This page shows side‑by‑side drafts generated using the modular reporter prompts.

Source summary: tmp/experiments_runs/reporter-variants/summary.json

Variant Summary (averages)

VariantAvg Score (1–10)Poignancy PassAvg Cost
accountability_narrative4.31/3 (33%)$0.06
default6.32/3 (66%)$0.06
narrative_arc_light5.32/3 (66%)$0.06

Detailed Runs

GeoVariantTitleWordsQuotesLinksUnmatched DomainsAuto PassPoignancyEditor Score (1–10)Cost
citywide-nycdefaultNew York City: Queens morning. Two men at a food cart. Then metal.446000❌✅8.0$0.05
citywide-nycaccountability_narrativeNew York City: Night work, a curb, and a driver who didn’t stop407000❌❌3.0$0.05
citywide-nycnarrative_arc_lightNew York City: Two men at a food cart. Then a car.440000❌✅6.0$0.06
council-39defaultDistrict 39: Four dead, 589 hurt. The streets tell the rest.638000❌❌5.0$0.06
council-39accountability_narrativeFour dead in District 39. The road keeps taking.354000❌❌4.0$0.06
council-39narrative_arc_lightDistrict 39: 02 a.m.545000❌❌4.0$0.07
senate-23defaultSD 23: Bay Street blood, Hylan confusion, bus steel649000❌✅6.0$0.06
senate-23accountability_narrativeSD 23: Five dead since 2022. The streets keep taking.410000❌✅6.0$0.06
senate-23narrative_arc_lightFive deaths, 2,057 crashes: SD 23’s slow grind of street violence504000❌✅6.0$0.06

default

New York City: Queens morning. Two men at a food cart. Then metal.

They stood at a cart in Astoria. A car came fast and did not stop. Two men died there. The driver died too. Police named the men: Joaquin Venancio‑Mendez, 41, and Santiago Baires, 70, killed when a Toyota “careened at a high speed into a nearby food truck” (amNY). Witnesses told TV the car “slammed into the men” (CBS). An onlooker said, “I have never seen anything like this” (amNY).

Springfield Gardens, 2:30 a.m.

A driver hit a 52‑year‑old man at 155th Street and South Conduit Avenue. The driver fled. Police took the man to Jamaica Hospital. He died there. Detectives from the Collision Investigation Squad took the case (Gothamist).

Ocean Parkway at Avenue C

A 45‑year‑old woman tried to cross near Avenue C. An SUV merged south on Ocean Parkway and struck her. She died of crush injuries to the head. The city log lists her as a pedestrian “not at intersection” (NYC Open Data).

Wrong-way on the Clearview

On a winter morning in 2023, a man drove north in the southbound lanes of the Clearview. He hit five cars. Two motorists were badly hurt. At sentencing, Queens DA Melinda Katz said, “Joseph Lee terrorized other drivers as he purposefully drove the wrong way on a busy Queens highway and crashed into multiple cars” (amNY). Lee told police, “I entered the Clearview Expressway in the wrong direction because I wanted to hurt people and I felt ’liberated’ by what I had done” (amNY). He also said to a victim, “You want to fight?” (amNY). A judge gave him eight years (amNY).

The count keeps climbing

In the last year, 182 people died in city crashes. Another 32,764 were hurt; 491 were listed as serious injuries. The city logged 52,671 crashes in that span (NYC Open Data). SUVs loom large: they killed 41 pedestrians in this period, more than any other vehicle type tracked (NYC Open Data).

What breaks this pattern

Lower the city’s default speed. Stop the worst repeat speeders. These moves are on the table. If you want them, say so. Start here: take action.

FAQ

  • Q: Who were the victims in the Astoria food cart crash? A: Police identified Joaquin Venancio‑Mendez, 41, and Santiago Baires, 70, as the pedestrians killed. The 84-year-old driver also died (amNY).
  • Q: What do we know about the hit-and-run near JFK? A: NYPD said a driver struck a 52‑year‑old man at 155th Street and South Conduit Avenue around 2:30 a.m., then fled. The man died at Jamaica Hospital. Detectives are investigating (Gothamist).
  • Q: What did the wrong-way driver on the Clearview say? A: In his own words: “I entered the Clearview Expressway in the wrong direction because I wanted to hurt people and I felt ‘liberated’ by what I had done.” He also said to a victim, “You want to fight?” He was sentenced to eight years (amNY).
  • Q: How many have died on NYC streets in the last year? A: City data show 182 deaths, 32,764 injuries, and 491 serious injuries over roughly the last 12 months (NYC Open Data).
  • Q: What is CrashCount? A: We’re a tool for helping hold local politicians and other actors accountable for their failure to protect you when you’re walking or cycling in NYC. We update our site constantly to provide you with up to date information on what’s happening in your neighborhood.

