No More Bodies in the Crosswalk: Demand Action Now

A Jeep smashed head-on on East 76th Street. Two men inside, both drunk, both hurt. One's head bled, the other's face torn. No seat belts. Morning broke over blood and shattered glass.

A Jeep SUV crashed head-on at 929 East 76th Street in Brooklyn. Two male passengers, ages 29 and 31, suffered severe injuries—one to the head, the other to the face. According to the police report, 'Alcohol Involvement' was a contributing factor. Both men were not wearing seat belts. The report notes both were bleeding, one incoherent, one conscious, as dawn rose over the wreck. No other driver errors are listed beyond alcohol involvement and falling asleep. The crash left blood on the seats and glass scattered across the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4614931, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan hit the back of an SUV on Avenue L. Metal bent. A 28-year-old man’s shoulder was crushed. Another passenger hurt his back. Both stayed conscious. No pedestrians. No cyclists. The street stayed open. The city moved on.

A sedan struck the rear quarter of an eastbound SUV near East 53rd Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a 28-year-old man in the front seat suffered crush injuries to his shoulder but remained conscious. Another passenger sustained back injuries. Both vehicles were traveling straight. The sedan’s right front bumper hit the SUV’s right rear quarter panel. The police report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. Both injured passengers wore lap belts. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash left two men hurt and metal twisted, but the report gives no further detail on the cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4610343, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council filed a bill to force a city study on truck and delivery traffic from last mile warehouses. The bill targets congestion, collisions, and harm to neighborhoods. It demands hard numbers on vehicle flow, street damage, and danger to people outside cars.

Int 0923-2023 was introduced on February 16, 2023, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Council Member Alexa Avilés, with over thirty co-sponsors, sought a city study on the impact of truck and delivery traffic from last mile facilities. The official summary reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to conducting a study of the impact that truck and delivery traffic generated by last mile facilities have on local communities and infrastructure.' The bill required the Department of Transportation to report on delivery vehicle volumes, parking, congestion, collisions, and pedestrian injuries near these hubs. It called for identifying the most affected streets and estimating the costs and possible fixes. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, without passage.

• File Int 0923-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-02-16

DOT revives its student contest to push street safety and walking. Kids make PSAs. Winners get cash. Council Member Narcisse backs the move. The city wants young voices to remind drivers: streets are for people, not just cars.

On February 3, 2023, the Department of Transportation announced the return of the 'We're Walking Here' competition. This program, paused during the pandemic, targets K-12 students across New York City. The contest runs March 6-31, with students creating public-service announcements to promote walking and traffic safety. Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, representing District 46, voiced support: 'I am happy to support the NYC DOT's relaunch of their "We're Walking Here" campaign to raise awareness of our collective responsibility to eliminate all traffic deaths and serious injuries.' The contest partners with the 'Hip Hop 50' campaign, blending street safety with city culture. Winners receive prizes from The Safe Streets Fund. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez called students 'some of our most vulnerable pedestrians.' The program aims to put safety in the hands of those most at risk.

• DOT brings back student competition that promotes health and street safety, amny.com, Published 2023-02-03

A car sped south on East 81st. A man crossed Flatlands Avenue in the crosswalk. The driver did not stop. The car struck him. He fell face first. Blood pooled. He stayed awake. He bled in the street.

A 61-year-old man was struck while crossing Flatlands Avenue at East 81st Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the man was in a marked crosswalk with no signal when a southbound car approached at unsafe speed and did not stop. The impact knocked the man to the ground, causing severe bleeding to his face. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The pedestrian was conscious after the crash. No vehicle or driver details were provided in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4599591, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A car sped down Flatlands Avenue. A man crossed with the signal. The driver did not stop. Metal struck flesh. Blood pooled on the street. The driver fled. The man lay hurt, head bleeding, as the night stayed silent.

A 57-year-old man was crossing Flatlands Avenue at East 86th Street in Brooklyn when a car struck him in the head. According to the police report, the man was crossing with the signal. The driver did not stop and fled the scene. The pedestrian suffered a severe head injury and was in shock, bleeding on the asphalt. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The man was following the signal at the intersection. No other contributing factors are mentioned in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4594367, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Chevy sedan hit a 91-year-old woman crossing Rockaway Parkway. The car’s right front bumper struck her head. She died at the scene. Dusk fell. Driver inattention marked the crash. The street stayed cold and empty.

A 91-year-old woman was killed while crossing Rockaway Parkway when a southbound Chevy sedan struck her with its right front bumper. According to the police report, 'A 91-year-old woman, crossing alone without a signal, was struck by the right front bumper of a southbound Chevy sedan. Her head took the blow. She died there, in the cold, as the light faded.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. No other injuries were reported among the vehicle occupants. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a contributing factor. The crash highlights the lethal consequences of driver inattention for pedestrians outside intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4594504, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A BMW turned left on Flatbush Avenue. Its bumper hit a 70-year-old man in the head. He fell. Blood pooled on the street. He stayed conscious. The driver was distracted. The man bled on the pavement. The crash left him injured.

