Brooklyn Bleeds While Politicians Dither: Demand Real Safety Now

Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter 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 took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

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

Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly gaps for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council in February 2025. The law demands the Department of Transportation install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. If DOT misses the deadline, it must notify the public and explain the delay. The bill’s matter 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 took effect March 15, 2025. Timely markings close the deadly window when streets lack crosswalks and lanes, protecting people on foot and bike.

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

A pickup truck turned left into blinding sun at E 59 St and Beverley Rd. Its bumper smashed a 14-year-old girl’s face as she crossed with the signal. Blood pooled on the pavement. She stood, hands pressed to her wound.

According to the police report, a pickup truck was making a left turn at the corner of E 59 St and Beverley Rd in Brooklyn when it struck a 14-year-old pedestrian. The incident occurred at 15:17. The report states the driver turned 'into the sun,' with 'glare' listed as a contributing factor. The left front bumper of the truck hit the girl in the face, causing severe bleeding. She remained conscious and standing, hands pressed to her wound. The police narrative confirms the girl was 'crossing with the signal' at the intersection. The report does not list any victim behavior as a contributing factor, but explicitly notes the driver's action—turning left into glare—preceded the impact. The data underscores the persistent danger posed by turning vehicles at signalized crossings.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4790784 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 61-year-old cyclist was thrown from his bike when a southbound sedan hit him on East 46th Street near Foster Avenue. Blood pooled on the pavement. The car’s front end crumpled. The man lay still, head split, the street marked by violence.

According to the police report, a 61-year-old man riding a bike eastbound on East 46th Street near Foster Avenue was struck by a southbound Honda sedan at approximately 1:00 PM in Brooklyn. The report states the cyclist was ejected from his bike and suffered severe head trauma, with blood pooling on the pavement. The sedan’s center front end was crumpled from the impact. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but the police report does not list helmet use as a contributing factor. Both vehicles were described as going straight ahead before the crash. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' offering no details on specific driver errors. The impact location and narrative underscore the violence of the collision and the vulnerability of the cyclist in the face of a fast-moving vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4789911 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A cargo van struck Mayya Gil, 95, and her aide in Brooklyn. Gil died. The driver turned left, hit them in the crosswalk. No charges filed. Gil survived war and disaster, but not New York traffic. Another senior lost to city streets.

Gothamist (2025-01-26) reports that Mayya Gil, 95, was killed while crossing Cropsey Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. A man driving a cargo van made a left turn and struck Gil and her home health aide. The aide survived; Gil did not. Police made no arrests or charges. The article notes, 'She was a very active lady.' Gil was the second elderly pedestrian killed in Brooklyn that month. Transportation Alternatives highlighted that 46 senior pedestrians died in city crashes last year. The crash underscores the ongoing risk to older New Yorkers at crosswalks and the lack of driver accountability in such incidents.

• Elderly Woman Killed Crossing Cropsey Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-01-26

Council wants every cyclist in New York to wear a helmet. No helmet, pay a $50 fine. The bill targets riders not already covered by other laws. Debate now sits with the transportation committee.

Bill Int 1173-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced January 23, 2025. The bill states: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of New York, in relation to requiring bicyclists to wear protective headgear.' Public Advocate Jumaane Williams leads as primary sponsor, joined by Council Members Holden, Vernikov, Narcisse, Moya, Schulman, Louis, Hanks, Brannan, and Zhuang. The measure would fine cyclists up to $50 for riding without a helmet, unless already required by other laws. The bill awaits further action in committee.

• File Int 1173-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-01-23

A southbound SUV plows into a 16-year-old boy on Nostrand Avenue. The bumper smashes his face. Blood pours onto the street. He is conscious, cut deep, stunned by the blow. Driver inattention marks the scene.

A 16-year-old pedestrian suffered severe facial lacerations after being struck by a southbound SUV on Nostrand Avenue near Avenue M in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The collision occurred at 18:06, when the teen stepped into the roadway outside a crosswalk or signal. The report states, 'A southbound SUV hits him head-on. The bumper strikes his face. He falls. Blood spills. He is awake, bleeding, cut deep.' Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor, underscoring the driver’s failure to notice or respond to the pedestrian in time. The report also lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a secondary factor, but the primary cause remains the driver’s lack of attention. The impact left the teen conscious but badly injured, highlighting the persistent threat posed by inattentive driving on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787726 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan turned left on Ocean Avenue. An e-scooter carried a 10-year-old boy straight through. Metal struck metal. The boy was thrown, his leg crushed. He wore a helmet. He stayed conscious. The street swallowed his scream.