Citations

Geo: citywide-nyc

Editor Evaluation

  • Overall score: 8
  • Poignancy: ✅ — Spare human details without melodrama; firm, unsentimental. Effective ending with action. Strong poignancy.
  • Persuasiveness: ✅ — Clear, unsparing scenes; closes with policy asks (lower default speed, speed limiters). Advocacy present but restrained. Effective but could tie stats more explicitly to vulnerable users (pedestrians/cyclists) beyond one SUV stat.
  • Interest: ✅ — Strong hook with Astoria crash; varied vignettes keep pace. Subheads concise. High engagement.
  • Writing quality: ✅ — Lean sentences, concrete details, minimal adjectives. Consistent tone. Subheads meet brevity, but could be slightly more specific in one case (“What breaks this pattern” is generic).
  • Trustworthiness: ✅ — Multiple direct quotes sourced to amNY/CBS; JFK incident to Gothamist; stats to NYC Open Data. However, the amNY/QNS links are dated 2025-08, which is within coverage, but one NYC Open Data citation title is oddly specific (“CrashID 483365…
  • Recommendations:
    • Force the model to specify the exact query window for any NYC Open Data aggregates and include that date span in text (e.g., “Aug 2024–Aug 2025”), and to note the dataset refresh date from the citation.
    • Require at least one statistic explicitly focused on vulnerable road users (pedestrian/cyclist deaths/injuries) and, when available, vehicle-type involvement, with inline links; forbid generic citywide totals without a vulnerable-user brea…
    • Mandate that each subhead be concrete and location- or actor-specific, and ban generic formulations (e.g., replace “What breaks this pattern” with a specific policy frame like “Lower the limit. Stop the repeat speeders.”) while keeping 2–4…

accountability_narrative

New York City: Night work, a curb, and a driver who didn’t stop

One life, one block

At 2:30 a.m., at 155th Street and South Conduit Avenue by JFK, a driver hit a 52-year-old man and fled, police said (Gothamist).

He was one of 182 people killed on New York City streets since January 1, 2022 (NYC Open Data).

How often it happens

Queens South has seen 17 traffic deaths this year through Aug. 10, up from 13 by this time last year (Gothamist). Two men ordering food in Astoria were also killed when a car slammed into a cart; the 84-year-old driver died too (amNY).

Most of the killing comes from everyday cars. SUVs and sedans account for 69 pedestrian deaths in this period, far more than trucks or buses (NYC Open Data).

The violence isn’t always a mistake. After a wrong-way rampage on the Clearview, Queens DA Melinda Katz said, “Joseph Lee terrorized other drivers as he purposefully drove the wrong way on a busy Queens highway and crashed into multiple cars” (amNY).

What leaders did (or didn’t)

City Hall promises street makeovers. A redesign of 14th Street is set to begin next year, with the stated aim to “improve the pedestrian experience” (NY1).

But the bodies stack up far from Union Square. On Ocean Parkway and Avenue C, a 45-year-old woman walking outside a crosswalk was struck and killed by a southbound SUV merging at 1:02 a.m. (NYC Open Data, CrashID 4833650). In the Bronx River Parkway crash, two moped riders were ejected and died; two sedans were involved (NYC Open Data, CrashID 4834345).

The pattern holds: speed, mass, fragility. People on foot lose.

The simplest fix

Lower speeds save lives. New York City now has the power to set safer limits and to go after the worst repeat speeders. The steps are on one page. Use them.

  • Lower the default limit citywide and expand 20 mph zones.
  • Require speed limiters for habitual offenders.

Start here: Take action.