A BMW sedan, making a left turn at Flatbush Avenue and Avenue N in Brooklyn, struck a 70-year-old man walking through the intersection. According to the police report, 'The bumper strikes his head. He falls. Blood pools on the pavement. He is conscious. He bleeds. The driver was distracted.' The pedestrian suffered a head injury and severe bleeding. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The driver’s distraction led to the impact. No other injuries were reported. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4593249, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A BMW tore into a parked Toyota on Avenue L. Metal twisted. The driver, thirty-one, felt the crush. The street fell silent. Pain lingered. Unsafe speed and inexperience left bodies hurt and cars broken in Brooklyn’s quiet midday.

A BMW sedan crashed into a parked Toyota on Avenue L at East 59th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the BMW driver, age 31, was alone and suffered crush injuries to his entire body. Several occupants were listed as injured or with unspecified injuries. The report cites 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The BMW’s left front bumper struck the Toyota’s left rear bumper. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash left the street quiet, with only the sound of pain remaining. The police report makes clear that driver inexperience and unsafe speed led to the violent impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4586227, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan turned left at Avenue K and East 59th. A woman crossed in the marked crosswalk. Steel struck flesh. Her body broke. Blood marked the street. She stayed awake. The car was untouched. She was not.

A woman, age 45, was struck and severely injured by a sedan while crossing Avenue K at East 59th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, she was in the marked crosswalk when the sedan turned left and hit her. The report states: 'Steel met flesh. Her body torn. Blood smeared the street. She stayed awake. The car was whole. She was not.' The pedestrian suffered severe lacerations to her entire body. The crash data lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for the driver. No injuries were reported for the sedan’s occupants. The driver, age 62, was licensed and wore a seatbelt. The car sustained no damage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4580906, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council filed a bill to give crash victims and families access to police reports, insurance details, and investigation updates. The bill called for a public guide and a secure website. The session ended before a vote. Victims remain in the dark.

Int 0796-2022, introduced October 27, 2022, in the Committee on Public Safety, aimed to amend city law to support victims of motor vehicle collisions. The bill required NYPD to create a secure website for victims and families to access crash details, including investigation status, summonses, and witness information. It also mandated a Department of Transportation guide for collision victims, outlining rights to police reports and insurance information. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to resources for victims of motor vehicle collisions.' Council Members Farah N. Louis (primary sponsor), Mercedes Narcisse, and Lincoln Restler backed the bill. The bill was filed at session's end on December 31, 2023, without passage. Without this law, crash victims and their families still face barriers to basic information after life-altering collisions.

• File Int 0796-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-10-27

The Council passed Int 0291-2022, forcing city agencies to map, plan, and report on greenways. The law demands annual updates and public engagement. It aims to carve out safe, car-free corridors for walkers and cyclists. The mayor returned it unsigned.

Int 0291-2022, now Local Law 115 of 2022, was enacted by the City Council on November 27, 2022. The bill came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, first introduced April 28, 2022. The law's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a citywide greenway plan.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers sponsored the bill, joined by dozens of co-sponsors including Rivera, Hudson, and others. The Council voted overwhelmingly in favor on October 27, 2022. The law orders the Department of Transportation and Parks to identify, map, and report on greenways, and to consult with community boards. Proposals for new greenway segments or repairs must be presented to affected communities within 60 days. The mayor returned the bill unsigned, but it became law. The measure compels the city to plan and maintain safe routes for non-drivers, with regular public reporting and accountability.

• File Int 0291-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-10-27

Steel screamed on Pearson Street. Two sedans crashed head-on. Both drivers, women, trapped and bleeding, arms shattered. Distraction ruled the wheel. A teenage passenger sat stunned. Sirens cut the silence. The street held its breath.

Two sedans collided head-on near Avenue U in Brooklyn. According to the police report, both vehicles were driven by women—one 55, the other 31. Both drivers suffered crush injuries to their arms and were pinned in their seats, conscious but badly hurt. A 17-year-old female passenger was also involved. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor for both vehicles. No other causes are cited. The crash left steel twisted and lives changed. The data shows both drivers wore lap belts and harnesses. The impact was direct, center front to center front, with both cars traveling west. The street fell silent after the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4563340, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man tried to cross Avenue M near midnight. An SUV, moving too fast, struck him with its right front bumper. His head hit the ground. He died there. The street stayed quiet. A second SUV sat parked, its rear bumper dented.

