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

An 18-year-old cyclist bled from the head after a head-on crash on Honeywell Street. Blood pooled on the pavement. The driver failed to see him. The street kept moving. The cyclist stayed conscious, injured and alone.

An 18-year-old cyclist was struck head-on on Honeywell Street near Skillman Avenue in Queens, sustaining a severe head injury and bleeding heavily, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 7:30 a.m. The report states, 'The driver did not see him,' and lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The cyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, remained conscious at the scene, but blood pooled on the pavement. The police report does not cite any cyclist behavior as a contributing factor. The incident underscores the danger posed when drivers fail to pay attention, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to grave harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727727 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A distracted SUV driver turned left on 65th Street. A moped slammed into the bumper. The rider crashed, blood streaming from his head onto the pavement. He lay conscious, helmetless, as the SUV’s torn bumper marked the violent impact.

According to the police report, a Ford SUV was making a left turn at the corner of 65th Street and 43rd Avenue in Queens when a southbound moped, traveling straight, collided with the SUV’s right front bumper. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The moped rider, a 50-year-old man, was thrown from his vehicle and suffered severe bleeding from the head, remaining conscious at the scene. The narrative describes blood pouring from his head onto the pavement. The SUV’s bumper was torn in the crash. The police report notes the moped rider was not wearing a helmet, but this detail is mentioned only after the driver error. The crash underscores the danger posed when drivers fail to pay attention while turning across traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4722243 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A moped struck a turning sedan on Queens Boulevard. A 17-year-old boy lost part of his arm. Blood pooled on the asphalt. He stayed conscious, silent, as speed and steel tore through the evening air.

At Queens Boulevard and 69th Street, a moped traveling east collided violently with a sedan making a right turn. According to the police report, the primary cause was 'Unsafe Speed.' The impact severely injured the 17-year-old moped driver, resulting in the amputation of part of his lower arm and hand. The report states, 'A moped slammed into a turning sedan. A 17-year-old boy lost part of his arm. Blood pooled on the street. He stayed awake. He did not scream.' Damage was concentrated on the sedan's right front quarter panel and the moped's center front end. The police report explicitly cites 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor, highlighting the dangers posed by excessive speed in urban traffic. No victim behavior was listed as contributing to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4720532 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A man crossed Roosevelt Avenue before dawn. A Ford SUV hit him chest-first. The street was quiet. He died there, broken beneath the grille, his body still in the hush of morning.

A 38-year-old man was killed while crossing Roosevelt Avenue near 70th Street in Queens, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 5:10 a.m. when a 2011 Ford SUV, traveling east, struck the pedestrian in the chest with its center front end. The report states the man was crossing outside an intersection, with no signal or crosswalk present. The narrative notes, 'A man crossed alone before dawn. A 2011 Ford SUV struck him chest-first. The street was quiet. He died there, broken beneath the grille, his body still in the hush of morning.' The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian, offering no further explanation for the fatal impact. The focus remains on the lethal consequences of vehicle movement through pedestrian space in the early morning hours.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4719380 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council orders DOT to reveal bike and micromobility numbers. Streets and bridges get counted. Riders’ paths mapped. City must show where safety fails and where it works. Data goes public. No more hiding the truth.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and became law September 14, 2024, as Local Law 88. The law’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...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, Schulman, Hudson, Restler, and others. The law forces DOT to publish monthly and annual data on bike and micromobility use, plus crash and safety project details. The city must show where riders go, where danger lurks, and what it does to fix it. The mayor returned the bill unsigned, but it stands.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-11

A taxi rolled backward on Woodside Avenue. Its broken brakes failed. The rear bumper hit a man standing off the road. Blood pooled at his feet. He stayed conscious, leg torn open, as the street watched in silence.

According to the police report, a taxi with defective brakes rolled backward near 68-02 Woodside Avenue in Queens. The vehicle's rear bumper struck a 46-year-old man who was standing off the roadway. The report states the pedestrian suffered severe bleeding to his lower leg and foot but remained conscious at the scene. The primary contributing factor listed is 'Brakes Defective.' The taxi was backing up at the time of the crash. No driver errors beyond the mechanical failure are cited in the report. The pedestrian was not in the roadway and is not listed as contributing to the collision. The incident underscores the danger posed by vehicle equipment failures, especially in busy city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4714116 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Cars choke the Queensbridge Baby Greenway. Police refuse to act. Residents plead for help. Council Member Julie Won calls for fencing and bollards. The Parks Department promises a barricade plan. No timeline. The greenway remains a parking lot. Pedestrians lose ground.

