Blood on the Corners, Silence in City Hall

Two cars collided at Avenue D and East 94th. Obstructed views and failure to yield led to the crash. A young woman suffered severe facial cuts. Another driver hurt his neck. The street became a site of pain and confusion.

Two vehicles, a taxi and an SUV, collided at Avenue D and East 94th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'View Obstructed/Limited' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' A 23-year-old female passenger suffered severe lacerations to her face. A 33-year-old male driver sustained a neck injury and bruising. Other occupants reported unspecified injuries. The report lists 'Obstruction/Debris' as a contributing factor for those injured. Both vehicles were traveling straight before impact, with damage to their front ends. The crash highlights the danger when drivers cannot see and do not yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4813928, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A motorcycle slammed its front end on Pennsylvania Ave near Schroeders Ave. The driver, a 45-year-old man, suffered severe lacerations across his body. No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved. The cause remains unspecified in the police report.

A motorcycle traveling north on Pennsylvania Ave at Schroeders Ave in Brooklyn crashed, causing serious injury to its 45-year-old male driver. According to the police report, the motorcycle's center front end took the impact, and the driver sustained severe lacerations over his entire body. The report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' No other vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists were involved. The police report does not mention any helmet use or other safety equipment as a factor. The crash highlights the vulnerability of motorcycle riders in single-vehicle incidents.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811817, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council passed a bill forcing taxis and for-hire cars to post warnings on rear doors. The decals tell riders to watch for cyclists before swinging open. The law aims to cut dooring. Signs come free from the city. Cyclists face less risk.

Int 0193-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, moved through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and passed the Council on May 1, 2025. The bill reads: 'requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door.' Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Jennifer Gutiérrez and a long list of co-sponsors. The Council voted overwhelmingly in favor. The law orders all taxis and for-hire vehicles to post warning decals on rear passenger doors, alerting riders to check for cyclists before opening. The Taxi and Limousine Commission will provide the signs at no cost. The measure targets dooring, a common threat to cyclists. The bill takes effect 120 days after becoming law.

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

A stolen Porsche sped through Brooklyn. Police set a roadblock. The car veered toward officers. One fired. The driver, struck, crashed again and died at the hospital. The chase ended in Starrett City. No officers or passengers were reported hurt.

Gothamist reported on April 30, 2025, that NYPD officers shot and killed a man driving a stolen Porsche after a chase on the Belt Parkway. Police said the driver, spotted near Brighton Beach, "maneuvered onto the service road in [the] direction of several officers who set up a roadblock to stop this vehicle." When the driver "veered toward one of the officers and nearly hit him," an officer fired, striking the driver. The car continued another mile before crashing again. The driver died at Brookdale Hospital. The incident was captured on police body cameras. Officers were treated at local hospitals but not injured. The article notes this was the fourth fatal police shooting by NYPD in 2025. The event highlights risks of high-speed chases and the dangers posed by fleeing vehicles near roadblocks.

• Police Shoot Driver After Parkway Chase, Gothamist, Published 2025-04-30

Council bill orders NYPD to verify temporary plates and VINs on ticketed cars. Cops must publish quarterly parking enforcement reports. Sponsors push for sunlight on enforcement. Committee shelves the bill for now. Streets wait. Danger lingers.

Int 1252-2025, introduced April 24, 2025, sits with the Committee on Public Safety. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to police department parking enforcement," demands the NYPD confirm license plates and VINs on vehicles with temporary tags or those ticketed for violations. The NYPD must also release quarterly reports on parking enforcement. Council Members Farah N. Louis (primary), Oswald Feliz, Lincoln Restler, Robert F. Holden, and Chris Banks sponsor the measure. On April 28, 2025, the committee laid the bill over. The bill aims to expose enforcement gaps and bring accountability, but for now, the city’s most vulnerable—pedestrians and cyclists—see no immediate relief. The system stalls. The risk remains.

