No More Bodies in the Crosswalk: Demand Action Now

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

City Council pulled the jaywalking bill before a vote. Advocates warned new language could blame pedestrians for crashes. The bill would have let people cross mid-block, but now demands they yield to drivers. Racial bias in enforcement remains unaddressed.

On September 12, 2024, the City Council delayed action on a bill to legalize jaywalking. The measure, sponsored by Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, passed the Transportation Committee but was withdrawn before a full Council vote. The bill’s summary stated it would 'legalize crossing outside crosswalks and require a pedestrian education campaign.' Advocates objected to last-minute changes that would force pedestrians to yield to drivers, fearing it could criminalize those struck by cars. Narcisse highlighted 'systemic bias in how these laws are enforced.' Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers said, 'There is little evidence to support the claim that criminal or civil offenses for jaywalking change pedestrian behavior or increase pedestrian safety,' and noted racial disparities in ticketing. The NYPD and DOT opposed the bill, citing safety concerns. The bill’s fate remains uncertain, with advocates demanding stronger protections for pedestrians.

• Council Balks on Legalizing ‘Jaywalking’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-12

Steel met flesh at East 82nd and Flatlands. A 25-year-old woman, crossing with the light, was hit by a turning SUV. Pelvis shattered, blood pooled on dusk-lit asphalt. She lay conscious as traffic moved on, the city’s indifference unbroken.

A 25-year-old pedestrian was seriously injured at the corner of East 82nd Street and Flatlands Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal in the crosswalk when an SUV, identified as an INFI -CAR/SUV, turned left and struck her. The impact hit her pelvis, causing severe bleeding and significant injury. The police report explicitly lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors on the part of the driver. The narrative notes the woman was conscious after the crash, lying injured as cars passed. The report makes clear that the pedestrian was following the crossing signal at the time of the collision. All evidence points to driver error and disregard for traffic controls as the direct causes of this crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751934, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

The council passed a law forcing DOT to reveal bike and micromobility numbers. Streets and bridges get counted. Protected lanes get tracked. The city must show where riders go and where danger lurks. Data goes public. Riders get seen.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity,' was introduced April 11, 2024. It passed committee and full council votes on August 15, 2024, and became law September 14, 2024, as Local Law 88 of 2024. Council Members Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (primary sponsor), Amanda Farías, Lynn C. Schulman, Crystal Hudson, Lincoln Restler, and others backed the measure. The law compels DOT to publish monthly and annual data on bike and micromobility use, including counts from automated sensors. DOT must also describe safety projects and analyze crash and usage data to guide improvements. This law forces transparency. It puts the movement and safety of vulnerable riders on record.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-08-15

Two buses collided on Strickland Avenue. Metal screamed. A 70-year-old woman in the rear seat slammed her head, blood marking the aftermath. Crush injuries followed. The aisle fell silent, the cost of a distracted turn echoing in the wreckage.

According to the police report, two buses met near Strickland Avenue and 56 Drive—one parked, one turning. The turning bus struck the parked vehicle with its right front bumper, colliding with the left rear of the other bus. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. A 70-year-old woman, seated in the rear of one bus, suffered head trauma and crush injuries. She was not wearing a seat belt, but the police report attributes the crash to driver inattention, not passenger behavior. The narrative describes metal shrieking and blood marking the seat as silence filled the aisle. The sequence of events underscores the danger when drivers lose focus behind the wheel, especially in vehicles carrying vulnerable passengers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738783, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man behind the wheel slumped, illness seizing him mid-drive. His SUV lunged forward, smashing hard. The belt held him, but his face bore the brunt. He stayed conscious. The body broke in the crush.

A 60-year-old man driving a station wagon/SUV on East 69th Street in Brooklyn suffered a sudden illness while behind the wheel, according to the police report. The report states, 'A man slumped at the wheel. His SUV surged forward, struck hard at the front. Illness gripped him mid-drive.' The impact left the driver with crush injuries to his face, though he remained conscious and was restrained by a lap belt. The police report lists 'Illness' as the sole contributing factor in the crash. No other vehicles or road users were reported injured. The narrative describes the violence of the crash and the physical toll on the driver, underscoring the dangers that can arise when a driver loses control due to a medical emergency.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738696, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

City officials fight to keep jaywalking illegal. They claim it protects pedestrians. Enforcement is rare but hits people of color hardest. Council Member Narcisse wants change. NYPD and DOT resist. Advocates say criminalization fails safety and justice.

