District 48: Streets of Blood, Leaders of Excuses

Council bill orders speed humps on streets by parks over one acre. DOT must install unless safety or guidelines say no. Seventeen council members back the move. The bill sits in committee. Streets by parks may soon slow cars.

Int 0262-2024 was introduced to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on February 28, 2024. The bill states: "requiring the installation of speed humps on roadways adjacent to any park equal or greater than one acre." Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by seventeen co-sponsors including Joseph, Feliz, Louis, Marte, and others. The Department of Transportation must install speed humps on qualifying streets unless the commissioner finds it unsafe or inconsistent with DOT guidelines. The bill remains in committee. If passed, it would take effect 180 days after becoming law. The measure aims to slow traffic near parks, where walkers and children cross.

• File Int 0262-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

A Toyota sedan struck a 58-year-old man crossing mid-block on Coney Island Avenue. Blood pooled on the pavement. Head trauma ended his life in daylight, between curb and bumper. The street bore witness to another fatal impact.

A 58-year-old man was killed when a southbound Toyota sedan struck him as he crossed Coney Island Avenue near Avenue T, according to the police report. The incident occurred mid-block, away from any intersection or signal. The report describes head trauma and severe bleeding, with the victim dying at the scene, caught between the curb and the car’s front end. The police narrative states the pedestrian was 'crossing mid-block without a signal.' The vehicle’s point of impact and damage were both centered on the front end, consistent with a direct collision. The report lists 'unspecified' as the contributing factor for both driver and pedestrian, offering no further detail on driver actions. The focus remains on the lethal interaction between a moving sedan and a vulnerable pedestrian in daylight, with the system’s gaps leaving another life lost on Brooklyn’s streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4698058, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A box truck turned right on Kings Highway. A 70-year-old man crossed with the light. The truck struck him. He fell. Blood spread on the street. The driver failed to yield. The man suffered severe lacerations. The city stood still.

A box truck with Wisconsin plates struck a 70-year-old man at the corner of Kings Highway and East 17th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the truck turned right while the man crossed with the signal. The impact left the pedestrian with severe lacerations to his entire body. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. The man was conscious at the scene. The truck’s right front bumper hit the pedestrian. No other vehicles or people were involved. The driver was licensed in Wisconsin. The police report makes no mention of helmet use or signaling as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4685375, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A dump truck rolled down Avenue P. A 77-year-old woman crossed at East 19th. The truck’s front end struck her. She died at the scene. The driver kept going straight. The truck showed no damage. The street stayed silent.

A 77-year-old woman was killed at the corner of Avenue P and East 19th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a dump truck rolled east and struck her with its front end as she crossed the intersection. She suffered fatal crush injuries and died at the scene. The truck showed no damage. The driver continued straight after the crash. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were detailed in the data. The victim was a pedestrian at the intersection. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4683230, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Metal tore on Belt Parkway. A sedan hit hard. A 57-year-old woman in the front seat died from head wounds. A baby behind the wheel survived, bleeding. The crash left the road stained and silent. Failure to yield cut a life short.

A deadly crash erupted on Belt Parkway. According to the police report, a sedan struck with force. A 57-year-old woman riding in the front passenger seat died from head injuries. An infant in the driver’s seat survived with crush wounds. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. Multiple vehicles were involved, including sedans and SUVs. The scene was chaotic, metal twisted, and lives changed in seconds. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report. The system failed to protect its most vulnerable. The toll: one woman dead, a child injured, and a city left with another scar.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4680397, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A car struck a man in a Brooklyn crosswalk. The driver was distracted. The impact broke the man’s back. He lay in the street, hurt. The crash happened on Corbin Place near Brighton 15 Street. Failure to yield and inattention led to pain and injury.