FAQ

  • Q: How many people have been killed on NYC streets in the period covered? A: At least 182 people were killed from Jan. 1, 2022 through Aug. 25, 2025, based on NYC Open Data crash records.
  • Q: What vehicle types kill the most pedestrians in the data? A: SUVs and sedans account for 69 pedestrian deaths in the period, more than trucks, buses, or two‑wheelers.
  • Q: What happened near JFK on Aug. 13, 2025? A: Police said a driver hit a 52‑year‑old man at 155th Street and South Conduit Avenue around 2:30 a.m. and fled. The man died at the hospital, per Gothamist.
  • Q: What is CrashCount? A: We’re a tool for helping hold local politicians and other actors accountable for their failure to protect you when you’re walking or cycling in NYC. We update our site constantly to provide you with up to date information on what’s happening in your neighborhood.
  • Q: What can I do right now to push for change? A: Ask city leaders to lower the default speed limit and back mandatory speed limiters for repeat speeders. Start here: /take_action/.

Citations

Geo: citywide-nyc

Editor Evaluation

  • Overall score: 3
  • Poignancy: ❌ — Spare and unsparing, avoids melodrama. Could use one precise human detail from sourced material; current piece leans on generalities.
  • Persuasiveness: ❌ — Clear policy asks and stark incidents help, but reliance on thin data (e.g., citywide death count and vehicle-type tallies) undercuts force. Needs more localized, comparative stats and stronger connective tissue to policy.
  • Interest: ❌ — Lean, unsparing tone with vivid incidents holds attention, but jumps between disparate crashes without tight framing. Subheads are serviceable but not specific enough to the location/story arc.
  • Writing quality: ❌ — Style mostly matches brief: short, plain, unsentimental. A few abstractions (“The pattern holds: speed, mass, fragility.”) drift from ‘show, don’t tell.’
  • Trustworthiness: ❌ — Multiple red flags: uses 2025 sources beyond the allowed coverage end-date (2025-08-25 is OK, but one link is QNS domain mislabeled as amNY); asserts specific counts from NYC Open Data without showing method; states agency powers (“now has…
  • Recommendations:
    • Constrain all facts to verifiable items explicitly available in the provided context; require the model to extract and list each numeric claim (counts, times, locations, vehicle types) with direct source line/ID before drafting, and to omi…
    • Mandate a scoped nut graf that anchors the story to one corridor/precinct and timeframe, with at least two comparative metrics (year-to-date vs prior year; vehicle type share), each linked inline to a citation; disallow jump-cuts to unrela…
    • Require a quotes module: if 3+ attributable quotes exist in context, include them verbatim with links; otherwise, prohibit quotes entirely and replace with concrete scene details that are explicitly present in sources. Add a rule to verify…

narrative_arc_light

New York City: Two men at a food cart. Then a car.

One life, one block

Around 2:30 a.m. at 155th Street and South Conduit Avenue, a driver hit a 52‑year‑old man and fled, police said (Gothamist; NYC Open Data).

In Astoria the next morning, two men ordering at a food truck were struck and killed; the driver died too (amNY; CBS New York).

How often it happens

They were among 182 people killed on New York City streets since January 1, 2022, alongside 52,671 crashes, 32,764 injuries, and 491 serious injuries (NYC Open Data). SUVs and cars did the most harm to people on foot: at least 41 pedestrian deaths by SUVs and 15 by sedans in this period (NYC Open Data).

Queens South alone counted 17 traffic deaths through Aug. 10 this year, police data cited by reporters show (Gothamist).

On Ocean Parkway at Avenue C, an SUV struck and killed a 45‑year‑old woman crossing at night (NYC Open Data).

What leaders did (or didn’t)

“The wrong‑way driver terrorized other drivers,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said after a 2023 expressway rampage that injured two and ended with an eight‑year sentence (amNY). The man told police he entered the highway “in the wrong direction because I wanted to hurt people” (amNY).

The city plans a 14th Street redesign next year “to improve the pedestrian experience,” with $3 million split by the city and two BIDs (NY1).

The bodies mount faster than the fixes. Hit‑and‑run at 2:30 a.m. Two men at a cart. A woman on Ocean Parkway. The numbers do not move.

The simplest fix

Lower speeds save lives. New York now has the power to set safer limits and to rein in repeat speeders with tech that won’t let them keep pushing the pedal. Both steps are on the table here: a citywide 20 mph default and mandatory limiters for the worst offenders. The city can act. Albany can pass the device mandate. The tools exist. Use them (CrashCount: Take Action).

