Hit-and-Run City: Blood on Broadway, Silence at City Hall

Council bill demands bike and scooter share firms post road rules at stations and in apps. Riders must review rules yearly. No charge for time spent reading. City aims for clarity, not confusion.

Int 1304-2025 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on June 11, 2025. The bill, titled "requiring micromobility share system operators to display rules of the road for safe operation," compels operators to show safety rules on apps and at stations. Users must review these rules at least once a year before unlocking a device. The bill bars operators from charging for this time. Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Hanif, Brewer, Restler, Louis, Narcisse, Lee, Marte, Hanks, Ariola, and Morano. The law aims to make safety rules visible and unavoidable for every rider.

• File Int 1304-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-11

Council bill orders bike and scooter share firms to show road rules on apps and stations. Riders must review rules yearly. No extra fees. Aim: clear, visible rules for all. Committee review underway.

Bill Int 1304-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on June 11, 2025. The bill, titled “A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring micromobility share system operators to display rules of the road for safe operation,” demands that operators of shared bikes and scooters display city and state traffic rules on apps and at stations. Riders must review these rules at least once a year before unlocking a device. Sponsors include Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (primary), Hanif, Brewer, Restler, Louis, Narcisse, Lee, Marte, Hanks, Banks, Ariola, and Morano. The bill bars operators from charging users for time spent reviewing safety rules. The measure aims to make the rules clear and visible to all users.

• File Int 1304-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-11

Council bill orders bike and scooter share firms to show road rules at docks and in apps. Riders must review rules yearly. No extra fees. Aim: clear, visible reminders. Committee review underway.

Bill Int 1304-2025 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on June 11, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring micromobility share system operators to display rules of the road for safe operation," demands operators post rules at stations and in apps. Riders must review these rules at least once a year before unlocking a device. The law bars operators from charging for the review time. Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers leads as primary sponsor, joined by Hanif, Brewer, Restler, Louis, Narcisse, Lee, Marte, Hanks, Banks, Gutiérrez, Ariola, and Morano. The measure aims for clear, accessible safety information but does not address street design or enforcement.

• File Int 1304-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-11

Council pushes a bill to cut bike share costs for New Yorkers over 65. The measure aims to open city cycling to more seniors. The committee now weighs its next move.

Bill Int 1288-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced May 28, 2025. 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 seniors,' would require the Department of Transportation to mandate lower bike share rates for those 65 and older. Council Member Farah N. Louis leads as primary sponsor, joined by Marte, Powers, Lee, Nurse, Hanif, Brewer, Banks, Menin, Feliz, Hanks, Avilés, Gutiérrez, and Restler. The bill was re-referred to committee June 4. The move aims to make cycling more accessible for older New Yorkers.

• File Int 1288-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-28

Council pushes cheaper bike share for students 16 and up. More teens on bikes. Streets shift. Danger remains. The bill sits in committee. Cyclists wait.

Int 1287-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced May 28, 2025. The bill would require the Department of Transportation to set a discounted bike share rate for public school students aged 16 or older. The matter title reads: "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." Council Member Christopher Marte leads as primary sponsor, joined by Louis, Stevens, Brooks-Powers, Ossé, Restler, Powers, Lee, Nurse, Hanif, Brewer, and Banks. The bill was referred to committee and awaits further action. No safety analysis has been provided.

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

A pregnant woman stepped from her car after a crash. The other driver floored it, struck her, dragged her, then fled. She died at the hospital. The driver vanished into the night. Police search. Grief lingers on Van Buren Street.

According to the New York Post (published May 26, 2025), Tiffany Cifuni, 32, was killed after a minor collision at Van Buren Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard in Brooklyn. Cifuni exited her Toyota 4Runner to check for damage. The driver of a Chevy Trax then accelerated, struck her from behind, dragged her, and sped away against traffic on a one-way street. The article states, "the driver of the Trax gunned it and struck Cifuni from behind, dragging her before speeding away." The suspect crashed into two more vehicles before fleeing on foot, leaving behind a car with temporary plates. The driver remains at large. The incident highlights the lethal risk of hit-and-run drivers and the dangers posed by unchecked reckless driving on city streets.

• Pregnant Woman Killed In Brooklyn Hit-And-Run, New York Post, Published 2025-05-26

A pregnant woman stood in the street after a fender bender. The other driver hit her, dragged her, then sped off. She died at the scene. The driver fled on foot. Family waits for answers. The street holds the silence.

ABC7 reported on May 25, 2025, that a 32-year-old pregnant woman was killed in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, after a traffic incident at Van Buren Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard. The article states, "Authorities say a female driver slammed into the victim as she stood in the roadway after a traffic incident." The victim, Tiffany Cifuni, had exited her SUV following a minor collision and approached the other vehicle. The driver then accelerated, dragging Cifuni and driving the wrong way before striking parked cars and fleeing on foot. The crash highlights the dangers of post-collision interactions and reckless driving. Police continue to search for the suspect.

