Who Dies Next? Streets Demand Action, Not Excuses

NYPD now hits cyclists, mostly immigrant delivery workers, with criminal summonses for minor violations. Fear spreads. Court dates loom. Immigration cases hang in the balance. Council Member Avilés slams the move. Advocates warn: this policy endangers lives and livelihoods.

On May 9, 2025, the NYPD announced a shift: cyclists, especially delivery workers, now face criminal court summonses for minor traffic violations. The department claims it is responding to e-bike complaints, but has offered no data. Council Member Alexa Avilés (D-Sunset Park) condemned the policy, saying, 'contact with the NYPD is a premise for the deportation pipeline.' She accused Mayor Adams of political maneuvering and failing to address street safety equitably. Lawyers warn that criminal charges can derail immigration cases, exposing workers to ICE. App companies like Uber Eats oppose criminalization, while GrubHub urges legal compliance. Transportation Alternatives launched a petition against the crackdown. The Adams administration also leaked a draft bill to regulate delivery apps, but it has stalled. The new enforcement targets the city’s most vulnerable road users—immigrant cyclists—putting their safety and futures at risk.

• NYPD’s Push To Criminalize Cycling Spells Trouble For Immigrant Workers, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-09

A cyclist slammed into the rear of a stopped SUV on 54th Street. He flew from his bike, landing hard. Blood pooled. Head wounds opened. Three others sat motionless in their cars, untouched. Distraction behind the wheel, again.

According to the police report, a cyclist traveling north on 54th Street collided with the back of a stationary SUV near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn at 21:55. The cyclist, a 32-year-old man, was ejected from his bike and suffered severe head lacerations. The report notes, 'He flew from the bike, landed hard. Head wounds. Blood.' Three other individuals in nearby vehicles were uninjured. The police report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The SUV and a pick-up truck were both stopped in traffic at the time of the collision. No contributing factors related to the cyclist's behavior or safety equipment are listed in the report. The incident underscores the persistent danger posed by driver distraction on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806587, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A RAM van, turning left at 3rd Avenue and 42nd Street, struck a 60-year-old woman. Blood streamed from her leg. The driver, distracted, kept his license. The van showed no damage. The street bore the weight of inattention.

According to the police report, a RAM van making a left turn at the corner of 3rd Avenue and 42nd Street in Brooklyn struck a 60-year-old woman who was crossing the intersection. The report states the driver was inattentive and distracted at the time of the crash. The pedestrian suffered severe bleeding to her knee, lower leg, and foot, but remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The van, a 2017 RAM, sustained no visible damage, and the driver retained his license after the incident. The pedestrian was noted as 'crossing against the signal,' but this is mentioned only after the driver’s failure. The report underscores the danger posed by driver distraction, especially during turning movements at busy intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806114, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

DOT halted the Third Avenue bike lane in Sunset Park. Business groups fought the plan. Community Board 7 backed it. Cyclists and pedestrians keep dying. The street stays wide, fast, and deadly. No safety changes will come in 2025.

On April 7, 2025, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) delayed a protected bike lane and road diet on Third Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The plan, previously endorsed by Community Board 7, would have removed one of three lanes in each direction to add a parking-protected bike lane and shorten pedestrian crossings. Local business groups, including the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation, opposed the redesign, claiming it would disrupt their operations. Board chair Julio Peña criticized DOT for yielding to business interests, saying, 'It reeks of what happened on McGuinness Boulevard.' Council Member Alexa Avilés acknowledged community excitement but stressed the need for consultation. DOT cited 'additional outreach' as the reason for the delay. The area has seen multiple cyclist and pedestrian deaths. Data shows similar road diets have reduced serious injuries and deaths elsewhere in the city.

• DOT Stalls Brooklyn’s Third Ave. Bike Lanes After Biz Pushback, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-07

A young cyclist, riding south on 37th Street near 3rd Avenue, was struck hard. His left leg ripped open, blood pooling on the asphalt. The bike’s front crushed. Unsafe lane changing tore through flesh and steel. He stayed conscious.