Call once. Then call again. Start here: Take action.

FAQ

  • Q: What happened near JFK on Aug. 13, 2025? A: Police said a driver hit a 52‑year‑old man at 155th Street and South Conduit Avenue around 2:30 a.m. and fled the scene. The man died at the hospital.
  • Q: How many people have been killed on NYC streets since 2022? A: From Jan. 1, 2022 to Aug. 25, 2025, 182 people were killed in 52,671 crashes, with 32,764 injuries and 491 serious injuries, per NYC Open Data.
  • Q: Which vehicles most often kill pedestrians in this period? A: SUVs and sedans caused the most pedestrian deaths captured in the dataset during this period: at least 41 by SUVs and 15 by sedans.
  • Q: What is CrashCount? A: We’re a tool for helping hold local politicians and other actors accountable for their failure to protect you when you’re walking or cycling in NYC. We update our site constantly to provide you with up to date information on what’s happening in your neighborhood.
  • Q: What can I do right now? A: Ask city leaders to set a 20 mph default speed limit and back the Stop Super Speeders device mandate. Start here: /take_action/.

Citations

Geo: citywide-nyc

Editor Evaluation

  • Overall score: 6
  • Poignancy: ✅ — Human impact lands without melodrama; restrained imagery. Effective.
  • Persuasiveness: ❌ — Strong urgency and clear policy ask; concrete vignettes. However, unverifiable or possibly incorrect counts undercut persuasion.
  • Interest: ✅ — Tight scenes and punchy subheads sustain attention.
  • Writing quality: ✅ — Spare, direct, image-forward; minimal filler; good cadence.
  • Trustworthiness: ❌ — Multiple red flags: unverified aggregate counts from NYC Open Data; vehicle-type death tallies not clearly supported; use of a sensational quote and confession from amNY piece dated 2025-08-15 may be outside provided period coverage and ma…
  • Recommendations:
    • Constrain the data pull: require the model to compute and display counts only from a pre-specified filtered dataset (date range, boroughs, modes) provided in-context as explicit numbers, and to omit any aggregate if the number is not expli…
    • Mandate quote sourcing rules: only include direct quotes when an exact quotation and attribution are supplied in the context JSON with a stable URL and date; otherwise, prohibit quotes and require paraphrase without quotation marks.
    • Add a policy-block template: provide verbatim, in-context language for the two policy solutions and require the model to use only that wording and to include one internal link to /take_action/; forbid claims about jurisdictional powers unl…

default

District 39: Four dead, 589 hurt. The streets tell the rest.

The toll is simple. Four dead. 589 injured. 1,003 crashes. All in this council district since 2022, as logged by the city’s own database (NYC Open Data).

Ocean Parkway takes a life

A 45-year-old woman was killed near Avenue C on Ocean Parkway. The SUV was merging. It hit her. It was 1:02 a.m. (crash record). Ocean Parkway shows up again and again in the district’s hotspots (district stats).

Center Drive: a cyclist died

On June 5, a 71-year-old bicyclist on Center Drive in Prospect Park never made it home (crash record). The park is inside the district’s map. The list of top danger points includes Center Drive and the BQE (district stats).

Nights hurt most

Injuries spike around midnight and early evening. The worst counts are at 12 a.m. and 6 p.m. Deaths hit at 1 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m., and 3 p.m. (hourly distribution). The city’s data flags “nighttime conditions” and “repeat hotspots.”

Who gets hit

People on bikes: 1 killed, 105 injured. People on foot: 1 killed, 94 injured. Occupants: 2 killed, 369 injured. SUVs show up most often in pedestrian harm here (mode split).

What’s driving the harm

The city tags “other” and distraction again and again. Failure to yield. Blown signals. Alcohol in one death. The label says it all: preventable (contributing factors).

Corners need air

Electeds here demanded clear corners and hard barriers. A joint letter pushed “universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals” (Streetsblog). Two Council bills would force fixes: one to install curb extensions at the worst intersections (Int 0285-2024), another to ban parking within 20 feet of crosswalks and build daylighting at scale (Int 1138-2024).

Council Member Shahana Hanif has pressed for safer designs and against backsliding. “We need to have the political courage across all levels of government to create a city that is walkable, prioritizes pedestrians, and ends these senseless murders,” she said in 2023 (Streetsblog).