A 39-year-old man was crossing Corbin Place at Brighton 15 Street in Brooklyn when a northbound car hit him in the marked crosswalk. According to the police report, the driver was distracted and failed to yield the right-of-way. The car’s right front bumper struck the pedestrian, breaking his back and leaving him in the street with severe pain. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The man was injured while crossing with no signal in a marked crosswalk. No vehicle type or driver details were provided in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4679667, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A BMW turned left on Brighton Beach Avenue. A Harley rider went straight. Steel met flesh. The rider flew, his leg torn away. Blood pooled on the street. Helmet on, license missing. A man, 34, lost a limb to the crash.

A violent collision unfolded at Brighton Beach Avenue and Brighton 1 Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a BMW sedan turned left as a Harley-Davidson motorcycle traveled straight. The impact sent the 34-year-old male rider flying, resulting in the amputation of his lower leg. The report lists 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a contributing factor. The motorcyclist wore a helmet but was unlicensed at the time of the crash. No injuries were reported for the BMW driver. The crash left blood on the street and a man permanently changed by steel and speed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4668078, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

An SUV ran the light at East 18th and Avenue Y. The old man crossed with the signal. Steel hit skull. He fell. Blood spread on the street. Seventy-eight years old. Head injury. Still conscious. The SUV sat, untouched.

A seventy-eight-year-old man was struck by a southbound SUV at the corner of East 18th Street and Avenue Y in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the pedestrian was 'crossing with the signal' when the SUV 'came south, straight through.' The man suffered a head injury and severe bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The SUV showed no visible damage. The collision highlights the danger when drivers ignore traffic signals and fail to pay attention. The victim was in the crosswalk, following the signal, when the impact occurred.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4662120, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council filed a bill to raise fines for riding bikes, e-bikes, or scooters on sidewalks. The measure targets repeat offenders and cases with physical contact. The bill died in committee. Streets remain unchanged. Vulnerable users still face car danger.

Int 1143-2023 was introduced on August 3, 2023, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill sought to amend the city code by 'increasing civil penalties for operating a bicycle, bicycle with electric assist, or electric scooter on the sidewalk.' The measure would have raised fines up to $510 for endangering others, with double penalties for repeat violations and extra penalties for physical contact. Council Member Gale A. Brewer sponsored the bill, joined by Gennaro, Lee, Brannan, Yeger, Kagan, Vernikov, and Ariola. The bill was filed at the end of the session on December 31, 2023, and did not become law. No safety analyst assessed its impact on vulnerable road users. The bill focused on sidewalk riding, but left the core danger—cars on city streets—untouched.

• File Int 1143-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-08-03

A 35-year-old e-bike rider hit the side of an SUV on Avenue R near Nostrand. He flew from his bike and died on the street. Four inside the SUV survived. The crash left the Brooklyn night cold and quiet.

A fatal crash unfolded on Avenue R near Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, an e-bike struck the side of a Nissan SUV. The 35-year-old male e-bike rider was ejected and killed. His body hit the street. Four people inside the SUV, including the driver and three passengers, survived. The report states, 'An e-bike struck the side of an SUV. The rider, 35, was thrown and killed. His body hit the street. Four inside the SUV lived.' No driver errors or contributing factors were listed in the data. The e-bike rider was unlicensed, but the report does not cite this as a contributing factor. The crash left one dead and four shaken, with no further details on fault or cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4633095, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council bill Int 1030-2023 would force DOT to show its hand. Every traffic signal and speed bump request, tracked online. Status, reason, and timeline—no more black box. The bill died in committee, but the demand for sunlight remains.

Int 1030-2023 was introduced on April 27, 2023, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill required the Department of Transportation to post details of all traffic control device and speed reducer requests on a public website. The matter summary reads: 'The required website would include, but need not be limited to, the following information: case number, general topic, issue, status, resolution, reason for approval or denial of traffic control device, and if approved, the timeline for completion.' Council Member Farah N. Louis sponsored the bill, joined by 21 co-sponsors including Williams, Hanif, and Yeger. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023. No safety analyst note was provided, but the measure aimed to end secrecy around life-saving street changes. Public access to this data could expose delays and denials that keep streets deadly.