A 20-year-old male cyclist suffered severe lacerations to his left leg after a violent collision on 37th Street near 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The report details that the cyclist, heading south, was struck with enough force to crush the bike’s front and leave blood pooling on the street. The police report cites 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as the primary contributing factor in the crash. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but the report does not list helmet use as a contributing factor. The victim remained conscious at the scene. The focus remains on the danger created by unsafe lane changes, as highlighted by the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800408, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council and City Hall unite to curb last-mile truck chaos. Big warehouses face new rules. Pollution and truck traffic choke Sunset Park and Red Hook. The bill pushes cleaner freight—rail, marine, cargo bikes. Relief for battered streets and lungs draws near.

Intro 1130, now backed by the Adams administration, targets large last-mile warehouses over 50,000 square feet. The bill sits before the City Council, with a $2.2 million environmental impact study pledged before a vote. The Committee on Environmental Protection heard testimony on March 4, 2025. The bill summary states it would require 'operators of large last-mile warehouses to use environmentally friendly freight solutions.' Council Member Alexa Avilés sponsors the bill, citing years of truck-driven pollution in Sunset Park and Red Hook. DEP Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala testified, 'Policies like an indirect source rule support this important shift.' Jaqi Cohen of Tri-State Transportation Campaign called for fewer trucks, not just cleaner ones. Avilés stressed the bill’s promise for environmental justice communities battered by truck traffic and pollution.

• City Hall Joins Council Fight To Reduce ‘Last Mile’ Truck Use, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-04

A 70-year-old woman crossed 7th Avenue with the signal. A northbound Toyota turned left, its bumper striking her head. She fell, motionless, and died in the cold midday sun. The driver failed to yield. The street swallowed another life.

According to the police report, a 70-year-old woman was crossing 7th Avenue at 44th Street in Brooklyn with the pedestrian signal when a northbound Toyota sedan made a left turn. The vehicle's left front bumper struck her head, causing her to fall and suffer fatal injuries. The report states the driver failed to yield the right-of-way, listing 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. The pedestrian was described as 'unconscious' at the scene and died there. The police report explicitly notes the pedestrian was 'crossing with signal,' making clear she had the legal right to be in the crosswalk. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of driver inattention and failure to yield during turning movements at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785620, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Chevy SUV struck a 47-year-old man riding an e-bike on 6th Avenue near 62nd Street. His face hit the pavement. Blood pooled. He stayed conscious, broken and bleeding, as dusk settled over Brooklyn’s streets.

According to the police report, a Chevy SUV collided with a 47-year-old man operating an e-bike on 6th Avenue near 62nd Street in Brooklyn. The report states, 'A Chevy SUV struck a 47-year-old man on an e-bike. His face hit first. Blood pooled on the pavement.' The victim suffered severe facial bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. Both vehicles were reported as 'going straight ahead' before the crash. The SUV's point of impact was the right front bumper, while the e-bike was struck on its left side. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' providing no detail on the exact driver error, but the narrative centers the violence of the impact and the vulnerability of the e-bike rider. Helmet use is noted only to state 'No helmet.' The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when a heavy vehicle meets a vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777923, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council bill Int 1138-2024 would ban parking and standing within 20 feet of crosswalks. It forces the city to install daylighting barriers at 1,000 intersections each year. The bill sits in committee. Sponsors include Bottcher, Won, and the Public Advocate.

Int 1138-2024, introduced December 5, 2024, is under review by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill is 'Laid Over in Committee.' Its title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting standing or parking a vehicle within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.' Council Member Erik D. Bottcher is the primary sponsor, joined by Julie Won, Jumaane Williams, and others. The bill prohibits standing or parking within 20 feet of crosswalks and mandates the Department of Transportation to install daylighting barriers at a minimum of 1,000 intersections per year. The law also requires citywide outreach and reporting. This measure aims to keep sightlines clear at crossings, a known danger zone for people on foot and bike. The bill has not yet received a vote.

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

Council bill Int 1131-2024 would create a task force to study safer street design as e-bike use surges. The group must report back in 270 days. The bill sits in committee. Streets remain unchanged. Vulnerable road users wait for action.

Int 1131-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, calls for a task force to study street design and infrastructure safety in response to rising electric bicycle use and related collisions. The bill was introduced December 5, 2024, with Council Member Gale A. Brewer as primary sponsor and Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Julie Won, Julie Menin, Shekar Krishnan, Farah N. Louis, Chi A. Ossé, Nantasha M. Williams, Alexa Avilés, Crystal Hudson, Carlina Rivera, and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams as co-sponsors. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law in relation to the establishment of a task force to study options for making street design and infrastructure safer in consideration of increased use of electric bicycles and related collisions.' The committee laid the bill over on December 11, 2024. The task force, if created, must deliver recommendations for legislation and policy within 270 days. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, e-bike riders—remain at risk while the city studies its next move.