Stop the worst repeat speeders

After a mother and two daughters were killed in a separate Brooklyn crash, lawmakers rallied for devices that keep repeat offenders from going more than 5 mph over the limit. “The speed limiter technology is available to us. Let’s use it. It will save lives,” Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon said (Brooklyn Paper). The bill would target drivers with long records of tickets and points.

Citywide speed matters here

Lower speeds save lives. Advocates are pushing City Hall to make 20 mph the rule on local streets. The steps are laid out here: act to slow the city down.

What to fix first, right here

  • Daylight the corners along Ocean Parkway and Ditmas. Use hard barriers, not paint (Streetsblog; Int 1138-2024).
  • Build curb extensions at the top crash spots, including the BQE ramps and Center Drive crossings (Int 0285-2024).
  • Target the late-night hours for speed and failure-to-yield enforcement at repeat hotspots, as flagged by the city’s own data (district stats).

The map is small. The damage is not. The fix is known. Slow the cars. Clear the corners. Stop the repeat offenders.

FAQ

  • Q: Where are the worst crash spots in District 39? A: The district’s top hotspots include the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and Ocean Parkway. Center Drive in Prospect Park and 319 Ditmas Ave also appear in the top list (NYC Open Data).
  • Q: When are crashes most likely here? A: Injuries peak around midnight and early evening. Deaths occurred at 1 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m., and 3 p.m., per the district’s hourly distribution (NYC Open Data).
  • Q: What policies are on the table to fix this? A: Two Council bills would help: Int 0285-2024 for curb extensions at the worst intersections, and Int 1138-2024 to ban parking near crosswalks and build daylighting at scale (NYC Council Legistar).
  • Q: What is CrashCount? A: We’re a tool for helping hold local politicians and other actors accountable for their failure to protect you when you’re walking or cycling in NYC. We update our site constantly to provide you with up to date information on what’s happening in your neighborhood.
  • Q: How many people have been killed or hurt since 2022 in this district? A: Four people have been killed and 589 injured in 1,003 crashes, according to NYC Open Data.

Citations

Geo: council-39

Editor Evaluation

  • Overall score: 5
  • Poignancy: ❌ — Sober and unsentimental; human impact is restrained. Lacks a singular sharp human detail grounded in data; relies on generic framing.
  • Persuasiveness: ❌ — Strong urgency and concrete fixes; clear calls for daylighting, curb extensions, speed limiters, and lower speed limits. Some claims edge into generalization (“Lower speeds save lives”) without a provided source.
  • Interest: ✅ — Tight, muscular prose with vivid specificity. Subheads are punchy; pacing holds attention.
  • Writing quality: ✅ — Clear, spare, and consistent with house voice. Minimal adjectives; concrete details. Occasional abstract phrasing (“The label says it all: preventable”).
  • Trustworthiness: ❌ — Multiple red flags:
  • Recommendations:
    • Force the model to pull every numeric claim (totals, hours, modes, locations) from explicit fields in small_geo_analysis, and forbid referencing generic Open Data endpoints without row-level IDs or an included extract in context. Require p…
    • Mandate a quotes gate: include a minimum number of direct, attributed quotes only if their full text and source are present in context; otherwise, prohibit quotes. Require the prompt to list each quote with speaker, outlet, date, and link …
    • Constrain policy assertions: only allow policies, bill numbers, and timelines that appear verbatim in the provided timeline/notes. Require the model to verify bill dates within coverage range and to add a validation line in output noting w…

accountability_narrative

Four dead in District 39. The road keeps taking.

One life, one block

At 1:02 a.m., at Avenue C and Ocean Parkway, an SUV hit a 45‑year‑old woman crossing outside a crosswalk. She died at the scene. Source

How often it happens

She was one of 4 people killed here since 2022. In that time, there were 1,003 crashes and 589 injuries in Council District 39. Source

SUVs hit pedestrians hardest: 43 pedestrian injuries, including 1 death and 1 serious injury. Source

The pain clusters at repeat hotspots. The Brooklyn‑Queens Expressway and Ocean Parkway account for the most severe cases. Source

Nights are rough. Midnight and the evening rush see the most injuries. Source

What leaders did (or didn’t)

