Three Dead, Hundreds Hurt—How Many More Before We Slow Our Streets?

Night on Jersey Street. A moped crashes head-on into a BMW, then ricochets into a parked Chrysler. An 18-year-old passenger is hurled onto the pavement, blood pooling, head split open. The street falls silent. Shock and injury linger in the dark.

According to the police report, a moped collided head-on with a BMW sedan on Jersey Street at 21:20, then struck a parked Chrysler. The report states, 'A moped hit a BMW head-on, then slammed into a parked Chrysler.' An 18-year-old male passenger on the moped was ejected from his seat and landed on the pavement, suffering a severe head wound and bleeding, with shock noted at the scene. The police report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, highlighting a failure by at least one driver to obey traffic signals or signs. No blame is assigned to the injured passenger. The report notes the passenger was not using a seatbelt, but does not cite this as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the disregard for traffic control, which led to violent impact and injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4719873, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

An SUV struck a cyclist on Castleton Avenue near Rector Street, shredding his leg and leaving blood on the asphalt. The rider remained conscious despite severe injuries. The SUV continued north, the bike veered west, mangled and broken in the street.

According to the police report, a man riding a bike was hit by the front center of an SUV traveling north on Castleton Avenue near Rector Street. The collision caused severe injuries to the cyclist's leg, described as torn with blood on the asphalt. The cyclist remained conscious after the impact. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead before the crash. The SUV struck the cyclist on the bike's left side doors. The report lists contributing factors as unspecified for both parties, providing no direct driver error such as failure to yield. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this was not cited as a contributing factor. The narrative highlights the violent impact and the SUV's role in the collision, noting the SUV kept moving north while the bike veered west, left mangled in the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4715137, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks joined Staten Island leaders to denounce Manhattan’s congestion toll. They warned it would raise costs for working families and worsen air for minority neighborhoods. The MTA’s own study found pollution could rise in outer boroughs. The fight continues.

On March 14, 2024, Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks (District 49) stood with Staten Island officials at a press conference to oppose New York’s congestion pricing plan. The event, covered by nypost.com, highlighted concerns that the $15 toll for driving south of 60th Street in Manhattan would, as Hanks said, 'have a negative impact in neighborhoods of color in the outer boroughs.' Hanks and others argued the plan would burden working residents and increase pollution in Staten Island’s minority communities. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s environmental assessment confirmed air quality could worsen in Staten Island, the Bronx, and New Jersey, even as it improves in Manhattan. The MTA pledged $130 million for clean-up, but local leaders remain unconvinced. Hanks’s opposition underscores the ongoing debate over who pays—and who suffers—when the city tries to curb car traffic.

• NY’s congestion toll will discriminate against forgotten borough of Staten Island: local pols, nypost.com, Published 2024-03-14

A BMW slams nose-first on Goethals Road North. The right rear door bursts open. A 26-year-old man is thrown from the car, striking his head on the street. He dies there, under the late-night sky.

A fatal crash unfolded on Goethals Road North when a 2011 BMW sedan, traveling west, struck nose-first, according to the police report. The impact forced the right rear door open, ejecting a 26-year-old male passenger into the street. The police report states, 'A 2011 BMW slams nose-first. The right rear door flings open. A 26-year-old man, no belt, is hurled into the dark. His head hits hard. He dies there, on the cold street.' The victim suffered fatal head injuries and apparent death was noted at the scene. No driver errors or contributing factors are listed in the police report, and no mention is made of other vehicles being involved. The narrative centers on the violence of the impact and the vulnerability of passengers in such crashes.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709276, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Volvo sedan plowed into an SUV’s rear on Vanduzer Street. The sedan’s front collapsed. A 78-year-old woman behind the wheel died, crushed in her seat. Metal twisted. No seatbelt. The street fell silent as another life ended in steel.

According to the police report, a 1998 Volvo sedan rear-ended a 2017 SUV on Vanduzer Street near Baring Place in Staten Island at 9:28 a.m. The sedan’s front end struck the SUV’s center back, folding the smaller car’s front. The driver of the Volvo, a 78-year-old woman, was killed. She was not wearing a seatbelt and suffered fatal crush injuries. The report lists 'Other Vehicular' as a contributing factor, indicating a driver-related error but does not specify further. The SUV was traveling straight ahead with two occupants; the Volvo was also moving straight before impact. The police narrative describes the crash as a violent collision that left the sedan’s driver dead at the scene. No contributing factors are attributed to the SUV or its occupants. The focus remains on the deadly force of the rear-end impact and the systemic danger posed by such collisions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4706229, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council wants 500 solar-lit crosswalks. The bill sits in committee. Streets stay dark. Pedestrians wait. The city promises a study. Lawmakers push for light, but action lags. Danger remains while the council debates.

Int 0301-2024, introduced February 28, 2024, sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, status: Laid Over in Committee. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the installation of solar-powered crosswalks,' orders the Department of Transportation to install at least 100 illuminated, solar-powered traffic control devices at crosswalks each year for five years—a total of 500. The department must also study their impact compared to unlit signs. Council Member Lincoln Restler leads as primary sponsor, joined by Menin, Brooks-Powers, Rivera, Won, Narcisse, Hanks, Hanif, Bottcher, Brewer, Hudson, Schulman, and Avilés. The bill was laid over by committee on June 25, 2024. No safety analyst note was provided. Vulnerable road users remain exposed while the city delays action.

