Children Bleed, Lawmakers Stall: Brooklyn Streets Still Kill

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

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

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

A sedan struck a 29-year-old man on Ocean Avenue. The car hit him outside the crosswalk, then crashed into a parked box truck. His leg was crushed. The driver was distracted. Blood pooled on the street. The city failed to protect him.

A 29-year-old pedestrian suffered severe crush injuries to his leg when a sedan struck him on Ocean Avenue. According to the police report, the man was outside the crosswalk when the sedan hit him, then slammed into the rear of a parked box truck. The report states: 'The driver was distracted.' The listed contributing factor is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' No other errors or contributing factors are noted. The pedestrian's injuries were to his knee, lower leg, and foot. No injuries were reported for the vehicle occupants. The crash highlights the danger posed by driver distraction and the vulnerability of people on foot in city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4574550 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A driver ran a red light in Coney Island, struck a 10-year-old boy crossing with his grandmother, then fled. The boy screamed in pain, his foot run over. The intersection is notorious for crashes. Streets near schools remain deadly, especially for children of color.

On September 15, 2022, a hit-and-run driver injured a 10-year-old boy at W. 20th Street and Mermaid Avenue in Coney Island. The boy, walking home from school with his grandmother, was struck as the driver sped through a red light and fled the scene. Witnesses described chaos and pain. Streetsblog reports, 'streets near schools are more dangerous on average than other city streets.' Council Member Inna Vernikov, whose district includes the area, was recently caught speeding in school zones 23 times. Data shows a 57% higher crash rate and 25% more injuries per mile near schools during peak hours. The danger is worse outside schools serving mostly students of color. The 60th Precinct, where the crash occurred, has seen 711 crashes this year, injuring 57 pedestrians and 26 cyclists. Systemic neglect and reckless driving keep children at risk.

• Hit-and-Run Driver Injures a Kid on His Way Home From School in Coney Island, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-09-15

Council Member Inna Vernikov racked up 23 school-zone speeding tickets since 2020. She voted against expanding speed cameras. Her car also collected 31 other violations. Vernikov calls cameras a cash grab. Critics say her record endangers children and all road users.

Council Member Inna Vernikov’s car received 23 school-zone speeding tickets since mid-2020, including nine in 2022. She voted against the Council’s home rule message to expand New York’s speed camera program, which would allow 24/7 automated enforcement. Vernikov called speed cameras a scheme to 'take away more of our hard-earned money.' The bill, debated in September 2022, was opposed by Vernikov and others, despite rising traffic deaths. Her car also received 31 non-moving violations, including parking at fire hydrants and in bus lanes. Democratic challenger Amber Adler and StreetsPAC’s Eric McClure condemned Vernikov’s driving and her vote, saying she endangers constituents. Vernikov has advocated for armed guards and mental health reforms in schools, but opposes proven traffic safety measures. No safety analyst assessment was provided for this action.

• Trump-Loving Anti-Camera Pol Has 23 School-Zone Speeding Tickets!, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-09-15

A box truck barreled down Kings Highway before dawn. It smashed into parked cars. The driver, 27, was found unconscious. His hip crushed, leg severed. The street fell silent. Passengers inside other vehicles were left shaken and injured.

A box truck traveling at unsafe speed crashed into several parked cars on Kings Highway near Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A box truck tore through parked cars before dawn. The driver, 27, was found unconscious, hip crushed, leg severed. The lap belt held what was left. The street fell silent again.' The crash injured the truck driver and left multiple vehicle occupants with unspecified injuries. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. No evidence in the report blames any victim or lists helmet or signal use as a factor. The impact left vehicles demolished and lives changed in an instant.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4543255 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Hyundai SUV hit a 41-year-old woman outside the crosswalk on Avenue X. The driver had been drinking. She was crushed from head to toe. She stayed conscious as help arrived. The street ran red with danger. Brooklyn stood still.

