District 48: Ten dead walking, one city stalling

Sep 16 - A Nissan SUV turned left near East 12th Street. Its right front bumper hit a 9-year-old boy standing off the road. He died on the spot. The SUV showed no damage. The driver was licensed. The street stayed quiet after.

A 9-year-old boy was killed when a southbound Nissan SUV made a left turn near 2267 East 12th Street in Brooklyn and struck him with its right front bumper. According to the police report, the boy was standing off the roadway when the impact occurred. The child suffered fatal chest injuries and died at the scene. The SUV sustained no visible damage. The driver, a 35-year-old woman, held a valid license. The police report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. No other injuries were reported among the vehicle's occupants. The crash highlights the lethal risk faced by pedestrians, even when not in the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4565189 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Sep 15 - 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

Sep 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

Sep 2 - A man stepped into the Belt Parkway. A sedan struck him head-on. Steel met flesh. The driver survived with pain. The pedestrian died on the road. No crosswalk. No warning. The night swallowed another life.

A 40-year-old man was killed when a 2016 Toyota sedan struck him head-on on the Belt Parkway. According to the police report, the man entered the eastbound lane beneath an overpass. The sedan hit him with its left front bumper. The driver, a 37-year-old man, suffered leg injuries and pain. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. No crosswalk was present. The impact left the pedestrian dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The crash highlights the lethal mix of speed, steel, and unprotected human bodies on city highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4560648 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 4 - 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 2025-09-18

Jun 24 - 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 2025-09-18

May 26 - 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

Mar 10 - 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

Feb 5 - 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 2025-09-18

Jan 17 - 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 2025-09-18

Jan 4 - 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 2025-09-18