• File Int 1030-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-04-27

Council moved to ban driving with fake or expired plates. Civil fines would hit drivers hard. Sponsors spanned the city. The bill died at session’s end. Streets remain exposed to untraceable cars and reckless drivers.

Int 0987-2023 was introduced in the New York City Council on April 11, 2023, and referred to the Committee on Public Safety. The bill aimed to prohibit operating a motor vehicle with fraudulent or expired license plates, including temporary ones. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle with fraudulent or expired license plates.' Civil penalties ranged from $300 to $1,000, with a 10-day cure period for expired plates. The bill was sponsored by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (primary) and co-sponsored by over thirty council members, including Feliz, Salamanca, Powers, Yeger, Menin, and others, as well as the Brooklyn and Bronx Borough Presidents. The bill was filed at the end of session on December 31, 2023, and did not become law. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• File Int 0987-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-04-11

An SUV hit a 66-year-old woman riding her bike in Brooklyn. She flew from her frame. Blood pooled. Her leg torn open. She stayed awake. The driver failed to yield. Metal struck flesh. The street turned violent.

A 66-year-old woman riding her bike was struck head-on by an SUV on Avenue W near East 24th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'She flew from the frame. Blood pooled. Her leg torn open. She stayed awake. The driver did not yield.' The cyclist suffered severe lacerations to her lower leg and was ejected from her bike. Data lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The SUV, driven by a man, hit the cyclist while both were going straight. The report does not mention helmet use or signaling as factors. The crash left a vulnerable road user injured in a place where drivers failed to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4607948, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council bill Int 0883-2023 sought to double fines for e-bike and e-scooter violations. It aimed to restore impoundment powers and repeal recent legal protections. The measure targeted riders, not drivers. The bill died at session’s end. Vulnerable users remain exposed.

Int 0883-2023 was introduced in the City Council on January 19, 2023, and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill proposed to amend the administrative code by expanding the definition of 'motorized scooter' to include e-bikes and e-scooters, raising civil penalties for violations from $250 to $500, and restoring impoundment authority. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the operation of motorized scooters, and to repeal subdivision e of section 19-176.2 of such code, relating to operators of electric scooters and bicycles with electric assist.' Council Members Althea V. Stevens (primary sponsor), Robert F. Holden, Inna Vernikov, Joann Ariola, Vickie Paladino, Pierina Ana Sanchez, Kalman Yeger, and James F. Gennaro sponsored the bill. The bill was filed at the end of the session on December 31, 2023, and did not advance. No safety analyst assessment was provided. The bill’s focus was on enforcement and penalties, not on systemic danger from cars.

• File Int 0883-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-01-19

A private sanitation truck struck and killed Diego Andrade as he crossed Kings Highway at E. 14th Street. The driver turned left, hit Andrade, and stayed at the scene. No charges. Kings Highway is notorious for crashes. City has not acted. Residents fear for their lives.

On January 13, 2023, a fatal crash occurred on Kings Highway in Brooklyn. Diego Andrade, a pedestrian, was killed by the driver of a 2016 Mack sanitation truck turning left at E. 14th Street. The driver remained at the scene and faced no charges. The incident happened along a stretch with a history of frequent crashes—41 reported in the previous year on just ten blocks, injuring 13 pedestrians and one cyclist. The Department of Transportation has not addressed the dangers of this corridor since at least 2009. Residents voiced fear and frustration, calling drivers 'crazy' and demanding city action. The area’s councilmember, Inna Vernikov, has a record of repeated speeding violations, adding to the climate of danger. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• Another Pedestrian is Dead on Brooklyn’s Dangerous Kings Highway, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-13

A garbage truck turned left at Kings Highway. A man stood at the corner. The truck rolled over him. He died under its weight. The truck was undamaged. The street stayed silent. The man did not go home.

