Midtown’s Deadly Toll: How Many More Must Die Before Powers Acts?

Steel met bone on Lexington Avenue as a Hyundai sedan crashed into a turning TAIZH. The driver’s leg shattered. No airbags. No mercy. Rush hour traffic swallowed the screams and the long wait for help began.

A Hyundai sedan collided with a TAIZH vehicle at Lexington Avenue near East 86th Street, according to the police report. The crash occurred during rush hour, with both vehicles traveling south. The report states the Hyundai driver struck the turning TAIZH, resulting in the Hyundai driver suffering severe crush injuries to his knee and lower leg. According to the police report, the primary contributing factors were 'Following Too Closely' and 'Passing Too Closely.' The narrative describes the impact as 'steel on bone,' with the driver remaining conscious as he waited for aid. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. No vehicle damage was recorded, but the human toll was immediate and severe. The crash underscores the danger when drivers follow or pass too closely, especially amid heavy traffic and complex maneuvers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4764982, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A box truck slammed into a woman’s face as she crossed Avenue of the Americas with the signal. Blood spilled onto the street. The driver kept going. She stayed conscious, injured and bleeding, her right-of-way ignored in the city’s rush.

According to the police report, a box truck traveling east on Avenue of the Americas struck a 45-year-old woman at the intersection with West 52nd Street. The report states the pedestrian was 'crossing with the light' and had the right-of-way when the truck’s front end hit her face, causing severe bleeding. The woman remained conscious despite her injuries. The driver did not stop after the collision. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. The victim’s behavior—crossing with the signal—is noted in the report, but the focus remains on the driver’s failure to yield, which directly led to the crash and injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4762719, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Ford taxi swung left at East 80th and 3rd. The driver did not yield. Steel bumper hit a woman’s shoulder as she crossed with the light. Bone crushed. She stayed conscious. The cab showed no damage. The street swallowed her pain.

A 47-year-old woman was injured at the corner of East 80th Street and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan when a Ford taxi making a left turn struck her in the shoulder, according to the police report. The collision occurred as the pedestrian was 'crossing with the light,' placing her lawfully in the intersection. The report states the 'driver did not yield' and lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The impact from the taxi’s left front bumper caused crush injuries to the woman’s upper arm and shoulder. The police report notes the victim remained conscious after the crash. There was no reported damage to the cab. The data makes clear: driver failure to yield and inattention directly led to the injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4760573, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Jeep struck a northbound Vespa on East 26th near FDR. The rider, 28, was ejected, his leg crushed. He lay helmeted, conscious, on the pavement. Right bumper met scooter’s front. Failure to yield left blood and metal on the street.

According to the police report, a Jeep traveling on East 26th Street near FDR Drive collided with a northbound Vespa. The crash occurred at 17:27. The report states, 'A Jeep struck a northbound Vespa. The rider, 28, was ejected. His leg crushed. He lay conscious, helmeted, on the pavement. Right bumper met scooter’s front quarter. Failure to yield.' The Vespa rider suffered crush injuries to his lower leg and foot and was ejected from his motorcycle. The police report explicitly lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for the crash. The SUV’s right front bumper struck the Vespa’s front quarter, confirming the impact location. The Vespa rider was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but helmet use is not cited as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the Jeep driver’s failure to yield, which led directly to the violent collision and resulting injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4759157, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

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

Locals and leaders want the parking lot under the FDR Drive gone. They demand public space, not car storage. The city brought cars back after flood wall work. Residents call it a missed chance. They want a waterfront for people.

On August 19, 2024, Manhattan’s Community Board 6 and Council Member Keith Powers pushed to convert the parking lot under the FDR Drive, between E. 18th and E. 23rd streets, into public space. The lot, closed for years during flood wall construction, reopened for parking despite calls for change. The matter summary reads: 'An underused parking lot below the FDR Drive should finally turn into a community space instead of car storage, according to residents and politicians.' Sandy McKee, CB6 chair, said, 'If we took away the cars, it would be a visible connection through to the waterfront.' Powers backed the move, stressing the need for public access. The board sent a resolution to the Economic Development Corporation. The city claims it still needs the space for construction and right-of-way management. No formal bill number or committee is listed. The push echoes similar highway conversions in Toronto and Brooklyn.