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

Council calls for speed limiters in cars of repeat speeders. The resolution urges Albany to pass S.7621/A.7979. The measure targets reckless drivers. It aims to cut deadly crashes. The bill sits in committee. Streets remain dangerous.

Resolution 0854-2025, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, urges the state to pass S.7621/A.7979. The resolution, introduced April 24, 2025, calls for 'requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by Salaam, Hanif, Gutiérrez, Banks, and Brannan. The bill would force drivers with eleven or more points in eighteen months, or six speed/red light camera tickets in a year, to install speed-limiting tech. The Council cites data: 265 killed, 52,949 injured on city streets in 2023. The measure aims to put a brake on reckless driving. The committee has not yet advanced the resolution. Vulnerable road users wait for action.

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

Council wants VINs on tickets when plates vanish or hide. Lawbreakers dodge cameras with covered plates. Cops seize thousands of these cars. Current law lets violators slip away. The bill aims to close that loophole. Committee delays action.

Resolution 0853-2025 sits with the Committee on Public Safety, laid over since April 24, 2025. The measure calls on Albany to let police list a car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on a Notice of Violation when the license plate is missing, concealed, obscured, or distorted. The matter title reads: 'Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation to amend the vehicle and traffic law to permit a motor vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to be listed in a Notice of Violation, instead of license plate number, in circumstances when a license plate of such vehicle is missing, concealed, obscured, or distorted.' Council Members Chris Banks (primary sponsor, District 42) and Yusef Salaam (co-sponsor, District 9) back the bill. The law now demands a plate number on tickets, letting violators escape if plates are unreadable. The bill would let cops use the VIN, closing a loophole that shields reckless drivers from accountability.

• File Res 0853-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-24

DOT stands firm against a citywide ban on corner parking. Council members press for daylighting to save lives. DOT claims high costs and flawed data. Advocates cite proven safety gains. The battle pits parking against pedestrian survival.

On April 22, 2025, the City Council held a hearing on a bill to ban parking within 20 feet of intersections—known as daylighting. The bill, sponsored by Council Member Julie Won and backed by 25 sponsors, aims to improve visibility and protect pedestrians. DOT officials opposed the measure, citing a study that warns of increased injuries without costly infrastructure, estimating a $3 billion price tag. Won called the study 'deeply flawed.' Council Member Lincoln Restler blasted DOT for ignoring dangerous corners in his district. Chris Banks opposed the bill over parking concerns. Advocates and Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla countered, pointing to cheap, effective daylighting elsewhere. The debate exposes a stark choice: keep parking or save lives at the curb.

• DOT Still Opposes Push to Ban Corner Parking, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-22

A taxi slammed into a 46-year-old cyclist from behind on Pitkin Avenue. The cab’s bumper struck hard. Blood pooled from the man’s head. He wore no helmet. Both taxi occupants, aged eighty, walked away unscathed. Steel met flesh. The street stayed dangerous.

A 46-year-old cyclist suffered a severe head injury after a taxi struck him from behind on Pitkin Avenue near New Jersey Avenue in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The incident occurred at 8:01 a.m. The report states, 'A 46-year-old cyclist bled from the head after a taxi struck him from behind. The cab’s front bumper hit hard.' The police list 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor, placing the responsibility on the taxi driver’s failure to maintain a safe distance. Both men in the taxi, aged eighty, were unhurt. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the driver’s error. The crash underscores the persistent danger faced by vulnerable road users when drivers fail to control their vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806928, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council passed a law forcing DOT to post updates on every street safety project. Each month, the public will see which projects are planned, which are stalled, and which are done. No more hiding delays or cost overruns. Sunlight on every mile.

Bill Int 1105-2024, now on the Mayor's desk, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced November 13, 2024, and passed committee and full Council votes on April 10, 2025. The law, titled '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,' demands the Department of Transportation post annual and monthly updates on all benchmark projects—protected bike lanes, bus lanes, signals, and upgrades. Council Member Julie Won led as primary sponsor, joined by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others. The law requires public reporting on project status, funding, delays, and overruns. This measure brings hard oversight and transparency to the city’s street safety promises.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-10

A man sped through a stop sign in Brownsville. His Mercedes hit a school bus. His passenger died. He ran from the wreck in a taxi. Police found him later. The victim’s family mourns. The street remains unchanged.

