Seventeen Dead—How Many More Before Narcisse Acts?

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 orders swift removal of abandoned and unplated cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. Police target vehicles with missing or fake plates. Fewer hazards for those on foot and bike.

Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on April 18, 2024. The bill states: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation.' Sponsored by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (primary) and co-sponsored by over a dozen council members, it forces the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours and empowers NYPD to tow cars with missing or obscured plates or stickers. The law aims to clear street hazards fast, reducing risks for pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-18

Council wants every e-bike and scooter tagged and tracked. Plates on wheels. Riders face new rules. Lawmakers say it’s about order. The bill sits in committee. Streets wait.

Int 0606-2024 was introduced on March 7, 2024, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring that every bicycle with electric assist, electric scooter and other legal motorized vehicle be licensed and registered," would force all e-bikes, e-scooters, and similar vehicles not covered by DMV rules to register with DOT and display visible plates. Council Member Inna Vernikov is the primary sponsor, joined by 26 co-sponsors including Holden, Farías, Riley, and others. The bill was laid over in committee and has not advanced. No safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• File Int 0606-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Council wants 500 solar-lit crosswalks in five years. Bright signals cut through the dark. The bill demands action and a study. Safety for walkers, not drivers. No more hiding in the shadows.

Int 0301-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill orders the Department of Transportation to install at least 100 illuminated, solar-powered traffic control devices at crosswalks each year for five years. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law...in relation to the installation of solar-powered crosswalks.' Council Member Lincoln Restler leads, joined by Menin, Brooks-Powers, Rivera, and others. The bill also requires a study comparing these devices to standard signs. The city must report findings within two years. The goal: more visible crossings, fewer deadly impacts.

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

Council bill pushes DOT to let schools, centers, and institutions use streets outside their doors. More people, less traffic. Streets shift from cars to community. Still in committee.

Int 0450-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since February 28, 2024. The bill orders DOT to create a program letting community centers, schools, arts, and religious institutions use adjacent outdoor spaces. The matter title reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to establish a program to allow community centers, schools, arts and cultural institutions and religious institutions to use adjacent outdoor spaces.' Council Member Shekar Krishnan leads, joined by Stevens, Restler, Won, and others. The bill has not yet passed. If enacted, it could reclaim space from cars, giving it to people. No formal safety analysis yet, but the measure could mean safer, more vibrant streets for all.

• File Int 0450-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council moves to form a board on school crossing guard deployment. NYPD, DOT, and DOE must report twice a year. The aim: more eyes on street danger where kids cross.

Bill Int 0448-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to an advisory board on crossing guard deployment," calls for NYPD, DOT, and DOE to join an advisory board. The board must send biannual reports on crossing guard needs to the Mayor, Council Speaker, and Police Commissioner. Council Member Kamillah Hanks leads as primary sponsor, joined by Stevens, Schulman, Salaam, and others. The Bronx Borough President requested the bill. The board’s reports could spotlight gaps and push for better protection at dangerous crossings.

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

Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians win the right to cross anywhere, signals or not. The law strips police of power to ticket walkers. Streets shift. The city must now teach all road users the new rules.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, amends city code to let pedestrians cross streets at any point, even against signals. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed it on October 26, 2024. The bill states: 'crossing against a traffic signal or outside a crosswalk will not be a violation.' Council Member Tiffany Cabán led, joined by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, Restler, Mealy, Louis, and Bottcher. The law bans summonses for jaywalking and orders the Department of Transportation to educate the public on new rights and responsibilities. The mayor returned it unsigned. This law removes a tool long used to target vulnerable New Yorkers.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council eyes bigger NYPD tow pounds. Bill demands enough space to haul away law-breaking cars. Public reports would track towing. Committee shelves action. Streets wait.

Int 0179-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Public Safety, would require the NYPD to run tow pounds with enough capacity to deter illegal driving. The bill, introduced February 28, 2024, and discussed again on April 28, 2025, reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to police department tow pound capacity.' Council Member Kamillah Hanks led as primary sponsor, joined by Feliz, Farías, Narcisse, Restler, Hudson, Louis, and Holden. The bill also calls for public reports on towing operations. No safety analyst has yet assessed its impact on vulnerable road users.

• File Int 0179-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council moves to stop repeat bus lane tickets for the same infraction within an hour. Drivers get a break. Streets stay the same. No new shield for people on foot or bike.