• Parking Lot Under the FDR Should Become Public Space: Locals, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-08-19

City will let property owners install e-bike charging stations on sidewalks. The move aims to stop deadly basement charging and bring safety to delivery workers. A new battery trade-in program will target dangerous lithium-ion batteries and mopeds. Community resistance remains.

On July 23, 2024, the Department of Transportation announced a new initiative to permit private sidewalk e-bike and moped charging stations. The program, previewed at a press conference with Mayor Adams, will open for applications by year’s end after a public hearing on August 21. The matter, described as making it 'easier and faster for property owners to install public battery charging and swapping cabinets,' seeks to replace illegal, hazardous charging hubs with regulated infrastructure. Council Member Keith Powers, who sponsored last year’s battery trade-in law, said, 'No one wants to use—or be anywhere near—batteries that aren't safe to charge.' Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh called current illegal charging 'effectively death traps.' The city will also fund a $2 million battery and moped trade-in program. Delivery worker advocates want the new stations to be free or low-cost. Community board opposition has slowed previous efforts. The mayor remains neutral on state e-bike registration proposals.

• DOT Will Fast-Track Private Sidewalk E-Bike Charging Stations, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-07-23

A Jeep rolled south on 2nd Avenue. A man on a bike hit the pavement, his leg torn, blood pooling. No helmet. The Jeep showed no damage. The cyclist’s pain marked the corner, another body broken by traffic’s force.

At the corner of 2nd Avenue and East 48th Street in Manhattan, a collision between a Jeep SUV and a cyclist left a 31-year-old man with severe lacerations to his knee, lower leg, and foot, according to the police report. The narrative states, 'A Jeep kept south. A man on a bike fell hard. Blood pooled near his torn leg. His foot split open. No helmet. No damage to the Jeep. Just pain on the pavement.' The report lists the cyclist as injured, suffering 'severe lacerations,' and notes that the SUV sustained no damage. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead at the time of the crash. The police report does not specify any driver errors or contributing factors beyond 'Unspecified.' The only detail about the cyclist’s behavior is the absence of a helmet, which is mentioned in the narrative but not cited as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the vulnerability of cyclists on city streets amid heavy vehicle traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4740041, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A taxi turned on East 44th and 3rd. An e-scooter struck its side. The rider, 26, crashed headfirst, blood pooling on the street. Deep cuts marked his head. He stayed conscious. The city’s rush did not pause.

According to the police report, a taxi turned at the corner of East 44th Street and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. An e-scooter, traveling west, collided with the taxi’s right side. The 26-year-old e-scooter rider was thrown headfirst, suffering severe lacerations to his head. The report states the rider remained conscious at the scene. Police cite 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors in the collision, with the e-scooter’s impact focused on the taxi’s right rear quarter panel. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the driver errors. The crash underscores the ongoing danger vulnerable road users face from improper vehicle maneuvers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4739142, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Dualtron e-scooter, unlicensed and fast, tore up Avenue of the Americas. Two women fell. One bled from the face. The other’s skull shattered. The street, lit and busy, became a field of wounds and sirens.

According to the police report, an unlicensed man operating a MINIMOTORS Dualtron Thunder e-scooter traveled north on Avenue of the Americas near West 34th Street. The report states the e-scooter struck two women, ages 43 and 51, who were not at an intersection. One woman suffered severe facial lacerations and remained conscious; the other sustained crush injuries to the head and was found unconscious. The narrative describes the scene as the e-scooter 'tore through the night,' leaving both victims injured in its wake. The police report highlights that the driver was unlicensed, a critical factor in the crash. No driver errors beyond the lack of a license are specified in the report. The victims’ actions are listed only as 'other actions in roadway,' with no indication from the report that these contributed to the collision. The focus remains on the unlicensed operation and the resulting harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4737136, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A motorcycle crashed into a taxi’s side on East 57th. The rider flew, arm torn, helmeted head striking pavement. Blood pooled on the street. The bike’s front end crumpled. The city’s traffic violence left another body broken.