On June 26, 2024, the City Council held a hearing on a bill to decriminalize jaywalking. The bill, proposed by Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, seeks to end criminal penalties for crossing streets outside crosswalks. The matter summary states officials argue, 'keeping it illegal protects pedestrian safety.' DOT First Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione testified against full legalization, supporting only a reduction to a civil offense. NYPD Deputy Chief Thomas Alps defended targeted enforcement in high-crash areas. Council Transportation Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers questioned the law's fairness, noting most tickets go to Black and Brown New Yorkers. Advocates criticized the city's stance, saying criminalization does not improve safety and harms communities of color. The bill remains under debate, with no clear path forward.

• City Wants To Keep ‘Jaywalking’ Illegal For Pedestrians’ Own Good, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-26

Council Member Narcisse moves to end NYPD jaywalking tickets. Data shows Black and Latino New Yorkers bear the brunt. The bill seeks fairness, not punishment. Streets should not be hunting grounds. The council will hear the measure Tuesday.

On June 25, 2024, Council Member Mercedes Narcisse introduced a bill to decriminalize jaywalking in New York City. The measure heads to its first hearing before the transportation committee. Narcisse’s bill responds to city data: in 2023, 92 percent of jaywalking summonses went to Black or Latino New Yorkers; in early 2024, that number rose to 96.5 percent. Narcisse calls this 'a troubling picture of racial disparities.' She states, 'Jaywalking should not be a criminal matter that disproportionately impacts certain groups based on race or ethnicity.' Narcisse urges the city to redirect police resources and end selective enforcement. The bill aims to protect the rights of all residents and promote equity in city policy.

• Brooklyn Pol: NYPD’s Enforcement of ‘Jaywalking’ is a ‘Racial Injustice’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-25

Council calls for five mile per hour speed cap on Open Streets. The move aims to slow cars where people walk, bike, and gather. Resolution passes. Streets may breathe easier. The city pushes Albany to let it set its own pace.

Resolution 0079-2024, adopted June 6, 2024 by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, urges the State Legislature and Governor to pass S.315/A.1416. The measure would let New York City set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets in the Open Streets program. The matter title reads: 'authorize New York City to set a five mile per hour speed limit on streets participating in the Open Streets program.' Council Member Shahana K. Hanif led as primary sponsor, joined by Amanda Farías, Crystal Hudson, Julie Won, and Carlina Rivera. The committee approved the resolution with strong support. The bill targets streets where pedestrians and cyclists mix with traffic. Lower speeds mean fewer crashes and less severe injuries. The council’s action puts pressure on Albany to give the city the power to protect people where they are most exposed.

• File Res 0079-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-06-06

Council Member Narcisse moves to end NYPD’s biased jaywalking crackdowns. Black and Latino New Yorkers bear the brunt. The bill would legalize crossing mid-block and against the light. Only eight council members back it. NYPD stays silent.

On May 22, 2024, Council Member Mercedes Narcisse of Brooklyn introduced a bill to decriminalize jaywalking in New York City. The bill, currently with only eight co-sponsors out of 51, aims to 'permit pedestrians to legally cross a roadway at any point, including outside of a marked or unmarked crosswalk, and allow for crossing against traffic signals.' Narcisse states the goal is to 'legalize the activity commonly referred to as 'jaywalking' and specify that no penalties can be imposed.' The move follows years of data showing NYPD’s racially biased enforcement: in 2023, 92 percent of jaywalking tickets went to Black or Latino residents, who make up just 55 percent of the city’s population. Lawmakers have long sought to end this pattern. The NYPD did not comment.

• ON THE BIAS: NYPD’s ‘Walking While Black’ Ticketing Continues, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-05-22

Council moves to form an advisory board on school crossing guard deployment. NYPD, DOT, and DOE must join. The board will send reports twice a year to city leaders. The aim: track, review, and recommend guard placement. Streets near schools stay dangerous.

