, especially when drivers proceed with limited visibility.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4735938 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council calls for five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. Streets slow. Danger drops. Pedestrians and cyclists get space. Resolution adopted. Albany must act.

Res 0079-2024, adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 2024, urges Albany to let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on Open Streets. The resolution states: "authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program." Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The measure passed committee and full council on June 6. The bill aims to cut speed and risk where people walk, bike, and gather. The council's push now waits for state lawmakers and the governor.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

A Mazda SUV slammed into a parked taxi on 36th Avenue. The SUV driver lost consciousness and died at the wheel. The taxi’s left side crumpled. No passengers. No escape. Metal bent. Silence followed where breath once was.

A fatal collision unfolded on 36th Avenue near 36-13 in Queens when a Mazda SUV veered into a parked taxi, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 2:00 p.m. The SUV driver, age 42, lost consciousness and died at the wheel. The police report lists 'Lost Consciousness' as the contributing factor. The impact buckled the taxi’s left side doors. No passengers were present in either vehicle. The narrative states, 'No escape. Just silence where breath once was.' The report does not cite any contributing behaviors from the taxi driver or any other victims. The focus remains on the sudden incapacitation of the SUV driver, which led directly to the collision and fatality.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729469 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04