NY Daily News reported on March 2, 2025, that Tyree Epps, 32, drove a Mercedes-Benz without a license, ran a stop sign on Van Sinderen Ave, and crashed into a school bus. The article states, “After the crash, Epps hopped in a taxi and took off, leaving his 26-year-old passenger, Imani Vance, in the front seat suffering severe head trauma.” Epps faces charges of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene, and unlicensed driving. The bus driver survived. The crash exposes ongoing risks from unlicensed, reckless drivers and the persistent danger at city intersections. The victim’s family is left to grieve and organize a funeral, while the intersection remains a site of loss.

• Unlicensed Driver Flees Fatal Brooklyn Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-02

A sedan tore down Van Sinderen Avenue, slammed a bus, then a parked truck. Metal screamed. The front passenger, a 26-year-old woman, died in her seat. Head wounds ended everything. She never saw it coming. The driver had no license.

A deadly crash unfolded on Van Sinderen Avenue near Blake Avenue in Brooklyn when, according to the police report, a sedan traveling at 'unsafe speed' collided with a bus and then struck a parked box truck. The report states the sedan's front passenger, a 26-year-old woman, suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. The sedan's driver was unlicensed, as documented in the official vehicle records. The police report attributes the primary contributing factor to 'Unsafe Speed.' The narrative describes the sedan as 'slammed into a bus, then a parked box truck,' underscoring the violent sequence. No contributing factors related to the victim's behavior are cited in the report. The focus remains on the unlicensed driver’s excessive speed and the systemic danger posed by unqualified motorists operating vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795300, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A BMW X5 veered off Belt Parkway near Exit 14. The SUV struck a tree. Marcus Joseph, 41, died at the scene. No passengers. No bystanders hurt. The crash left only silence and wreckage on the Brooklyn road.

NY Daily News (2025-02-18) reports Marcus Joseph, 41, died after his BMW X5 spun out of control on the Belt Parkway near Exit 14 in Starrett City, Brooklyn. Police said the SUV 'skidded off the road and slammed into a tree.' Joseph was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The article does not mention weather or road conditions. The incident highlights the dangers of high-speed corridors like the Belt Parkway, where loss of control can prove fatal. No charges were filed. The report underscores the persistent risks for all road users on New York City highways.

• BMW Skids, Slams Tree On Belt Parkway, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-18

A BMW SUV hurtled east on Belt Parkway, speed unchecked. The driver, unbelted, lost control on slick pavement. Metal twisted, glass burst. Thrown from the wreck, his head struck hard. Alone, he died on the frozen asphalt.

According to the police report, a BMW SUV traveling eastbound on Belt Parkway crashed while moving at unsafe speed on slippery pavement. The sole occupant, a 41-year-old male driver, was ejected from the vehicle and killed, suffering fatal head injuries. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Pavement Slippery' as contributing factors. The SUV was described as 'demolished' at the point of impact. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt, but the police report attributes the crash primarily to excessive speed and hazardous road conditions. No other vehicles or road users were involved. The narrative underscores the violence of the crash and the systemic danger posed by high speeds, especially under adverse conditions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793436, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council bill 1195-2025 orders a citywide study and plan for tactile paving on sidewalks. The measure targets safer crossings for blind and low-vision New Yorkers. Sponsors demand action. The bill sits in committee. The city must report progress each year.

