District 5: Five Dead, Hundreds Hurt—Who Will Take the Wheel?

A box truck struck a parked sedan on East 82nd Street. Metal screamed. A 42-year-old man suffered a shattered arm, blood soaking his sleeve. The truck remained undamaged. The street fell silent after the sudden impact.

According to the police report, a box truck traveling south on East 82nd Street near 2nd Avenue collided with a parked sedan. The report states, 'A box truck struck a parked sedan. Metal screamed. A 42-year-old man clutched his shattered arm, blood soaking his sleeve.' The injured man, a pedestrian at the intersection getting on or off the vehicle, suffered crush injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand, and was in shock. The sedan sustained damage to its right rear quarter panel, while the truck showed no damage. The police report lists contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' providing no clear driver error such as failure to yield or distraction. No victim behavior was noted as contributing. The crash highlights the danger posed by moving vehicles striking stationary cars and the severe injuries inflicted on vulnerable individuals nearby.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4753484 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

City law now forces DOT to reveal where bikes and scooters go. Streets and bridges, protected or not. Data goes public. Riders’ movement, danger, and safety projects laid bare. No more hiding the facts.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and passed on August 15, 2024. The law orders the Department of Transportation to post current bicycle and micromobility ridership data online, updated monthly or at least yearly. The matter summary reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Restler, Hudson, Schulman, and others. The law demands transparency on where riders travel and what DOT does to keep them safe. This opens the books on bike movement and exposes gaps in protection.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-08-15

A sedan blasted through the light at 2nd Avenue and East 74th. The bike hit hard. The cyclist flew, head split, blood pooling. He lay semiconscious on the pavement. The car sat untouched. The night air thick with sirens and shock.

According to the police report, a sedan disregarded a traffic control at the corner of 2nd Avenue and East 74th Street. The report states the sedan 'ran the light.' A cyclist, traveling south, struck the car's side and was ejected, landing hard and suffering a severe head injury with heavy bleeding. The cyclist was described as semiconscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The sedan sustained no damage, while the bike impacted the right side doors. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but the report cites driver errors—specifically, ignoring the traffic signal and inattention—as the primary causes. No mention is made of any actions by the cyclist contributing to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4737814 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two sedans collided on York Avenue. A woman crossing the street was struck down. Blood pooled on the asphalt. Head trauma ended her life beneath the streetlight. Engines ticked. Sirens wailed too late. The city claimed another pedestrian.

A deadly crash unfolded on York Avenue near East 87th Street in Manhattan, where, according to the police report, two sedans collided and a 30-year-old woman crossing the street was struck. The report states she suffered head trauma and severe bleeding, dying at the scene. The narrative describes, 'Blood pooled on the asphalt. She died beneath the streetlight. The cars sat still. Engines ticking. Sirens too late.' Police data lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor for one of the sedan drivers. The woman was at the intersection when struck. The report does not cite any victim behaviors as contributing factors. The tragedy centers on driver actions and the lethal consequences of speed on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4714580 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 25-year-old woman stepped into the crosswalk with the light. An e-scooter rider, inattentive and inexperienced, struck her head-on. Blood pooled on East 78th Street. The rider fled. The woman’s leg split open, pain pulsing through the city’s grid.

A 25-year-old woman was seriously injured on East 78th Street when an e-scooter rider struck her head-on as she crossed with the signal, according to the police report. The impact left her with severe lacerations to her lower leg, and blood pooled at the scene. The report states the e-scooter’s front end was damaged and the rider did not stop. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The pedestrian’s actions—crossing with the light in the marked crosswalk—are noted in the report, but only after the driver’s failures. The collision underscores the consequences of inattentive and unskilled operation of motorized vehicles in city crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4713969 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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 targets killer corners. City must pick crash hotspots and block parking near crosswalks. Five intersections per borough each year. More space. More sight. Less blood on the street.

Int 0285-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 28, 2024, by Council Members Shahana K. Hanif (primary), Julie Menin, and Crystal Hudson. The bill orders the city to find intersections with the most pedestrian crashes and install curb extensions—no parking within 15 feet of crosswalks—at five sites per borough, every year. The matter title reads: 'A Local Law...requiring curb extensions at certain dangerous intersections.' Curb extensions force cars back, clear sight lines, and keep walkers in view. The sponsors push city agencies to act, not wait. The bill demands oversight and speed.

• File Int 0285-2024, 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 bill targets cars blocking bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, and hydrants near schools. Civilian complaints trigger fines. Streets clear, danger cut. Council moves to protect the vulnerable.

Int 0080-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced February 8, 2024, the bill creates a $175 penalty for vehicles blocking bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks, or hydrants within 2,640 feet of schools. The Department of Transportation must set up a civilian reporting program. If a civilian complaint leads to a fine, the complainant gets 25 percent of proceeds. The bill’s matter title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to hazardous obstruction by vehicles and civilian complaints.' Council Member Carlina Rivera leads, joined by Restler, Ayala, Joseph, Menin, and others. The bill aims to keep paths clear for those most at risk.

• File Int 0080-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-08

A Chevy SUV hit a 77-year-old woman at dawn on York Avenue. The front end struck her full. She bled from the head, conscious on the street. The driver’s view was blocked. Steel met flesh in the cold morning light.

According to the police report, a 2022 Chevy SUV traveling north on York Avenue near 92nd Street struck a 77-year-old woman who was crossing alone at dawn. The report states, 'The front end hit her full. She lay bleeding from the head. The driver’s view was blocked. She was conscious.' The pedestrian suffered a head injury with severe bleeding, but remained conscious at the scene. The official contributing factor listed is 'View Obstructed/Limited,' indicating the driver’s line of sight was compromised. The data does not cite any pedestrian behavior as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the lethal risk when drivers proceed with limited visibility, especially in areas where vulnerable road users cross.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4695105 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A woman crossed East 90th at 3rd. An e-scooter slammed her in the crosswalk. The front end crushed her shoulder. She stayed down, conscious. The rider vanished. The street roared on. She lay hurt, alone.