• Pregnant Woman Killed In Brooklyn Crash, ABC7, Published 2025-05-25

A man crossed Fulton Street. A Ford Explorer hit him. The driver sped off. The man died at the hospital. The street stayed quiet. Police searched for the car. The city counted another lost life.

ABC7 reported on May 17, 2025, that a 55-year-old man was killed while crossing Fulton Street at Washington Avenue in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. According to police, 'a burgundy Ford Explorer with Pennsylvania license plates struck and killed the 55-year-old man.' The driver did not remain at the scene. The crash happened just before 12:30 a.m. The victim was taken to Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The incident highlights the ongoing danger faced by pedestrians and the persistent problem of hit-and-run drivers in New York City.

• Driver Flees After Brooklyn Fatal Crash, ABC7, Published 2025-05-17

A car struck Larry Maxwell, 72, on Sutter Avenue. The driver had just crashed into another vehicle and fled. Maxwell died at Brookdale Hospital. The driver did not stop. Police are still searching. No arrests. The street stayed quiet.

NY Daily News reported on May 15, 2025, that Larry Maxwell, 72, was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Brownsville, Brooklyn. The article states, “An elderly man was mowed down and killed by a hit-and-run driver in Brooklyn on May 10, just seconds after the same driver smashed into a nearby vehicle.” The driver first collided with a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu, then continued on and struck Maxwell near Sutter Ave. and Osborn St. The Malibu’s occupants were uninjured and remained at the scene. The driver who killed Maxwell fled and remains unidentified. The NYPD Highway District collision investigation squad is investigating. No arrests have been made. The case highlights the lethal risk of fleeing drivers and the ongoing challenge of enforcement.

• Hit-And-Run Driver Kills Brooklyn Elder, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-15

Sedans collided on Bedford Ave. Alcohol played a role. One passenger suffered head injuries. The driver died. Steel and speed met flesh. Brooklyn streets bore the cost.

A crash involving two sedans on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn left a 29-year-old front passenger injured with head trauma and killed the driver. According to the police report, 'Alcohol Involvement' was a contributing factor in the collision. The report lists no other specific driver errors. The injured passenger was not ejected and reported whiplash. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash underscores the deadly consequences when alcohol mixes with driving.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4813513 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A principal drove down Lenox Road, lost control, hit parked cars, and flipped his vehicle. Police pulled him from the wreck. He refused a Breathalyzer. Charges followed. The street bore the scars. The system let him drive. The danger stayed.

According to NY Daily News (2025-05-06), Gregory Jackson, principal of Brownsville Collaborative Middle School, crashed on Lenox Road near Utica Ave. Police say he struck several parked cars and overturned his vehicle around 11:30 p.m. Jackson told police he had 'only one drink.' He refused a Breathalyzer test at the scene. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while impaired, and refusing the test. The Department of Education referred questions to the NYPD. The incident highlights the ongoing risk posed by impaired drivers and the vulnerability of anyone near city streets, even when parked. Systemic gaps allow such danger to persist.

• Principal Overturns Car In Brooklyn Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-06

Council passes law. Taxis and for-hire cars must post bold warnings on rear doors. Riders face the message: look for cyclists before swinging the door. A move to cut dooring. City acts. Cyclists stay in the crosshairs.

Int 0193-2024, now law, cleared the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and passed City Council on May 1, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' demands clear warning signs on all rear passenger doors. Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Gutiérrez, Hudson, Rivera, Won, and others. The Taxi and Limousine Commission must provide decals at no cost. The law aims to fight dooring, a threat to cyclists citywide. Enacted May 31, 2025, it takes effect in 120 days.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-01

A stolen Porsche sped through Brooklyn. Police set a trap. The driver tried to break through, nearly hitting an officer. A shot rang out. The car crashed. The driver died. The passenger survived. The street bore the cost.

According to the New York Post (April 30, 2025), police shot and killed the driver of a stolen Porsche after he "nearly struck an NYPD officer" while attempting to evade a roadblock near the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. Officers first noticed the vehicle due to stolen plates and tried to pull it over on Cropsey Avenue. The driver fled, leading police to set up a blockade. As the car tried to pass, an officer fired one round, striking the driver. The wounded man crashed into a police car and was later pronounced dead at Brookdale Hospital. The passenger was unharmed and taken into custody. The incident highlights the risks of high-speed chases and roadblocks in dense urban areas, where bystanders and officers face sudden danger.

• Police Shoot Driver At Brooklyn Roadblock, New York Post, Published 2025-04-30

Council members slammed NYPD brass for denying racial bias in traffic enforcement. Data shows Black drivers face more searches and arrests. NYPD blamed crime patterns. Lawmakers called it an excuse. The city’s history of biased policing loomed large.