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

Council moves to form an advisory board on school crossing guard deployment. NYPD, DOT, and DOE must join. The board will send reports twice a year to city leaders. The aim: track, review, and recommend guard placement. Streets near schools stay dangerous.

Bill Int 0448-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety. Introduced February 28, 2024, it calls for an advisory board on school crossing guard deployment. The board would include the NYPD, Department of Transportation, and Department of Education. According to the bill summary: 'Such advisory board would be responsible for submitting biannual reports, relating to recommended deployment of school crossing guards, to the Mayor, the City Council Speaker and the Police Commissioner.' Council Member Kamillah Hanks leads as primary sponsor, joined by Stevens, Schulman, Salaam, Won, Cabán, Riley, Farías, Restler, Williams, Narcisse, Banks, Louis, Brooks-Powers, Marmorato, and the Bronx Borough President. The bill demands city agencies work together, but it does not guarantee more guards or safer crossings. The danger for children at city intersections remains.

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

Council wants NYPD to show where crossing guards stand. The bill orders a map online. Streets are dangerous. Kids cross in chaos. The public will see the gaps. The city must face the truth in plain sight.

Int 0447-2024, now in the Committee on Public Safety, was introduced on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reporting on crossing guard deployment," demands the NYPD post an online map showing where crossing guards are stationed. Council Member Kamillah Hanks leads as primary sponsor, joined by Stevens, Schulman, Menin, Salaam, Brewer, Marte, and others, including a request from the Bronx Borough President. The bill is for 'informational purposes only,' but the impact is clear: families and advocates will finally see where the city leaves children exposed. The measure forces transparency. It makes the city’s priorities visible block by block.

• File Int 0447-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

A sedan turned on Lafayette Avenue. A boy rode north on an e-scooter. Sightlines vanished. Metal hit flesh. The boy’s leg was crushed under the car. He wore a helmet. He went into shock. The street stayed silent.

A crash at Lafayette Avenue and VanBuren Street left a 17-year-old e-scooter rider with severe leg injuries. According to the police report, 'A sedan turned. A boy rode north on an e-scooter. Sightlines gone. Metal struck muscle. His leg crushed beneath the car. He wore a helmet. He did not scream. He went into shock.' The report lists 'View Obstructed/Limited' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The sedan, traveling west, made a right turn as the e-scooter moved north. The boy, wearing a helmet, suffered crush injuries to his lower leg and went into shock at the scene. No injuries were reported for the sedan driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4686506, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

An SUV hit an 82-year-old woman in a Forest Avenue crosswalk. She suffered head wounds. The driver did not stop. The woman died. Blood marked the street. The Nissan’s front end bore the impact. The city lost another pedestrian.

An 82-year-old woman was killed while crossing Forest Avenue near Bard Avenue. According to the police report, the SUV struck her head-on in the crosswalk, causing fatal head injuries and internal bleeding. The driver did not stop after the crash. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The Nissan SUV’s center front end showed damage from the impact. The woman never regained consciousness. No other contributing factors were cited in the report. The crash marks another deadly toll for pedestrians on New York City streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4673459, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan turned left on Chestnut Avenue. The driver failed to yield. She struck a 67-year-old man on an e-bike. His head was crushed. He was thrown from the bike. He died on the pavement. Alcohol was in the driver’s blood.

A 67-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed when a sedan struck him on Chestnut Avenue near Bay Street in Staten Island. According to the police report, the sedan was making a left turn and hit the cyclist mid-ride. The impact crushed the cyclist’s head and threw him from the bike. He was found unconscious and died at the scene. The police report states, “The driver failed to yield. Alcohol was in her blood.” The listed contributing factors are Failure to Yield Right-of-Way and Alcohol Involvement. The data also notes driver inattention or distraction. No helmet use is mentioned as a contributing factor. The crash highlights the lethal consequences of driver error and impairment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4657218, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Council pushed for 500 solar-lit crosswalks. The bill demanded action—100 new devices each year. It called for a hard look at results. But the session ended. The bill died. Streets wait. Pedestrians keep crossing in the dark.

Int 1151-2023, introduced August 3, 2023, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, aimed to require the Department of Transportation to install at least 100 illuminated, solar-powered traffic control devices at crosswalks each year for five years—a total of 500. The bill also ordered a study comparing these devices to unlit signs, probing their power to deter traffic violations and mapping out logistical hurdles. The matter summary reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the installation of solar-powered crosswalks.' Council Member Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Menin, Brooks-Powers, Rivera, and over thirty others. The bill was filed at session’s end on December 31, 2023. No safety analyst note was provided. The city’s crosswalks remain unchanged. Vulnerable road users remain exposed.

• File Int 1151-2023, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2023-08-03

A Dodge sedan struck a cyclist on Targee Street. The man flew, hip broken, blood on the pavement. The view was blocked. He lay conscious, bleeding, broken in the street. The crash left pain and silence behind.