A 32-year-old woman was struck by a northbound e-scooter while crossing at the corner of East 90th Street and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A woman in the crosswalk, her shoulder crushed beneath the front of a northbound e-scooter. She stayed down, conscious. The rider fled.' The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to her shoulder and upper arm. The e-scooter rider left the scene without stopping. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No specific driver errors were documented in the data. The crash left the pedestrian injured and the rider unaccounted for.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4693430 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A car hit a 62-year-old woman at East 81st and East End. She bled from the head. She stayed conscious. The driver, distracted, kept north. The street was silent. Blood marked the crossing. The city watched and waited.

A 62-year-old woman walking at the corner of East 81st Street and East End Avenue was struck by a car. She suffered a head injury with severe bleeding but remained conscious. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' contributed to the crash. The driver did not swerve and continued northbound after the impact. The report does not mention any actions by the pedestrian as contributing factors. The scene was marked by silence and blood on the street. No vehicle type or further driver details were provided.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4671719 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A tire burst. The Honda veered. Steel screamed. The front crashed. Doors crumpled. The driver bled from the face, trapped but awake. Two rode in the car. The road was empty. Metal and blood marked the night.

A sedan traveling northbound on FDR Drive suffered a tire failure. According to the police report, 'A tire blew. The Honda veered. Steel shrieked. The front slammed, doors folded.' The crash left the 30-year-old driver with severe facial lacerations. He remained conscious and strapped in. The car carried two occupants. The police report lists 'Tire Failure/Inadequate' as the contributing factor. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The point of impact was the center front end, with damage to the left side doors. The crash unfolded in seconds, leaving injury and wreckage behind.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4666962 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 71-year-old woman crossed York Avenue with the light. An SUV turned right, its front struck her head. She fell. She never woke. The street claimed another life. Driver inattention marked the moment.

A 71-year-old woman was killed at the corner of York Avenue and East 68th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal when a northbound SUV made a right turn and struck her with its right front quarter panel. The impact caused fatal head injuries, leaving her unconscious on the pavement. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The woman was not at fault; she crossed legally. The crash highlights the deadly consequences of driver inattention at city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4664179 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A pickup truck turned left at 1st Avenue and East 68th. The bumper hit a woman crossing with the light. Her body broke. She stayed conscious but could not move. The truck showed no damage. The street stayed busy. She did not.

A pickup truck struck a 31-year-old woman as she crossed 1st Avenue at East 68th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the truck was making a left turn when its left front bumper hit the pedestrian, who was crossing with the signal. The woman suffered injuries to her entire body and paralysis but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'View Obstructed/Limited' as contributing factors. The truck showed no damage. The driver was licensed and traveling north. The woman was in the crosswalk, following the signal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4667350 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Harley slammed head-on on FDR Drive. A 56-year-old woman riding pillion took the blow. She wore a helmet. Her body was crushed, but she stayed awake. Aggressive driving fueled the crash. The road showed no mercy.

A violent crash on FDR Drive left a 56-year-old woman, riding as a motorcycle passenger, with severe crush injuries across her entire body. According to the police report, 'Rage rode the road that night. The bike split open. The highway did not forgive.' The collision involved a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and another vehicle. The police report lists 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' and 'Other Vehicular' as contributing factors. The woman, helmeted and conscious, was not ejected but suffered major trauma. Driver aggression and reckless behavior are cited as causes. The report notes the passenger’s helmet only after listing driver errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4667922 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan struck an e-bike head-on at 2nd Avenue and East 60th. The rider, 24, fell hard. Blood pooled. Head wounds. He lay unconscious in the street. The KIA’s doors bent. The city watched, silent.

A sedan collided head-on with an e-bike at the corner of 2nd Avenue and East 60th Street in Manhattan. The 24-year-old e-bike rider suffered severe head wounds and was found unconscious in the street. According to the police report, 'A sedan struck an e-bike head-on. The rider, 24, crumpled on impact. Blood pooled. Head wounds. Unconscious in the street.' The KIA sedan’s right side doors were bent inward from the crash. Both vehicles were traveling south and going straight ahead. The police report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor for both parties. No driver errors were specified in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4647639 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A box truck hit a man at dawn on 2nd Avenue. The truck struck head-on. The man fell. Blood on the street. Head wounds. Broken bones. He never woke. The city’s day started with loss.

A 47-year-old man was killed at the corner of 2nd Avenue and East 82nd Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, a box truck traveling south struck the pedestrian head-on as he crossed the intersection. The report states, “A man crossed against the light at dawn. A box truck struck him head-on. He lay broken and bleeding on the asphalt. Head wounds. Fractured bones. He never woke up.” Police list 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The driver was licensed and operating a Hino box truck. No injuries were reported for the truck’s occupants. The crash left one man dead and a city intersection marked by violence.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4624351 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A box truck smashed into a parked SUV on East 66th Street. Metal tore. A 28-year-old man in the front seat took the blow. His hip broke. He stayed conscious. The truck rolled on. Pain followed.

A box truck struck a parked SUV on East 66th Street. The crash left a 28-year-old man, seated unbelted in the front passenger seat, with a shattered hip and crush injuries. According to the police report, 'A box truck slammed into a parked SUV. Metal screamed. A 28-year-old man sat unbelted in the front. His hip shattered. He stayed awake. The truck kept rolling. So did the pain.' The data lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are detailed in the report. The injured man was not wearing safety equipment, as noted in the data, but this is mentioned only after the absence of driver errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4616737 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04