A 65-year-old man was killed while crossing Avenue M late at night. According to the police report, a speeding SUV hit him with its right front bumper. The impact caused fatal head injuries. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The pedestrian was not in a crosswalk, but the primary cause remains the driver's unsafe speed. A second SUV, parked nearby, was also damaged but not involved in the fatal impact. No other injuries were reported. The crash highlights the deadly risk when drivers travel too fast for city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4561179, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Cadillac sedan struck a 53-year-old cyclist on Ohio Walk. The cyclist flew from his bike, helmeted, head bleeding. Shock froze his face. The car’s right bumper cracked. Both moved straight. The driver held only a permit.

A 17-year-old permit driver in a Cadillac sedan struck a 53-year-old cyclist on Ohio Walk near East 66th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, both the car and the cyclist were traveling straight when the sedan’s right front bumper hit the cyclist. The impact ejected the cyclist from his bike. He suffered a severe head injury and was in shock. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The cyclist was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the crash left him bleeding from the head. The driver had only a learner’s permit at the time of the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4558418, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse backs a dedicated bus lane on Flatbush Avenue. She joins Mayor Adams and others, pushing for faster, safer rides. Riders wait too long. Streets choke with traffic. The city moves to act, despite driver backlash and parking fears.

On August 9, 2022, Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse (District 46) endorsed the Flatbush Avenue dedicated bus lane proposal. The plan, a priority for the Adams administration and MTA, aims to speed up the B41 bus from Downtown Brooklyn to Marine Park. Narcisse and Councilmember Rita Joseph joined Mayor Eric Adams at a press conference, riding the B41 and speaking with riders. Narcisse said, “People are suffering waiting 30 minutes, 40 minutes, it’s unfair to the riders.” She stressed that better bus service could cut down on illegal dollar vans. The Department of Transportation, led by Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, has started community engagement. Some community boards worry about lost parking, but Rodriguez called their role advisory, saying, “we want to hear what the riders want.” Narcisse acknowledged driver backlash but insisted on the need for faster, reliable transit.

• Flatbush Avenue bus lane proposal gains support of key electeds, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2022-08-09

Council bill Int 0596-2022 would force DOT to repair broken curbs when streets get resurfaced. Curbs shape the border between sidewalk and street. Broken curbs trip walkers, let cars mount sidewalks, and endanger the frail. The bill died in committee.

Int 0596-2022 was introduced on July 14, 2022, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill required the Department of Transportation to repair any curb deemed a safety hazard during street resurfacing. The matter summary reads: 'requiring that the department of transportation repair broken curbs as part of resurfacing projects.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers sponsored the bill, joined by Schulman, Brewer, Dinowitz, Krishnan, Narcisse, Menin, Yeger, Avilés, Nurse, Gutiérrez, Riley, Brannan, Sanchez, and Louis. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, and did not advance. Broken curbs are a daily threat to pedestrians, especially the elderly and disabled. The bill would have forced the city to address these hazards as part of routine work, but the effort stalled.

• File Int 0596-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-07-14

A man, forty, lay dead in a parked GMC SUV on East 29th Street. The roof was crushed. No skid marks. No sound. No movement. Just heat and stillness. The street held its silence. The body slumped, alone, in the wreck.

A 40-year-old man was found dead inside a parked 2018 GMC SUV on East 29th Street near Avenue U in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the roof of the vehicle was crushed. There were no skid marks, no sounds, and the man was discovered slumped in silence. The report lists no contributing factors or driver errors. The man was not wearing a seatbelt, as noted in the data, but no other safety equipment or violations are mentioned. The cause of the roof collapse and the circumstances leading to the fatality remain unspecified in the official account.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4542528, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A BMW sped south on Flatlands. The driver ran the light. He struck a cyclist head-on. The man flew from his bike. Blood pooled. No pulse. The street fell silent. One life ended. Steel and speed won again.

A 46-year-old cyclist was killed on East 83rd Street at Flatlands Avenue in Brooklyn when a southbound BMW struck him head-on. According to the police report, 'A helmetless cyclist, 46, struck head-on by a southbound BMW. He was thrown from the bike. Blood pooled on the asphalt. No pulse. The light, someone said, had been ignored.' The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, indicating the driver failed to obey a traffic signal. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted after the driver’s error. The crash left the cyclist dead at the scene. No injuries were reported for the car’s occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4539610, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Ford sedan hit a young woman crossing Flatlands Avenue. The car’s left front bumper struck her head. She died on the street. The night was silent. The lights blinked. No one moved. The city swallowed another life.

A 24-year-old woman was killed on Flatlands Avenue when a Ford sedan struck her as she crossed the street. According to the police report, the left front bumper hit her head. She died at the scene from head and internal injuries. The report lists her as a pedestrian crossing without a signal or crosswalk, but does not specify any driver error or contributing factor. The driver was a 25-year-old man, licensed and traveling straight ahead. No other injuries were reported. The police narrative notes, 'She died there, on the asphalt, from head and internal wounds. The streetlights blinked. No one screamed.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4539504, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15