Int 1195-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 13, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law in relation to requiring a study and plan regarding the installation of tactile paving on sidewalks,' mandates a one-year study and a five-year plan for tactile paving across New York City. Council Members Farah N. Louis (primary sponsor), Chris Banks, and Sandra Ung back the measure. The Department of Transportation must identify high-priority blocks, consult disability advocates, and review best practices. The Commissioner must submit a plan and annual progress reports to the Mayor and Council Speaker, all posted online. The bill aims to set design standards, clarify maintenance and liability, and ensure public outreach. The legislation focuses on making sidewalks safer and more accessible for people with vision loss.

• File Int 1195-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

City Council passed a law forcing DOT to repaint pavement markings within five days after resurfacing. Streets stripped bare by fresh asphalt must get lines back fast. Delays require public notice. The law aims to keep crosswalks and lanes visible, protecting walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced January 8, 2025, passed March 15, and became Local Law 28 of 2025. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Council Member Farah N. Louis led as primary sponsor, joined by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, and Ariola. The law orders DOT to install pavement or temporary markings within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must post notices explaining the delay and set a new timeline. DOT must also report yearly on compliance. The law responds to a simple fact: missing markings mean danger for people on foot and bike. With this law, the city moves to close that deadly gap.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-02-13

A man stood on Pennsylvania Avenue, waiting for a tow. An argument broke out. The other man pulled a gun. Four shots, both legs. The shooter fled. Sirens came. The victim survived. The street stayed cold and empty.

NY Daily News reported on February 1, 2025, that a 34-year-old man was shot in both legs after a car crash in East New York, Brooklyn. The incident happened on January 23 as the victim waited for a tow truck on Pennsylvania Avenue. According to police, 'the suspect, described as around 60 years old,' argued with the victim before firing twice into each leg and fleeing. The victim was hospitalized in stable condition. Police released surveillance images and asked for tips. The article highlights the unpredictable violence that can follow traffic incidents, underscoring the risks faced by those stranded after crashes.

• Man Shot After Brooklyn Crash Dispute, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-01

A concrete mixer reversed on Watkins Street. A woman crossed in the marked crosswalk. The truck struck her, crushing her hip and leg. She lay conscious, broken on the pavement. The truck kept moving. The street did not forgive.

According to the police report, a concrete mixer backed west on Watkins Street near Linden Boulevard without warning. A 40-year-old woman was crossing in the marked crosswalk when the truck struck her, crushing her hip and leg. The report states she was left conscious on the pavement, suffering from severe injuries. The vehicle's pre-crash action is listed as 'Backing,' and the point of impact was the 'Center Back End.' No contributing factors are cited for the pedestrian; the driver’s maneuver—reversing a large truck into a crosswalk—created the danger. The police report does not list any contributing pedestrian behaviors. The crash underscores the lethal risk posed when heavy vehicles back through pedestrian space.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792038, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Honda sedan, moving south on Kings Highway, struck a man in the crosswalk. The impact shattered his skull. He died on the pavement, headlights burning above, metal cooling in the Brooklyn night.

A man was killed when a southbound Honda sedan struck him head-on at the intersection of Kings Highway and Church Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the pedestrian was crossing against the signal when the collision occurred. The report identifies 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor on the part of the driver. The impact was severe, with the victim suffering fatal head injuries and dying at the scene. The vehicle's point of impact was the center front end, and damage was noted on the left front bumper. The police report also lists 'Unspecified' as an additional contributing factor. While the pedestrian's action of crossing against the signal is noted, the primary focus remains on the driver's unsafe speed as a critical factor in this fatal crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4788144, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 57-year-old woman stepped into the crosswalk on Blake Avenue. The SUV turned. The bumper caught her. She fell, struck, and died on the asphalt. The driver failed to yield. The signal kept blinking. Brooklyn lost another pedestrian.

According to the police report, a 57-year-old woman was crossing Blake Avenue at Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn, using the crosswalk and moving with the signal when a Nissan SUV made a left turn and struck her. The report states the vehicle's right front bumper hit the woman, causing her to fall and suffer fatal injuries to her entire body. The pedestrian died at the scene. The police report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The victim was crossing with the signal, as documented in the report. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers fail to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4788343, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14