A Hyundai SUV traveling south on Avenue X near East 16th Street struck a 41-year-old woman who was walking outside the crosswalk. According to the police report, 'The driver had been drinking.' The woman suffered crush injuries to her entire body but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor. The SUV showed no damage. The driver, a 34-year-old man, was licensed. The crash left the pedestrian severely injured. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The data points to driver impairment as the primary cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4540547 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

City Council voted to extend and expand speed cameras. The bill lets cameras run all day, every day. Forty-three said yes, seven said no. David Carr voted no. The measure now heads to Albany. Streets may see more eyes, more tickets.

On May 26, 2022, the City Council approved a home rule request to extend and expand New York City's speed camera program, allowing cameras to operate 24/7 for three more years. The vote was 43 in favor, seven against. The matter summary: 'giving the state Legislature the go-ahead to pass a three-year extension and expansion of New York City's speed camera program that allows them to operate 24/7.' Council Member David Carr (District 50) voted no. Other Republicans and two Democrats also opposed. Ydanis Rodriguez, City Transportation Commissioner, said, 'Cameras will be 24/7 the whole year.' The bill now moves to the state legislature, which must act before June 2. No formal safety analyst note was provided for this action.

• NYC Council signs off on 24/7 speed enforcement cameras, nypost.com, Published 2022-05-26

Injuries from crashes surge across New York. Pedestrians hit hardest. Council members and advocates sound alarms. Brooklyn South and the Bronx suffer most. Calls mount for street redesign, tougher enforcement, and urgent city action. Lower-income neighborhoods bear the brunt.

On March 10, 2022, council members and advocates responded to a spike in road violence, as reported by Streetsblog NYC. NYPD statistics show injury-causing collisions up 15.4 percent citywide, with pedestrian injuries up 47.2 percent. The matter is described as a 'street safety crisis.' Council Members Charles Barron, Rita Joseph, and Inna Vernikov called for urgent action, including street redesign, more traffic studies, and stronger enforcement. Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives demanded passage of the Crash Victim Rights and Safety Act and expansion of automated enforcement. The Department of Transportation confirmed the rise in injuries and highlighted new safety initiatives. The impact falls hardest on lower-income and communities of color. The council’s response underscores the urgent need for systemic change to protect vulnerable road users.

• BEHIND THE NUMBERS: Road Violence is Soaring Under Mayor Adams, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-03-10

A BMW SUV hit a 99-year-old man crossing Oriental Boulevard near Coleridge Street. The impact was head-on. The man died on the pavement. The SUV’s right front bumper bore the mark. No other injuries reported.

A 99-year-old man was killed when a BMW SUV struck him head-on as he crossed Oriental Boulevard near Coleridge Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A 99-year-old man stepped into the street without a signal. A westbound BMW struck him head-on. He died there, on the pavement. The SUV’s right front bumper bore the mark.' The data lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian. The driver was going straight ahead at the time of the crash. No other injuries were reported among the vehicle occupants. The report does not specify any driver errors or mention helmet or signal use as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4500449 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A bus turned right at Avenue P and Bedford. A 15-year-old girl crossed with the light. The bumper hit her head. She died on the street. The bus showed no damage. Her walk to school ended in blood and silence.

A 15-year-old girl was killed at the corner of Avenue P and Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, a bus turned right while the girl crossed with the signal. The bus’s right front bumper struck her head. She suffered severe lacerations and died at the scene. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The bus sustained no damage. The girl was walking with the light, in the crosswalk. No other injuries were reported. The crash ended her life before she reached her classroom.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4495574 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Chevy sedan struck a man crossing Ocean Parkway near Neptune Avenue. The car hit him head-on. His head was crushed. He died beneath the vehicle. The street fell silent. Metal and flesh. Another life ended by traffic.

A 45-year-old man was killed when a northbound Chevy sedan struck him head-on on Ocean Parkway near Neptune Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A man, 45, stepped into the road. A northbound Chevy struck him head-on. Head crushed. Organs torn. He died there, beneath the undercarriage, where the metal met flesh and the night held its breath.' The pedestrian died at the scene from severe head and internal injuries. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specified in the data. The driver, a 54-year-old man, was licensed and uninjured. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4492002 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04