• File Int 1131-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-05

Council members move to close the Instacart loophole. Bills would force grocery delivery apps to pay the $20 minimum wage. Workers ride the same streets, face the same risks. The Council’s hearing is set. Advocates demand equal pay and protection.

On December 4, 2024, Council Members Jennifer Gutiérrez and Sandy Nurse introduced bills to the City Council’s Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection. The bills aim to close a loophole that lets grocery delivery apps like Instacart avoid paying the $20 per hour minimum wage required for restaurant deliveristas. The matter title: 'Council Seeks To Expand Minimum Wage to Grocery Deliveristas.' The hearing is scheduled for December 9. Council Member Alexa Avilés, chair of the Immigration Committee, called for broader protections: 'When you become a worker, you should be ensured a living wage.' Ligia Guallpa of Worker’s Justice Project said all delivery workers face significant risks and deserve safety, dignity, and respect. The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection supports expanding the wage standard. Instacart opposes the bill. The Council’s action centers gig workers who ride city streets, exposed to daily danger.

• The ‘Instacart Loophole’: Council Seeks To Expand Minimum Wage to Grocery Deliveristas, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-04

A box truck rolled west on 60th Street. A 30-year-old man lay broken in its wake, head shattered, life ended. No skid marks. No damage to the truck. Only silence and the weight of steel on flesh.

According to the police report, a box truck traveling westbound on 60th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn struck and killed a 30-year-old man. The pedestrian was found in the roadway with fatal head trauma and crush injuries. The report notes, 'No skid marks. No damage to the truck.' The police narrative describes the aftermath: 'Only silence where a life had been.' The vehicle, a 2020 INTL-TRUCK/BUS registered in Indiana, showed no visible damage. The driver was licensed in Pennsylvania. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian. The police report does not cite any pedestrian actions as contributing to the crash. The absence of skid marks and damage underscores the brutal efficiency of the impact. The systemic danger remains: a human body, no match for a truck rolling through city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4771639, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 2014 Infiniti, westbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, slammed steel. Aggressive driving carved the driver’s face. Blood on glass. Calm lost to rage. One man, 23, left conscious but torn, the highway marked by violence.

According to the police report, a 2014 Infiniti sedan traveling westbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway crashed its right front into a steel barrier. The sole occupant, a 23-year-old male driver, suffered severe facial lacerations and was found conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as the primary contributing factor. The narrative details that 'road rage left its mark where calm should have been,' and describes blood on glass after the impact. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt, but the report does not cite this as a contributing factor to the crash itself. No other vehicles or people were involved. The collision’s violence and injury stemmed directly from the driver’s aggressive actions behind the wheel, as documented by police.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768844, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Jeep’s bumper met a young man’s head at 3rd Avenue and 36th Street. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement. The SUV rolled on. The driver vanished. The city’s morning did not pause.

A 23-year-old man was struck in the head by a Jeep SUV at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and 36th Street in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The collision left the pedestrian bleeding severely at the intersection. The police report notes that the SUV’s right front bumper made contact with the victim, yet the vehicle sustained no visible damage. The driver did not stop after the crash and left the scene. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' providing no details on the driver’s actions beyond the hit-and-run. The pedestrian was conscious but suffered a head injury with severe bleeding. No evidence in the report suggests any victim behavior contributed to the crash. The focus remains on the driver’s failure to remain at the scene and the systemic risk posed by vehicles in city crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765817, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council bill Int 1069-2024 slashes legal parking time for tractor-trailers and similar trucks to 90 minutes. Commercial vehicles clogging curbs will face tighter limits. The measure targets streets where hulking rigs linger, blocking sightlines and endangering walkers and riders.

Int 1069-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on September 26, 2024. The bill reads: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park." It limits parking for tractor-trailer combinations, tractors, truck trailers, and semi-trailers to 90 minutes, down from three hours. Council Member Kevin C. Riley leads as primary sponsor, joined by Nantasha M. Williams, Darlene Mealy, Sandy Nurse, and others. The bill was referred to committee the day it was introduced. No safety analyst has yet assessed the direct impact on vulnerable road users, but the measure aims to keep large trucks from blocking curbs and crosswalks, where they threaten pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 1069-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Council passed a law letting pedestrians cross streets anywhere, at any time. Jaywalking is now legal. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks or against signals. The law shifts blame from walkers to drivers. Streets belong to people again.