On March 29, 2024, Council Member Julie Won called for urgent action to stop illegal car parking on the Queensbridge Baby Greenway in Long Island City. The matter, described as 'lawlessness on the greenway,' has seen police ignore months of resident complaints. Won, through Chief of Staff Nick Gulotta, demanded the Parks Department install fencing and bollards to block cars. 'Council Member Won fully supports the call for the Parks Department to install fencing and bollards to prevent cars from illegally parking and driving through the Queensbridge Baby Park Greenway,' Gulotta said. The Parks Department claims to be working on a 'barricade plan' with NYCHA, but offers no timeline. The greenway, once a haven for pedestrians and cyclists, now serves as a parking lot. The NYPD and Parks Department pass blame. Vulnerable road users remain exposed. The system fails to protect them.

• Can We Just Keep Cars Off the Queensbridge Baby Greenway?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-29

Council wants bold signs at every school entrance. Paint on pavement. Metal overhead. The aim: warn drivers, shield kids. The bill sits in committee. Streets wait. Danger does not.

Bill Int 0714-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced March 19, 2024. The bill reads: 'installing safety signs near schools.' Council Member Susan Zhuang leads, joined by Rivera, Gennaro, Won, Hanif, Gutiérrez, Louis, Cabán, Restler, Farías, Banks, Riley, and Feliz. The bill orders the Department of Transportation to paint and hang school safety signs on every street with a school entrance. The goal: alert drivers to children and pedestrians. The bill awaits further action. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0714-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-19

An unlicensed 18-year-old on a 2023 ZHEJIANG motorscooter slammed headfirst, ejected, and died on Laurel Hill Boulevard. The streetlight flickered above his crushed skull. No helmet. No one else involved. The road claimed another young life.

According to the police report, an 18-year-old male, operating a 2023 ZHEJIANG motorscooter, crashed near Laurel Hill Boulevard and 49th Street in Queens at 22:37. The report states he was 'unlicensed and bareheaded,' and that he was ejected from the vehicle, suffering fatal head injuries. The narrative describes the victim as slamming 'headfirst' and dying alone on the pavement. Police records indicate the driver had no license and wore no safety equipment. The vehicle sustained damage to the center front end, consistent with a high-impact collision. The police report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor, but the data makes clear the driver was unlicensed and not wearing a helmet. No other vehicles or persons were involved. The crash underscores the lethal risk of unlicensed operation and lack of protective equipment, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709150 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council wants 500 solar-lit crosswalks in five years. Bright signals cut through the dark. The bill demands action and a study. Safety for walkers, not drivers. No more hiding in the shadows.

Int 0301-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill orders the Department of Transportation to install at least 100 illuminated, solar-powered traffic control devices at crosswalks each year for five years. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law...in relation to the installation of solar-powered crosswalks.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by Menin, Brooks-Powers, Rivera, and others. The bill also requires a study comparing these devices to standard signs. The city must report findings within two years. The goal: more visible crossings, fewer deadly impacts.

• File Int 0301-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill pushes DOT to let schools, centers, and institutions use streets outside their doors. More people, less traffic. Streets shift from cars to community. Still in committee.

Int 0450-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since February 28, 2024. The bill orders DOT to create a program letting community centers, schools, arts, and religious institutions use adjacent outdoor spaces. The matter title reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to establish a program to allow community centers, schools, arts and cultural institutions and religious institutions to use adjacent outdoor spaces.' Council Member Shekar Krishnan leads, joined by Stevens, Restler, Won, and others. The bill has not yet passed. If enacted, it could reclaim space from cars, giving it to people. No formal safety analysis yet, but the measure could mean safer, more vibrant streets for all.

• File Int 0450-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council moves to form a board on school crossing guard deployment. NYPD, DOT, and DOE must report twice a year. The aim: more eyes on street danger where kids cross.

Bill Int 0448-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to an advisory board on crossing guard deployment," calls for NYPD, DOT, and DOE to join an advisory board. The board must send biannual reports on crossing guard needs to the Mayor, Council Speaker, and Police Commissioner. Council Member Kamillah Hanks leads as primary sponsor, joined by Stevens, Schulman, Salaam, and others. The Bronx Borough President requested the bill. The board’s reports could spotlight gaps and push for better protection at dangerous crossings.

• File Int 0448-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council moves to create a parking permit enforcement unit. The bill targets city-issued permit misuse. Streets clogged by illegal parking put walkers and riders at risk. Action now sits with the transportation committee.

Int 0173-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the establishment of a parking permit enforcement unit within the department of transportation," would require DOT to form a unit dedicated to enforcing laws against misuse of city-issued parking permits. Council Member Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Erik D. Bottcher, Julie Won, Rita C. Joseph, Crystal Hudson, and Farah N. Louis. The bill aims to curb illegal parking that endangers pedestrians and cyclists. It awaits further action in committee.