According to the police report, a motorcycle collided with the side of a taxi as the cab was 'entering parked position' near 226 East 57th Street in Manhattan. The narrative states, 'A motorcycle slammed into a taxi’s side as it pulled to park. The rider flew, arm torn open, helmeted head hitting pavement. The bike’s front end crumpled. Blood pooled where he landed.' The 32-year-old motorcycle rider was ejected and suffered severe bleeding and arm injuries. The police report lists the rider as wearing a helmet. Both vehicles were traveling east; the motorcycle was 'passing' while the taxi was maneuvering to park. The report does not specify any explicit driver errors or contributing factors beyond 'unspecified.' The impact location—center front of the motorcycle and right side doors of the taxi—underscores the danger of vehicle maneuvers across traffic lanes. No actions by the injured rider are cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4734673, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A KIA SUV struck a 27-year-old cyclist at 1st Avenue and East 55th. The rider flew headfirst, blood pooling on the pavement. He was conscious, bleeding. Police cite driver distraction and improper lane use. The cyclist wore no helmet.

A 27-year-old man riding a bike was struck by a KIA SUV at the corner of 1st Avenue and East 55th Street in Manhattan, according to the police report. The report states the cyclist was ejected, landed headfirst, and suffered severe bleeding. Police describe the victim as conscious at the scene, with blood pooling on the pavement. According to the police report, the SUV driver was distracted and failed to maintain proper lane usage. 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' are listed as contributing factors. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the driver’s errors. The crash underscores the danger posed by inattentive driving and improper lane use on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731738, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

An 80-year-old man crossing Park Avenue with the light was struck head-on by a northbound Citi Bike. Blood pooled on the pavement. The rider did not yield. The man lay semiconscious, bleeding from the head. The bike showed no damage.

According to the police report, an 80-year-old pedestrian was crossing Park Avenue at the intersection, moving with the signal, when he was struck head-on by a northbound Citi Bike e-bike at 10:50 a.m. The report states the pedestrian was left semiconscious and bleeding from the head, with severe injuries. The Citi Bike rider failed to yield the right-of-way and disregarded traffic control, as cited in both the narrative and the contributing factors. The report notes the bike bore no damage after the collision. The pedestrian’s action—crossing with the signal—is listed in the report, but only after the rider’s failure to yield and disregard for traffic controls. The crash underscores the danger posed when drivers or riders ignore basic right-of-way rules on New York City streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729504, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A taxi’s left front bumper crushed near Park Avenue. A 52-year-old woman in the rear seat bled from a head wound. The lap belt restrained her, but shattered glass caused injury. She remained conscious amid the blood-slicked seat.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling north on East 47th Street near Park Avenue sustained damage to its left front bumper. The collision caused the front left quarter panel to crumple. A 52-year-old female passenger seated in the left rear suffered head injuries, bleeding heavily inside the vehicle. The report states, 'The lap belt held her. The glass did not. She stayed conscious. The seat was slick with her blood.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding are cited; contributing factors are listed as 'Unspecified.' The incident highlights the systemic danger of rear seat injuries even when occupants are restrained. The taxi driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729848, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 39-year-old taxi driver died behind the wheel on West 47th Street. No crash, no screech, just silence and a worn seat. The police report cites driver inexperience. The city’s streets claim another life, quietly, in the evening rush.