According to the police report, a sedan making a left turn on Ocean Avenue near Avenue J collided with an e-scooter traveling straight. The impact threw a 10-year-old boy from the scooter, resulting in severe crush injuries to his lower leg. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The sedan’s driver, licensed in New York, struck the scooter with the vehicle’s left front bumper while turning. The boy, riding outside and wearing a helmet, remained conscious after the crash. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The collision underscores the lethal consequences of driver inattention and failure to yield to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785665 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council orders DOT to repaint pavement lines within five days after resurfacing. Delays must be explained to the public. Clear markings mean fewer deadly crossings for walkers and riders.

Int 1160-2025, now enacted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, forces the Department of Transportation to install pavement markings or temporary lines within five business days after any street resurfacing. The bill, sponsored by Farah N. Louis (primary) and co-sponsored by Brannan, Schulman, Banks, Farías, Carr, Ariola, and others, passed on March 15, 2025. The law demands annual reporting on compliance and reasons for any delay. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to installing pavement markings.' Quick, visible lines cut confusion and protect people crossing or riding. The law took effect immediately.

• File Int 1160-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-01-08

A white Audi struck Michael Foster on Caton Avenue. The car dragged him for blocks. The driver never stopped. Foster died in the street. The Audi vanished into the night. No arrests. The city’s danger stays.

NY Daily News reported on January 1, 2025, that Michael Foster, 64, was killed after a white Audi hit him on Caton Ave. near Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn. The driver, described as speeding, dragged Foster for half a mile before leaving him near Linden Blvd. and Nostrand Ave. The article quotes a witness: "I saw him at the stop light. He would go out to the cars and beg for change." The driver fled the scene and has not been caught. No arrests have been made. The incident highlights the lethal risk for pedestrians in city streets and the ongoing issue of hit-and-run drivers evading responsibility.

• Audi Driver Drags Man Half Mile, NY Daily News, Published 2025-01-01

A Dodge sedan struck from behind on Cortelyou Road. Rear passenger, thirty-one, sliced at the neck. Two sedans mangled, one parked car crushed. Blood on the seat, silence on the street. Distraction behind the wheel left violence in its wake.

A violent rear-end collision unfolded on Cortelyou Road near East 31st Street in Brooklyn, according to the police report. A Dodge sedan was struck from behind, leaving its left rear passenger, a 31-year-old man, with severe neck lacerations. The report states, 'A Dodge sedan struck from behind. Rear passenger, 31, gashed at the neck. Two sedans wrecked. One parked car crushed. Distraction behind the wheel.' The primary contributing factor cited is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The impact also damaged a parked sedan. The police report makes no mention of passenger actions as contributing factors. The crash underscores the consequences of driver distraction, with blood and silence marking the aftermath.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4782167 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A RAM SUV struck a 23-year-old e-bike rider on Avenue J. The rider, thrown and bleeding from the head, lay unconscious in the street. The SUV’s right side bore the mark of impact. Failure to yield shattered the morning calm.

A violent collision unfolded on Avenue J near East 28th Street in Brooklyn when a RAM SUV struck an eastbound e-bike, according to the police report. The 23-year-old e-bike rider was ejected and landed on the pavement, unconscious and bleeding from the head. The police report states the SUV’s right side bore the wound of the crash. The primary contributing factor cited is 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The report also notes 'Unsafe Speed' as a factor. The e-bike rider was unlicensed and wore no protective equipment, but these details are mentioned only after the driver’s errors. The crash left the cyclist with severe head injuries, underscoring the lethal consequences when drivers fail to yield to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4779922 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Metal groaned on Nostrand Avenue. Two cars trapped, one stacked atop the other. A bus driver, a woman, a girl—hurt but alive. Emergency crews worked fast. The street bore the scars. The cause stayed hidden in the wreckage.

NY Daily News reported on December 18, 2024, that a multi-vehicle crash at Nostrand Ave. and Park Ave. in Brooklyn left three people injured. The article states, 'Three people were injured, including an MTA bus driver and a young girl, in a collision that pinned two cars between a box truck and a city bus.' Footage showed two vehicles sandwiched between the bus and truck, with one car stacked atop another. The injured included a 59-year-old MTA driver, a 33-year-old woman, and a 9-year-old girl. All were hospitalized in stable condition. The cause of the crash was not determined at the time of reporting. The incident highlights the risks at busy intersections and the dangers posed by large vehicles in dense urban traffic.

• Cars Crushed Between Bus And Truck, NY Daily News, Published 2024-12-18

Steel twisted on Kings Highway. Two sedans collided head-on at speed. Fire erupted. A 57-year-old unlicensed man died, trapped and burned in his Ford. By the time help arrived, the car was ash. Brooklyn night, one life erased.