Bill Int 0448-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety. Introduced February 28, 2024, it calls for an advisory board on school crossing guard deployment. The board would include the NYPD, Department of Transportation, and Department of Education. According to the bill summary: 'Such advisory board would be responsible for submitting biannual reports, relating to recommended deployment of school crossing guards, to the Mayor, the City Council Speaker and the Police Commissioner.' Council Member Kamillah Hanks leads as primary sponsor, joined by Stevens, Schulman, Salaam, Won, Cabán, Riley, Farías, Restler, Williams, Narcisse, Banks, Louis, Brooks-Powers, Marmorato, and the Bronx Borough President. The bill demands city agencies work together, but it does not guarantee more guards or safer crossings. The danger for children at city intersections remains.

• File Int 0448-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill Int 0336-2024 demands action. NYPD must build a website for crash victims. DOT must create a guide. Families get updates, not silence. The bill sits in committee. Restler and Narcisse sponsor. The city’s deadly streets demand answers.

Int 0336-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to resources for victims of motor vehicle collisions,' pushes for transparency and support. It requires NYPD to launch a website giving crash victims and their families access to investigation updates, summonses, and witness information. The Department of Transportation must create a guide for collision victims, covering police reports and no-fault insurance. Council Members Lincoln Restler (primary sponsor, District 33) and Mercedes Narcisse (co-sponsor, District 46) back the measure. The bill was referred to committee and awaits further action. It aims to end the information blackout that follows so many deadly crashes.

• File Int 0336-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill Int 0143-2024 would pay up to $1,000 for tips that help catch hit-and-run drivers who injure or kill. The bill targets the silence that lets drivers vanish. It aims to bring justice for victims left bleeding in the street.

Int 0143-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill seeks to amend city law to "establish a reward for individuals who provide information leading to the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of a person who seriously injures or kills another individual in a hit-and-run accident." Council Member Rita C. Joseph leads as primary sponsor, joined by Brooks-Powers, Narcisse, Vernikov, Louis, Bottcher, Hudson, Gennaro, and Williams. The bill authorizes the mayor, on the police commissioner's recommendation, to offer up to $1,000 for actionable tips. Law enforcement and city or state employees are excluded. The bill responds to the grim fact that many hit-and-runs go unsolved, leaving victims and families without answers. It aims to break the code of silence and help bring reckless drivers to justice.

• File Int 0143-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council members push for a hard look at last mile delivery hubs. Trucks swarm neighborhoods. Streets clog. Collisions rise. The bill demands data. It targets the city’s growing freight problem. Vulnerable New Yorkers walk these streets. The study could expose the toll.

Int 0113-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, it orders the Department of Transportation to study how last mile delivery facilities batter local streets and communities. The bill summary reads: 'estimating the amount of delivery vehicles arriving at or departing from each facility, and the impact that additional vehicle traffic has on parking, street congestion, vehicle collisions and other traffic incidents.' Public Advocate Jumaane Williams leads as primary sponsor, joined by Alexa Avilés, Shekar Krishnan, Amanda Farías, and over twenty others. The bill was referred to committee on the day it was introduced. No safety analyst has yet weighed in, but the bill’s focus is clear: count the trucks, count the crashes, and show the cost to people on foot and bike.

• File Int 0113-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council wants 500 solar-lit crosswalks. The bill sits in committee. Streets stay dark. Pedestrians wait. The city promises a study. Lawmakers push for light, but action lags. Danger remains while the council debates.

Int 0301-2024, introduced February 28, 2024, sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, status: Laid Over in Committee. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the installation of solar-powered crosswalks,' orders the Department of Transportation to install at least 100 illuminated, solar-powered traffic control devices at crosswalks each year for five years—a total of 500. The department must also study their impact compared to unlit signs. Council Member Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Menin, Brooks-Powers, Rivera, Won, Narcisse, Hanks, Hanif, Bottcher, Brewer, Hudson, Schulman, and Avilés. The bill was laid over by committee on June 25, 2024. No safety analyst note was provided. Vulnerable road users remain exposed while the city delays action.