Bill Int 0339-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024 by Council Member Mercedes Narcisse. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the issuance of multiple bus lane violation tickets for the same infraction within a one hour period,' aims to ensure drivers do not receive multiple summonses for a single bus lane violation in a short span. Narcisse sponsored the measure. The bill does not address the safety of pedestrians or cyclists. It focuses on ticket fairness, not street danger.

• File Int 0339-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill would pay up to $1,000 for tips that help catch hit-and-run drivers who injure or kill. Police and city workers are barred from rewards. The measure targets unsolved crashes that leave victims behind.

Int 0143-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced February 28, 2024. The bill states: 'establishing 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 excludes law enforcement and city employees from eligibility. The aim is to mobilize the public to help solve hit-and-run cases, many of which remain unsolved, and bring justice for victims.

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

Council passed a law forcing taxis and for-hire cars to post bold warnings on doors. The signs tell passengers: look for cyclists before you open up. A small step. The city hands out the decals. No cost to drivers.

Int 0193-2024 became law on May 31, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' was sponsored by Lincoln Restler and co-sponsored by over twenty council members, including Gutiérrez, Hudson, and Rivera. The law mandates clear warning decals on all rear passenger doors of taxis and for-hire vehicles. The Taxi and Limousine Commission will provide the signs at no cost. The measure aims to cut down on 'dooring'—a threat to cyclists citywide. The mayor returned the bill unsigned, but it became law.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council moves to stop repeat bus lane tickets for the same infraction within an hour. Drivers get a break. Streets stay the same. No new shield for people on foot or bike.

Bill Int 0339-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on February 28, 2024 by Council Member Mercedes Narcisse. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the issuance of multiple bus lane violation tickets for the same infraction within a one hour period,' aims to ensure drivers do not receive multiple summonses for a single bus lane violation in a short span. Narcisse sponsored the measure. The bill does not address the safety of pedestrians or cyclists. It focuses on ticket fairness, not street danger.

• File Int 0339-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill blocks repeat tickets for same bus lane infraction within an hour. Drivers get a break. Streets stay the same. No change for those on foot or bike.

Int 0339-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, by Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, the bill would 'prohibit the issuance of multiple bus lane violation tickets for the same infraction within a one hour period.' Narcisse sponsored the measure. The bill aims to stop drivers from getting stacked tickets for a single bus lane offense. There is no evidence this move will help or harm pedestrians, cyclists, or passengers. The danger on streets remains. Enforcement gets softer. Vulnerable road users see no relief.

• File Int 0339-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Council bill blocks repeat tickets for same bus lane infraction within an hour. Drivers get a break. Streets stay the same. No change for those on foot or bike.

Int 0339-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, by Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, the bill would 'prohibit the issuance of multiple bus lane violation tickets for the same infraction within a one hour period.' Narcisse sponsored the measure. The bill aims to stop drivers from getting stacked tickets for a single bus lane offense. There is no evidence this move will help or harm pedestrians, cyclists, or passengers. The danger on streets remains. Enforcement gets softer. Vulnerable road users see no relief.

• File Int 0339-2024, 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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Three cars tangled on Belt Parkway. Steel twisted. A 24-year-old man died behind the wheel. His body crushed. The night swallowed him. Failure to yield and unsafe speed fueled the crash. No help came in time.

A deadly crash unfolded on Belt Parkway’s eastbound lanes. According to the police report, a BMW clipped the side of a Toyota. A Honda then struck head-on. Three vehicles collided. The 24-year-old male driver of one car died, his body crushed by the impact. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The crash left twisted metal and a life lost. No other injuries were reported. The police report offers no mention of helmet or signal use. The night ended with one man dead and three cars destroyed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4671473 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan struck a woman on Belt Parkway. She crossed outside a crosswalk. The car’s right front bumper hit her. She fell, suffered a head wound, and died under the highway lights. The road stayed silent. No driver error listed.

A 40-year-old woman was killed while crossing Belt Parkway at night. According to the police report, 'A woman, 40, stepped into the dark. A 2017 Volkswagen struck her with its right front bumper. She fell with a head wound and died there, alone, beneath the sweep of highway lights.' The crash occurred as the sedan traveled eastbound. The pedestrian was not at an intersection or crosswalk. The report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction are noted in the data. No mention of helmet use or signaling appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4669429 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04