According to the police report, two sedans collided head-on at speed at Kings Highway and Avenue M in Brooklyn. The report states, 'Steel crumpled. Fire bloomed.' A 57-year-old unlicensed man, driving a Ford sedan, was killed—burned to death while strapped in his seat. The Ford was described as 'ash by the time help came.' The crash occurred at 21:45. The police report cites 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The deceased was not ejected and was wearing a lap belt and harness. The data shows the man was unlicensed at the time of the crash. The other vehicle, a Toyota sedan, was also demolished. The report does not list any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The deadly outcome traces directly to unsafe speed and the presence of an unlicensed driver behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4776867 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Dodge SUV plowed into a 25-year-old motorcyclist on Albany Avenue, crushing his body and leaving him unconscious. The bike was destroyed. The street fell silent as the young man lay broken, ejected, and battered in the Brooklyn night.

A violent crash unfolded on Albany Avenue near Farragut Road at 1:41 a.m., according to the police report. A Dodge SUV struck a 25-year-old man riding a ZHI motorcycle from behind, ejecting him and causing severe crush injuries to his entire body. The police report states the SUV's driver was inattentive or distracted, listing 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The motorcyclist was left unconscious at the scene, his motorcycle demolished. The report further notes 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors in the crash. The SUV's front end collided with the motorcycle's rear, a classic pattern of driver error and systemic danger for vulnerable road users. The police report records that the motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this detail appears only after the driver’s documented failures.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775575 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan struck a 75-year-old man on Utica Avenue, tearing his eye and leaving blood on the street. The driver was distracted. The man stayed conscious, wounded and upright, as the city’s traffic pressed on around him.

A 75-year-old man was struck by a sedan on Utica Avenue near Church Avenue in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The collision occurred outside the crosswalk at 17:24. The report states, 'A sedan struck a 75-year-old man outside the crosswalk. His eye torn, blood on the asphalt. He stayed conscious.' The police report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The sedan’s left front bumper made contact, causing severe lacerations to the pedestrian’s eye. The report does not list any pedestrian behaviors as contributing factors. The focus remains on the driver’s distraction, which led to the violent impact and left the pedestrian injured on the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4778655 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A city worker crashed into three cars in Bed-Stuy. She dragged a person, struck a car with a pregnant woman, and tried to flee. No life-threatening injuries. Police arrested her near the scene. Charges include assault and reckless endangerment.

Gothamist (2024-11-27) reports a New York City Housing Authority employee crashed into three vehicles near Gates Avenue and Marcus Garvey Boulevard in Brooklyn. Police say the driver, Tanisha Simpson, "swiped an oncoming car," dragged a person trying to get her information, and hit another car with a pregnant woman inside. She then struck a third, unoccupied vehicle before being arrested by city sheriffs nearby. The pregnant woman was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Simpson faces charges of reckless endangerment, assault, and leaving the scene. The incident highlights ongoing risks at busy intersections and underscores the consequences of fleeing after a crash.

• Driver Drags Person, Hits Pregnant Woman, Gothamist, Published 2024-11-27

Council demands DOT show its work. The law forces public updates on every street safety project. No more hiding delays. No more silent cost overruns. Progress for bus riders, cyclists, and walkers must be tracked and posted.

Int 1105-2024 became law on May 10, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by Julie Won and co-sponsored by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others, amends the city code to require the Department of Transportation to post annual and monthly updates on all projects tied to the streets master plan. The law’s title: '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.' It forces transparency on protected bike lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian signals, and upgrades. The public will see delays, costs, and status. No more secrets. The mayor returned it unsigned, but the law stands.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-11-13

A sedan turns left at midnight, steel collides with flesh. A young moped rider is thrown, bleeding, onto Utica Avenue. The car’s bumper bends. The street holds the violence. The night stays silent, the wound remains.

At the corner of Utica Avenue and Tilden Avenue in Brooklyn, a sedan making a left turn collided with a northbound moped, according to the police report. The crash occurred at midnight. The moped rider, a 25-year-old man, was ejected and landed on the street with severe lacerations, described as 'flesh torn' and 'bleeding' in the narrative. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor, underscoring the sedan driver's error in the collision. The moped rider was conscious at the scene. The report also notes the rider was not wearing a helmet, but this detail appears after the primary driver error. The sedan’s right front bumper was damaged. The violence of the impact and the injury to the vulnerable road user are clear in the official account.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766731 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan barreled south on Utica Avenue and struck a man crossing with the signal. Blood streaked his face. He stood, conscious, torn by steel and rage, his eye lacerated, the street marked by violence and failure.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on Utica Avenue at Avenue K struck a 35-year-old man who was crossing the intersection with the signal. The report states the vehicle's front end hit the pedestrian head-on, resulting in severe lacerations to his eye. The pedestrian remained conscious at the scene. The police report explicitly cites 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors in the collision. The pedestrian's behavior—'Crossing With Signal'—is noted in the report, but only after the driver's aggressive actions and failure to yield. The incident underscores the danger posed by aggressive driving and the systemic risks faced by people walking in New York City.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765153 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04