On April 29, 2025, the City Council held an oversight hearing on NYPD traffic enforcement and racial bias. Council Members Yusef Salaam, Tiffany Caban, and Lincoln Restler pressed NYPD Director Joshua Levin about stark racial disparities. The matter: 'Council members criticized NYPD leadership over racial disparities in traffic enforcement after the department refused to acknowledge evidence of bias.' Restler called the disparity 'extreme.' Caban said, 'Black and brown people are being beaten up, searched, arrested, 10 times more than white people.' The NYPD claimed disparities stem from policing high-crime areas. Lawmakers rejected this, citing data showing Black and Latinx drivers are disproportionately stopped, searched, and arrested. The hearing referenced the city’s long record of racially biased enforcement, including jaywalking laws once used to target Black and Latinx New Yorkers. Experts, including the NYCLU, say the Adams administration’s surge in traffic stops continues a pattern of racist policing.

• Council Pols Fume as NYPD Disputes Report of Racial Bias in Traffic Enforcement, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-29

Council bill orders NYPD to check temp plates and VINs. Cops must publish parking enforcement reports. Bill sits in Public Safety. Streets stay risky while data hides in shadows.

Int 1252-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced April 24, 2025. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to police department parking enforcement.' Council Members Farah N. Louis (primary), Oswald Feliz, Justin L. Brannan, Lincoln Restler, Robert F. Holden, and Chris Banks sponsor the measure. It forces NYPD to verify license plates and VINs on vehicles with temp tags or those ticketed for violations. NYPD must also publish quarterly parking enforcement reports. No safety analyst has assessed the bill's impact on vulnerable road users.

• File Int 1252-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

Council pushes Albany to force speed limiters on chronic speeders. The move targets reckless drivers. Streets stay deadly while the bill sits in committee. Pedestrians and cyclists wait for action.

Resolution 0854-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, urges passage of S.7621/A.7979. The measure calls for 'requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by nine co-sponsors including Yusef Salaam and Shahana Hanif. The bill landed in committee on April 24, 2025, with no vote yet. If passed at the state level, it would force repeat speeders to install devices that block speeding. The Council’s action highlights the ongoing risk to vulnerable road users as reckless drivers remain unchecked.

• File Res 0854-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

A 101-year-old woman crossed with the light. An SUV turned left. The driver was unlicensed. She died days later. Her family mourns. The street remains the same.

According to the New York Post (April 24, 2025), Taibel Brod, 101, was fatally struck by a 2023 GMC Yukon while crossing Brooklyn Avenue at Montgomery Street in Crown Heights. Police say Brod had the light. The driver, Menachem Shagalow, 65, was unlicensed and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation and failure to exercise due care. The article quotes Brod's grandson: "She was extremely independent till her last day." Brod died less than two weeks after the crash. The incident highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians, especially from unlicensed drivers. Shagalow was released with a desk appearance ticket. The case underscores persistent gaps in enforcement and street design that leave vulnerable road users exposed.

• Unlicensed Driver Kills Brooklyn Matriarch, New York Post, Published 2025-04-24

A Honda sedan struck two teens on a bike at Driggs and N 9th. The unlicensed driver looked away. Both teens were thrown, bleeding, left in shock. The street bore witness. The car did not stop.

A Honda sedan hit a bike carrying two 16-year-olds at Driggs Avenue and North 9th Street in Brooklyn. Both teens suffered severe head and chest injuries, partially ejected and left bleeding. According to the police report, the sedan's unlicensed driver looked away and disregarded traffic control. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The sedan's center front end struck the bike. No safety equipment was used. The crash left the teens in shock, the night echoing with their pain.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807776 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A van blew past traffic control on Park Ave. A 19-year-old cyclist struck metal, head first. Blood pooled. The rider lay semiconscious. The van driver walked away untouched.

A panel van and a bike collided at Park Ave and Franklin Ave in Brooklyn. The 19-year-old cyclist hit the van’s rear, suffering severe head lacerations and partial ejection. According to the police report, the crash involved 'Traffic Control Disregarded.' The van’s driver was unhurt. The data lists no errors for the cyclist. The only listed contributing factor is the van driver’s failure to obey traffic control. No helmet or signal use is mentioned in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806577 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A speeding driver tore through a Brooklyn crosswalk. Three lives ended. One child clings to life. The car never slowed. The street became a grave. Metal and flesh collided. The city mourns. Justice waits in a courtroom.

According to NY Daily News (April 16, 2025), Miriam Yarimi drove 68 mph—nearly triple the speed limit—through a Brooklyn crosswalk, striking Natasha Saada and her three children. Prosecutors say Yarimi never braked, ran a red light, and crashed into another car before hitting the family. Saada and two daughters died; her son remains in a coma. Yarimi had a suspended license and $11,000 in unpaid violations, including 21 speed camera and five red light tickets. Brooklyn D.A. Eric Gonzalez called it 'one of the worst collisions I've ever seen on a New York City street.' Yarimi faces manslaughter and assault charges. The case highlights persistent enforcement gaps and the deadly consequences of unchecked reckless driving.

• Brooklyn Crash Kills Mother, Two Children, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-16