• File Int 0301-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

A 14-year-old boy died at Glenwood Road and East 81st Street. Two vehicles collided at unsafe speed. View blocked. Metal struck flesh. The boy’s body broke beneath headlights. The street fell silent. Systemic danger left another child dead.

A 14-year-old pedestrian was killed at the intersection of Glenwood Road and East 81st Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a pickup truck and an SUV collided while both were 'going straight ahead.' The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'View Obstructed/Limited' as contributing factors. The SUV was driven by an unlicensed driver, as noted in the report. The narrative states the boy was 'crushed beneath speeding steel' and suffered 'crush injuries' to his entire body. The collision occurred at 6:15 p.m., leaving the child dead at the scene. The report does not cite any pedestrian actions as contributing factors. The focus remains on driver speed, obstructed views, and the presence of an unlicensed driver, all of which contributed to this fatal crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4698667, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Lexus SUV hit a man lying on Belt Parkway. The impact was direct. He suffered a head wound, lost consciousness, and died on the cold, still road. The night was quiet. The SUV kept eastbound. The man did not survive.

A man was killed on Belt Parkway when a 2015 Lexus SUV traveling eastbound struck him with its left front bumper. According to the police report, the man was 'lying in the roadway' at the time of the crash. He suffered a head wound, lost consciousness, and died at the scene. The report describes the night as cold and the road as still. No driver errors or contributing factors are listed for either party; both are marked as 'Unspecified.' The man was not at an intersection and was engaged in 'other actions in roadway.' The police report does not cite speeding, distraction, or failure to yield. The focus remains on the fatal impact between the SUV and the vulnerable pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4692041, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A scooter slammed into an SUV on Batchelder Street. Metal twisted. The rider’s face bled beneath his helmet. The SUV’s front crumpled. Failure to yield. Speed too fast. One man hurt. Brooklyn street, blood on the pavement.

A motorscooter and a GMC SUV collided on Batchelder Street near Avenue S in Brooklyn. The 38-year-old scooter rider suffered severe facial bleeding but remained conscious. According to the police report, 'A scooter slammed into the front of a GMC SUV. The unlicensed rider, 38, hit hard, face bleeding beneath his helmet. Metal twisted. The SUV’s left front crumpled. Failure to yield. Speed too fast.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The SUV’s left front was damaged. The rider wore a helmet. No injuries were reported for the SUV occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4685165, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council passed a law to overhaul city truck routes. The bill orders daylighting at intersections and new signage. It aims to cut crashes, boost visibility, and shrink truck miles. Sponsors demand safer streets for people on foot and bike. Change is now law.

Int 0708-2022, now Local Law 171 of 2023, was enacted by the City Council on December 16, 2023, after passing the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The law, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to redesigning the city truck route network," requires the Department of Transportation to redesign truck routes to "improve safety, increase visibility, reduce traffic congestion, and reduce vehicle miles traveled." Council Member Tiffany Cabán led as primary sponsor, joined by dozens of co-sponsors. The law mandates daylighting—removing parking near intersections—to clear sight lines for drivers and protect people crossing. DOT must consult with safety groups, residents, and businesses, and replace truck route signage for better clarity. The law sets deadlines: initial report by November 2023, implementation by June 2024, and new signage by July 2024. This overhaul targets the deadly risk trucks pose to vulnerable road users at city intersections.

• File Int 0708-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-11-15

A speeding sedan crashed into a parked tow truck on Belt Parkway. Metal twisted. A woman in the front seat bled from her leg. She stayed conscious, held by her lap belt. The night was silent. Unsafe speed and bad lane use led to pain.

A 2008 Toyota sedan, traveling west on Belt Parkway, struck a parked tow truck. According to the police report, the sedan hit the tow truck at unsafe speed. The front passenger, a 35-year-old woman, suffered severe bleeding to her leg but remained conscious. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The tow truck was parked and unoccupied at the time. The woman wore a lap belt, as noted in the report, but the primary causes were driver errors. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4676271, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15