This Council district’s member, Shahana K. Hanif, wrote a bill to force curb extensions at dangerous intersections (Int 0285‑2024) and co‑sponsored a citywide daylighting mandate to keep corners clear (Int 1138‑2024). She also backed universal daylighting with hardened barriers, joining six other Brooklyn officials. Source

Albany can stop the worst repeat offenders. The Stop Super Speeders bill would require speed limiters for drivers who rack up violations. “The speed limiter technology is available to us. Let’s use it. It will save lives.” Source

Your State Senator here is Steve Chan (SD 17). Your Assembly Member is Robert Carroll (AD 44). In our records, we do not see them listed as sponsors of Stop Super Speeders. What gives? Source

The simplest fix

Start with the corners. Daylight every intersection. Build curb extensions. Harden turns on Ocean Parkway and the BQE feeders. Target the midnight and evening peaks at the known hot blocks. Source

Then slow every street. Use Sammy’s Law powers to cut speeds. Mandate speed limiters for repeat violators. The tools exist. Officials must use them. Take action.

FAQ

  • Q: Where are the worst crash locations in District 39? A: The top hotspots include the Brooklyn‑Queens Expressway and Ocean Parkway, which together account for the most severe outcomes in this district. Source
  • Q: When are crashes most likely to injure people here? A: Injuries peak around midnight and during the evening rush. Source
  • Q: Which vehicles most often hurt pedestrians in this district? A: SUVs lead the harm, linked to 43 pedestrian injuries, including 1 death and 1 serious injury. Source
  • Q: What has the local Council Member done? A: Council Member Shahana K. Hanif sponsored a curb‑extensions bill (Int 0285‑2024) and co‑sponsored a stronger daylighting mandate (Int 1138‑2024). Source
  • Q: What is CrashCount? A: We’re a tool for helping hold local politicians and other actors accountable for their failure to protect you when you’re walking or cycling in NYC. We update our site constantly to provide you with up to date information on what’s happening in your neighborhood.

Citations

Geo: council-39

Editor Evaluation

  • Overall score: 4
  • Poignancy: ❌ — Spare and unsentimental. Human impact is restrained. Effective, but opening scene appears invented, which breaks rules.
  • Persuasiveness: ❌ — Advocacy is present and concrete (hotspots, fixes, policy asks), but credibility gaps undermine impact.
  • Interest: ✅ — Lean, urgent tone and local details keep attention; some vague claims blunt edges.
  • Writing quality: ✅ — Style largely matches brief: short, unsparing, concrete. Subheads are punchy. Occasional overreach and rhetorical questions weaken precision.
  • Trustworthiness: ❌ — Multiple red flags: unverified fatal crash at 1:02 a.m.; totals (1,003 crashes, 589 injuries) not supported by a scoped citation; SUV pedestrian figures asserted without traceable rollup; BQE/Ocean hotspot claim not shown; quotes lack attr…
  • Recommendations:
    • Force the model to pull only from fields present in the provided small_geo_analysis and timeline, and to print a sources-used table before prose generation; forbid any incident vignette unless an event_id with exact time/location is presen…
    • Require scoped metrics with explicit selectors: district_id, date range, and dataset fields. The prompt must instruct: list each figure with the exact query/filter used and the citation object id; disallow aggregate claims (e.g., SUVs lead…
    • Mandate entity resolution: council member, senate/assembly districts, bill numbers, and quotes must be present in context objects with canonical ids and deep links; if absent, the model must omit them. Ban rhetorical questions; replace wit…

narrative_arc_light

District 39: 02 a.m.

One life, one block

At 1:02 a.m. on August 9, a 45-year-old woman was struck and killed by an SUV at Ocean Parkway and Avenue C (NYC Open Data).

How often it happens

She was one of 4 people killed here since January 2022, with 1,003 crashes and 589 injuries in that span (NYC Open Data). In the last 12 months alone, District 39 logged the same grim totals: 4 deaths, 589 injuries (NYC Open Data).

SUVs and cars led pedestrian harm: 82 pedestrian injuries, including 1 death and 1 serious injury (NYC Open Data). Night hits hard here. Injuries peak around midnight and early evening — 45 injuries at 12 a.m. and 45 at 6 p.m. (NYC Open Data).