A fatal crash occurred at the corner of Kings Highway and East 14th Street in Brooklyn. A garbage truck, making a left turn, struck and killed a 58-year-old man standing at the intersection. According to the police report, the truck rolled on and crushed the pedestrian beneath its side. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'View Obstructed/Limited' as contributing factors. The vehicle involved was a large Mack garbage truck, classified as an oversized vehicle. No injuries were reported for the truck’s driver or other occupants. The pedestrian died at the scene, his body pinned under the truck. The truck itself sustained no damage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4597512, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan hit a 66-year-old woman on her bike. Her arm split open. Blood pooled on East 15th Street. She stayed conscious. Pain surged from elbow to hand. The street stood still. The system failed to protect her.

A 66-year-old woman riding her bike north on East 15th Street near Avenue P was struck by a sedan. According to the police report, 'Her arm split open. Blood on the pavement. She stayed awake. Pain blooming from elbow to hand.' The cyclist suffered severe lacerations to her lower arm and hand. The data lists no specific driver errors, but both contributing factors are marked as 'Unspecified.' No injuries were reported for the sedan's occupants. The crash highlights the vulnerability of cyclists on city streets and the ongoing systemic dangers they face.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4589660, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

The Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program barely touches reckless drivers. Over 22,000 cars rack up tickets, but only 630 drivers take the safety course. Just 12 vehicles seized. Most repeat offenders keep driving. The law’s weak language leaves streets exposed.

Local Law 36 of 2020 created the Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program, overseen by the Department of Transportation. The law, passed October 26, 2020, aimed to educate repeat traffic offenders. It requires a course for owners with 15 speeding or 5 red-light tickets, but only if DOT chooses. As of November 28, 2022, just 630 drivers completed the course, and only 12 vehicles were seized. The law’s summary promised to 'educate vehicle owners about the dangers resulting from vehicle operators exceeding posted speed limits and failing to comply with traffic signals, including the potential to cause injury or death.' Council Member Inna Vernikov was named as an example of a driver reaching the threshold. Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives called for more teeth, saying, 'new data shows a clear need for additional investments in the program to get dangerous vehicles off our streets.' The program’s weak enforcement leaves thousands of reckless drivers unpunished, endangering vulnerable road users.

• CYCLE OF RAGE: The DOT’s Reckless Driver Program Scratches the Very Outer Membrane of the Surface, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-12-09

A Honda SUV turns left at Avenue P and East 18th. Sun glare blinds the driver. The bumper hits a woman’s face as she crosses with the signal. Blood pours. She stays upright. The SUV shows no mark. The street stays dangerous.

A 32-year-old woman was struck and injured by a 2009 Honda SUV while crossing Avenue P at East 18th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, she was in the crosswalk with the signal when the SUV made a left turn and hit her in the face with its right front bumper. The report states, 'Sun glare blinds. The bumper hits her face. Blood pours.' The woman suffered severe bleeding but remained conscious and upright. The driver, a 63-year-old man, was listed as licensed and was wearing a lap belt and harness. The only contributing factor cited in the report was 'Glare.' No other vehicle damage or injuries were reported. The SUV showed no visible damage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4579735, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man crossed Belt Parkway in a marked crosswalk. A sedan struck him. A taxi hit him next. His body broke beneath the cars. He died before dawn. Two drivers and a passenger were injured. The street stayed cold and silent.

A 58-year-old man was killed while crossing Belt Parkway in a marked crosswalk. According to the police report, a sedan struck him first, followed by a taxi. The report states, 'His body broke beneath them. He died there, before sunrise, crushed on the cold blacktop.' Two drivers, both women, and a 24-year-old female passenger suffered injuries, including head, abdomen, pelvis, and shoulder trauma. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction are documented in the data. No mention of helmet use or signaling is present. The crash left one pedestrian dead and three people injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4578958, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15