• File Int 0173-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians win the right to cross anywhere, signals or not. The law strips police of power to ticket walkers. Streets shift. The city must now teach all road users the new rules.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, amends city code to let pedestrians cross streets at any point, even against signals. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed it on October 26, 2024. The bill states: 'crossing against a traffic signal or outside a crosswalk will not be a violation.' Council Member Tiffany Cabán led, joined by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, Restler, Mealy, Louis, and Bottcher. The law bans summonses for jaywalking and orders the Department of Transportation to educate the public on new rights and responsibilities. The mayor returned it unsigned. This law removes a tool long used to target vulnerable New Yorkers.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council moves to expand Open Streets on busy holidays. More hours. More car-free blocks. Pedestrians and cyclists get space when crowds surge. Streets shift from traffic to people. Danger drops. The city listens to neighborhoods.

Bill Int 0270-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it amends city code to require the Department of Transportation to expand Open Streets hours on holidays with heavy foot traffic—Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, Labor Day, Halloween, and others. The bill reads: 'special activation of the Open Streets program on certain holidays and time periods with significant pedestrian traffic.' Council Member Shekar Krishnan leads as primary sponsor, joined by Rivera, Brooks-Powers, Louis, Nurse, Ossé, Sanchez, Cabán, Banks, Avilés, Riley, Salaam, Hanif, Feliz, Won, Restler, and Joseph. Community groups can suggest more dates. The city must review all requests under the same standards as regular Open Streets. This bill aims to give people the street when they need it most.

• File Int 0270-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill demands NYPD track every time cops use cars as weapons. No more hiding behind vague stats. Each crash, each injury, must be counted. The city moves closer to truth.

Int 0255-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety. Introduced February 28, 2024, by Council Member Lincoln Restler and co-sponsored by Hudson, Won, Hanif, Bottcher, Brewer, Avilés, Abreu, Ossé, Krishnan, Williams, Cabán, Nurse, Sanchez, and at the Brooklyn Borough President's request. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to use of force incidents involving police department use of a motor vehicle.' It forces the NYPD to report every use of a car to control a subject. No more lumping these acts with other force. The bill aims for hard numbers and real accountability. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, passengers—will no longer be invisible in police data.

• File Int 0255-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council wants DOT to study how street design can keep commercial trucks out of residential blocks. The bill sits in committee. Streets should shelter people, not heavy traffic.

Int 0114-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill orders the Department of Transportation to report on 'the utility and feasibility of using street design as a means to limit or reduce the use by commercial vehicles of streets in residential neighborhoods.' Jennifer Gutiérrez leads as primary sponsor, joined by Avilés, the Public Advocate, and others. The bill was referred to committee on the day of introduction. It demands a clear look at how design can push trucks off streets where people walk, bike, and live.

• File Int 0114-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council wants 100 miles of protected bike lanes each year. Cyclists need steel and concrete, not paint. The bill sits in committee. Streets could change. Lives hang in the balance.

Int 0271-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the installation of protected bicycle lanes.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by Rivera, Louis, Hanif, Ossé, Brewer, Cabán, Nurse, Hudson, Salaam, Bottcher, Gutiérrez, Feliz, Won, and Joseph. The bill demands the Department of Transportation install 100 miles of protected bike lanes per year for six years. The aim: real protection for cyclists and a safer city grid.

• File Int 0271-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council targets fake and expired plates. Bill sets fines. Ten-day grace for expired tags. Crackdown aims at cars that dodge law and endanger streets. Committee on Public Safety holds the measure.

Int 0177-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle with fraudulent or expired license plates,' makes it illegal to drive with fake or expired plates, including temporary ones. Civil penalties apply, but drivers with expired plates get a 10-day cure period. Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Feliz, Salamanca, Powers, Restler, Won, Brewer, Schulman, Ung, Marte, Hudson, Avilés, De La Rosa, and the Brooklyn Borough President. The bill targets drivers who hide behind illegal plates, a tactic often linked to hit-and-runs and reckless driving.

• File Int 0177-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill orders DOT to probe crashes. Expands what counts as serious. Sets tight deadlines. Demands detailed reports. Pushes city to face the wreckage, not hide it.

Int 0263-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, by Council Members Lincoln Restler (primary), Joseph, Feliz, Louis, Won, Salaam, Riley, and Banks. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring the department of transportation to investigate vehicle collisions,' expands the definition of serious crashes, forces DOT to start investigations within a week, finish in a month, and publish detailed findings. The bill was referred to committee on the day of introduction. It aims to expose the facts behind every deadly impact, demanding the city account for the toll on streets.

• File Int 0263-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28