The danger clusters. Ocean Parkway is a top hotspot with a death and 17 injuries. The BQE corridor is worse, with a death and 45 injuries (NYC Open Data). Contributing factors on record include drivers who disregarded traffic control, inattention/distraction, and alcohol involvement tied to a death (NYC Open Data).

Across the city, the hit-and-run beat goes on. “Police were looking on Monday for the driver of a car that struck and dragged a 47-year-old man…killing him,” reporters wrote of a Bushwick case; “detectives…determined that he was hit by a vehicle…dragged more than 50 feet” (Gothamist).

What leaders did (or didn’t)

Council Member Shahana K. Hanif sponsored a bill to force curb extensions at the worst intersections, five sites per borough each year (Int 0285‑2024). She also co‑sponsored a citywide daylighting mandate to keep 20 feet at corners clear and add hardened barriers at scale (Int 1138‑2024). Brooklyn electeds have pressed DOT for “universal daylighting with hardened materials” at corners (Streetsblog NYC).

After repeat-offender carnage, lawmakers rallied for the statewide Stop Super Speeders Act to require speed limiters on the worst drivers’ cars. “The speed limiter technology is available to us. Let’s use it. It will save lives,” Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon said at Borough Hall (Brooklyn Paper). The bill’s sponsors are in Albany; they are not listed as Robert Carroll or Steve Chan. What gives? (Brooklyn Paper).

The simplest fix

Ocean Parkway and the BQE corridor need the basics now: hardened daylighting at corners, concrete curb extensions, and protected turns. The Council has bills on both (Int 1138‑2024; Int 0285‑2024).

Citywide, two moves cut the bloodshed everywhere: lower the default speed limit under Sammy’s Law and force repeat speeders to install intelligent speed assistance. The tools exist. The clock does not stop. Take one step today: tell City Hall to drop speeds and back the speed‑limiter bill /take_action/.

FAQ

  • Q: Where are the worst hotspots in District 39? A: Ocean Parkway and the BQE corridor top the list. Ocean Parkway shows 1 death and 17 injuries; the BQE shows 1 death and 45 injuries in this period (NYC Open Data).
  • Q: When do crashes spike? A: Injuries peak around midnight and early evening — 45 injuries at 12 a.m. and 45 at 6 p.m. (NYC Open Data).
  • Q: What policies are on the table locally? A: Two Council bills: Int 0285-2024 for curb extensions at the most dangerous intersections and Int 1138-2024 to expand daylighting with hardened barriers (NYC Council – Legistar).
  • Q: Who represents this area, and what have they done? A: Council Member Shahana K. Hanif sponsors curb extensions and co-sponsors daylighting. The Stop Super Speeders Act is sponsored in Albany by others; Robert Carroll and Steve Chan are not listed as sponsors in the cited report (NYC Council – Legistar; Brooklyn Paper).
  • Q: What is CrashCount? A: We’re a tool for helping hold local politicians and other actors accountable for their failure to protect you when you’re walking or cycling in NYC. We update our site constantly to provide you with up to date information on what’s happening in your neighborhood.

Citations

Geo: council-39

Editor Evaluation

  • Overall score: 4
  • Poignancy: ❌ — Spare and unsentimental, anchored by time/place. Could use one verified, concrete local detail from context; avoid melodramatic lines and rhetorical flourishes.
  • Persuasiveness: ❌ — Moderately persuasive: clear local harms, concrete fixes, CTA. Undercut by a few shaky attributions and potential data overreach.
  • Interest: ❌ — Strong opening and clock-time detail. Pacing holds, but midsection leans on generic rollups; one off-topic Bushwick anecdote dilutes focus.
  • Writing quality: ❌ — Style is spare and muscular. Subheads are punchy. Some lines verge on editorial (“The clock does not stop”) and rhetorical questions that add tone over data.
  • Trustworthiness: ❌ — Several risks: (1) Specific victim age and time may not be verifiable from the cited rollup; (2) Legistar links are to index pages, not bill files; (3) Ocean Parkway/BQE hotspot stats need explicit small_geo_analysis sourcing; (4) Quote fr…
  • Recommendations:
    • Constrain all specifics to provided small_geo/context fields; require explicit fields for victim age, exact time, and intersection before allowing them in copy. If absent, force neutral phrasing (e.g., “a person was killed at the intersect…
    • Mandate bill-specific Legistar deep links (file IDs, titles, sponsors) and disallow index URLs; force a validation step: extract sponsor list into a structured array and only assert names present there.
    • Tighten locality: forbid unrelated citywide anecdotes unless the context includes a directly comparable incident within the same district/adjacent corridor. Instead, require 1–2 hotspot stats (with street names) and 2–3 contributing factor…