Int 0346-2024, now Local Law 98 of 2024, was enacted by the City Council on October 26, 2024, after passing the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way," lets pedestrians cross roadways at any point, even against traffic signals. It erases penalties for so-called jaywalking. Sponsors include Tiffany Cabán (primary), Lincoln Restler, Crystal Hudson, Shahana K. Hanif, Julie Won, Mercedes Narcisse, Darlene Mealy, Erik D. Bottcher, and Farah N. Louis. The Council voted overwhelmingly in favor. The law requires the Department of Transportation to educate all road users about these new rights. By ending jaywalking enforcement, the city removes a tool often used to blame victims and target the vulnerable. The law marks a shift: streets are for people, not just cars.

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

Two SUVs clash on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Metal tears, glass shatters. A young driver, bloodied and alone, stays conscious behind the wheel. The crash leaves the eastbound lanes scarred, the morning unbroken, the system unchanged.

According to the police report, two station wagons/SUVs collided eastbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The crash occurred after a 'sudden swerve,' with one vehicle changing lanes and the other going straight ahead. The report lists 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors, both indicating driver error. The 21-year-old male driver of a 2007 Toyota SUV suffered severe facial bleeding but remained conscious and was wearing a lap belt and harness. The point of impact was the center front end of the Toyota and the right rear bumper of the 2019 Ford SUV. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The collision underscores the dangers of sudden maneuvers and close following distances on high-speed expressways, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758471, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

DOT failed to deliver its truck route redesign report on time. Streets choke on freight. Pedestrians and cyclists face danger. Community leaders demand action. The law required urgency. DOT delayed, citing more public input. Vulnerable New Yorkers wait. Trucks keep rolling.

Council bill (2023) mandated DOT to publish a truck route network redesign report by September 15, 2024. The Transportation Committee oversees the law. Council Member Alexa Avilés sponsored the bill, citing freight traffic’s toll on her district. The law’s summary: DOT must report on redesign, using over 2,000 public comments. Many comments—36 percent—flagged dangerous conflicts between trucks, pedestrians, and cyclists. DOT missed the deadline, blaming an extended comment period. Elizabeth Yeampierre (UPROSE) demanded fewer trucks on residential streets and routes away from schools and parks. Maria Fernanda Pulido-Velosa (El Puente) called for real engagement and clear communication if delays continue. DOT now promises more outreach and a microhubs pilot for last-mile deliveries. But the overdue report leaves vulnerable road users exposed to daily risk.

• What the Truck? DOT Late on Producing Crucial Freight Network Report, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-20

A 24-year-old motorcyclist struck a dump truck’s rear on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Ejected, helmeted, crushed, he died on the asphalt. The truck rolled on. The crash left head trauma and silence under the sun.

A fatal collision unfolded on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway when a 24-year-old motorcyclist, traveling east, crashed into the back of a dump truck, according to the police report. The report states the motorcyclist was 'ejected' and suffered 'head trauma' and 'crush injuries.' He was wearing a helmet. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. Both vehicles were moving straight ahead at the time of impact. The dump truck sustained damage to its center back end, while the motorcycle was damaged at the center front. According to the police report, the motorcyclist died at the scene. No driver errors or contributing factors are listed for the dump truck. The report details a violent, high-speed impact and its deadly aftermath.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750223, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A westbound Kia sedan struck hard on Columbia and Creamer. Five inside. One young man gashed, arm torn open, blood on the seat. The others untouched. Metal, flesh, and silence. The city moves on, but the wound remains.

A 2005 Kia sedan traveling westbound on Columbia Street at Creamer Street in Brooklyn struck with force, according to the police report. Inside the vehicle were five passengers. The report states that a 23-year-old male passenger suffered 'severe lacerations' to his arm, described as 'flesh torn' and 'blood spilled.' The other four occupants were uninjured. The police report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified,' providing no further details on the cause of the crash or any specific driver errors. No evidence is cited regarding the behavior of the injured passenger or the use of safety equipment. The impact left one person wounded while the rest continued unscathed, underscoring the unpredictable violence inside a moving car.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4749962, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14