A Dodge sedan hit a 34-year-old cyclist on Targee Street near Mary Street in Staten Island. According to the police report, the cyclist was ejected and suffered a shattered hip and severe bleeding. The report states, “The view was blocked.” The contributing factor listed is 'View Obstructed/Limited.' The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause remains the obstructed view. The crash left the cyclist conscious but badly injured, bleeding in the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4646034, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 60-year-old man crossed Post Avenue with the light. An Audi turned left. Its bumper struck his chest. Blood pooled in the crosswalk. He died there. The driver was distracted. The street fell silent.

A 60-year-old pedestrian was killed on Post Avenue near 974 when an Audi sedan, turning left, struck him as he crossed with the signal. According to the police report, 'A 60-year-old man crossed with the light. An Audi turned left. Its bumper struck his chest. He bled in the crosswalk. He died there. The driver was distracted.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The man was crossing at the intersection, following the signal. The Audi’s right front bumper caused fatal chest injuries. No other contributing factors were cited. The crash left the intersection quiet, marked by loss.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4642632, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

NYPD claims action on ghost cars. Numbers tell a different story. Arrests for fake plates drop. Summonses barely rise. DOT cameras miss over a million violations. Council weighs tougher fines. Riders and walkers pay the price for weak enforcement.

On June 27, 2023, the City Council held a hearing on NYPD enforcement against ghost cars—vehicles with fake, covered, or defaced plates. NYPD Transportation Bureau’s Michael Pilecki reported arrests for forged plates fell 11 percent from last year, while summonses rose just 0.6 percent. The hearing spotlighted two bills from Council Member Oswald Feliz to raise fines for using or selling fake plates, both widely supported, including by the NYPD. The matter summary: 'NYPD claims it has stepped up its efforts to summons and arrest car drivers who cover or deface their plate, or drive with a fake temporary tag, but its own statistics show that the effort has not continued into this year.' Council Members Selvena Brooks-Powers and Kamillah Hanks did not comment. Activists and officials noted DOT’s automated cameras failed to bill 1.2 million violations last year due to temp tags, leaving dangerous drivers unaccountable. The city’s weak enforcement leaves vulnerable road users exposed.

• NYPD’s Fight Against ‘Ghost Cars’ Lacks Serious Muscle, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-06-27

A sedan crashes head-on into an MTA bus on Victory Boulevard. Glass scatters. A 14-year-old boy in the back seat bleeds from the head. He stays conscious. Sirens cut the morning. Driver inattention and inexperience mark the scene.

A sedan collided head-on with an MTA bus on Victory Boulevard near Forest Avenue in Staten Island. According to the police report, a 14-year-old boy riding in the left rear seat of the sedan suffered a head injury with severe bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. The crash occurred at 4:27 a.m. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The sedan struck the bus's left rear bumper, causing significant front-end damage. No injuries were reported among bus occupants. The report does not mention helmet use or signaling as factors. The crash underscores the risks posed by driver error and distraction.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4640018, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A young man on an e-scooter crashed on Continental Place. He flew from the scooter. His head hit the pavement. He lay still, unconscious. The scooter stood untouched. The street held the mark of impact. His skull did not.

A 23-year-old man riding an e-scooter on Continental Place near Lockman Avenue was thrown from his vehicle and suffered a severe head injury. According to the police report, 'A 23-year-old man, helmetless on an e-scooter, was thrown to the pavement. His head struck hard. He lay unconscious in the street. The scooter stood upright, untouched. His skull did not.' The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but no driver errors or external causes are identified. The crash left the rider unconscious with crush injuries to his head.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4638679, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 43-year-old man on an e-bike crashed head-on near Canal Street. He flew from the bike. Blood pooled on the asphalt. His head split open under the streetlight. The front end crumpled. The night stayed silent.

A 43-year-old man riding an e-bike suffered severe head injuries after a head-on crash near 176 Canal Street in Staten Island. According to the police report, the rider was ejected from the bike and found unconscious, with blood pooling on the asphalt and the front end of the e-bike crumpled. The report states, 'His head split open under the streetlight’s cold glare.' The data lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor. No other vehicles or people were reported injured in this crash. The rider was not wearing a helmet, which is noted after the absence of clear driver errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4634318, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Hyundai sedan smashed into a parked box truck on Narrows Road North. The 24-year-old driver died at the scene. Metal twisted. The car was demolished. Unsafe speed was the cause. No one else was hurt. The street stayed silent.

A fatal crash took place on Narrows Road North at 4:15 a.m. when a Hyundai sedan collided with the rear of a parked box truck. According to the police report, 'A Hyundai sedan crushed itself into the back of a parked box truck. The 24-year-old driver, belted in, died on impact. His head shattered. The car was unrecognizable. Speed was all he had.' The only person in the sedan, a 24-year-old man, was killed instantly. No other injuries were reported. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The box truck was unoccupied and parked at the time of the crash. The driver was wearing a lap belt and harness, but the force of the collision was fatal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4632740, 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