According to the police report, a taxi was parked on West 47th Street near Sixth Avenue when its 39-year-old driver died behind the wheel at 17:10. The report states, "No crash, no screech, no struggle. Just a lap belt, a worn seat, and the quiet failure of inexperience." The only contributing factor listed is "Driver Inexperience." The driver was found in the parked vehicle, wearing a lap belt, and was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists involved in the incident. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the systemic risks and challenges faced by drivers on New York City streets, as underscored by the official attribution of inexperience.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4719883, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A box truck rolled north outside 1251 Avenue of the Americas. A baby boy, not in the street, was crushed beneath its front. His back broken. The driver was distracted. Midtown lights blinked on as sirens came.

According to the police report, a box truck traveling north outside 1251 Avenue of the Americas struck a baby boy who was not in the roadway. The report states the child was 'crushed beneath its front,' suffering severe back injuries but remaining conscious. The only contributing factor listed in the police report is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The driver, operating a GMC box truck registered in South Carolina, was licensed. The report does not cite any victim behavior as contributing to the crash. The impact occurred at the center front end of the truck, underscoring the direct role of driver distraction in this Midtown collision. No other vehicles or factors are cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709842, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council moves to outlaw driving with fake or expired plates. The bill sets fines and a short grace period for expired tags. Lawmakers say this targets scofflaws who dodge accountability. The measure now sits with the Public Safety Committee.

Int 0177-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, 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 prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle with fraudulent or expired license plates.' 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 makes it unlawful to drive with fake or expired plates, including temporary ones. Civil penalties apply, but drivers with expired plates get a 10-day window to fix the issue. The bill aims to close loopholes that let reckless drivers evade detection and accountability. It awaits further action in committee.

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

Council wants answers. Int 0398-2024 orders DOT and NYPD to study reckless driving every year. They must report what causes crashes, injuries, deaths. The city must post findings and actions. The bill sits in committee. Victims wait for truth.

Int 0398-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill demands the Department of Transportation, with the NYPD and other agencies, conduct an annual study of driving behavior. The official summary reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring a study of dangerous driving.' Sponsors include Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (primary), Gale A. Brewer, Lincoln Restler, Keith Powers, and both the Brooklyn and Manhattan Borough Presidents. The law would force the city to post a public report each year, naming the behaviors behind crashes, injuries, and deaths, and detailing any interventions. The bill aims to expose the roots of traffic violence and push agencies to act. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0398-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

A One Wheel slammed into a man crossing Avenue of the Americas. The impact split his head. Blood pooled on the cold street. He stayed conscious, wounded and exposed, as the city moved around him.

According to the police report, a man was crossing Avenue of the Americas at West 42nd Street when a One Wheel traveling north struck him head-on. The collision caused severe lacerations to the pedestrian's head, leaving him conscious but bleeding on the roadway. The report notes the pedestrian was crossing without a signal or crosswalk, listing 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The One Wheel's point of impact was the center front end, and the vehicle sustained no damage. The incident highlights the vulnerability of pedestrians at busy intersections and the dangers present when vehicles and people intersect outside of designated crossing signals.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4693093, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council axed a decade-old rule that stalled bike lanes. Restler led the charge. The vote was 32 to 15. Now, bike lanes face just 14 days of delay, not months. DOT and advocates cheered. Cyclists need protection. The city moves faster.

On December 7, 2023, the City Council passed Bill 417, repealing a law that delayed bike lane construction. The bill, sponsored by Council Member Lincoln Restler, cleared the Council with a 32-15 vote. It reduces the waiting period after community board notification from 90 days plus 45 after a hearing, to just 14 days. The matter summary reads: 'The City Council repealed a decade-old law that imposed lengthy delays on the city before it could break ground on new bike lanes.' Restler said, 'No other transportation project in New York City...requires this type of extended dead period.' Council Member Keith Powers backed the bill, citing rising cyclist deaths. The Department of Transportation called bike lanes 'life-saving infrastructure.' The amended bill now covers all bike lanes, regardless of length. Advocates say this will help install more lanes and protect vulnerable road users.

• Council Repeals Decade-Old Law that Stalled Bike Lane Installation, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-12-07