default

SD 23: Bay Street blood, Hylan confusion, bus steel

Bay Street and the long year

  • Since 2022, SD23 logged 2,057 crashes, with 1,259 injured and 5 killed according to NYC Open Data.
  • Pedestrians took the brunt from cars and SUVs: at least 106 injuries tied to sedans and 70 to SUVs, with SUVs linked to 2 pedestrian deaths in this period, per the same dataset’s rollups.

Hylan at Benton: the body count

  • On March 7, an 80‑year‑old man was struck at Hylan Boulevard and Benton Avenue. He died at the scene, the SUV “going straight ahead,” per the crash record.
  • On June 2 in Sheepshead Bay, an MTA bus turned left and pinned an 87‑year‑old at East 12th Street and Avenue Z. “Police said officers who responded to the scene discovered an 87‑year‑old man pinned under the city bus,” reported Gothamist.

Bay Street K‑turn: one door, one life

  • July 5, Bay Street, Clifton. A 34‑year‑old motorcyclist hit the driver‑side door of a Toyota making a K‑turn across traffic. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, per amNY and city data for the same hour and place.

Castleton and Park: a boy and a bus

  • August 5, Port Richmond. A 13‑year‑old on a moped collided with an eastbound MTA bus at Castleton Avenue and Park Avenue and suffered severe head injuries, per amNY and ABC7.
  • The state says mopeds are like motorcycles under the law. “The requirements to operate a moped are like those for motorcycles,” the DMV says. “You must have a driver license and register your moped to drive it on streets and highways.”

Hylan’s signs and the right turn trap

  • On Hylan Boulevard, drivers keep turning from the middle lane, not the curb, and slamming into people and cars. “That’s one accident every four days,” said Borough President Vito Fossella about the pattern tied to unclear bus‑lane hours, as reported by amNY. “Other than those hours… the bus lane is open for use.”
  • The report counted 32 crashes this year linked to that confusion. Signs change. People bleed.

Votes that shape the street

  • Albany moved a bill to cage repeat speeders. Senate bill S4045 would require intelligent speed devices for drivers with a pattern of violations; Senator Jessica Scarcella‑Spanton voted yes in committee, per Open States.
  • New York also reauthorized 24‑hour school‑zone speed cameras through 2030. Scarcella‑Spanton voted no, one of three city senators opposed, per Streetsblog NYC.

What breaks first: flesh or will

  • In SD23, SUVs and cars dominate the harm to people on foot. Trucks add to the toll. The city’s rollup ties them to most of the deaths and injuries.
  • The list grows: the boy on Castleton. The elder under the bus. The rider at the K‑turn. The man at Hylan and Benton. Names become cases. Cases become counts. The metal never stops.

What must change, now

  • Slow the city down. Use the power New York has to lower limits and make drivers obey them. Mandate speed limiters for the repeat offenders; move S4045 to law, as tracked on Open States. Keep and expand speed cameras that catch the worst corridors, despite the no votes.
  • Lives in this district depend on it. Take one concrete step today: press your officials to act.

FAQ

  • Q: How many crashes, injuries, and deaths has SD23 seen since 2022? A: NYC Open Data shows 2,057 crashes, 1,259 injuries, and 5 deaths in SD23 from 2022-01-01 to 2025-08-25.
  • Q: Where have recent severe crashes occurred? A: Examples include Hylan Blvd at Benton Ave (an 80-year-old man killed), Bay St in Clifton (motorcyclist killed in a K-turn collision), Castleton Ave at Park Ave (13-year-old on a moped critically injured), and East 12th St at Avenue Z (87-year-old pinned under an MTA bus). Sources: NYC Open Data, amNY, ABC7, Gothamist.
  • Q: What policy actions has my state senator taken on speeding? A: According to Open States, Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton voted yes in committee on S4045, a bill to require intelligent speed devices for repeat offenders.
  • Q: How did my senator vote on speed cameras? A: Streetsblog NYC reports Scarcella-Spanton voted no on the 24-hour school-zone speed camera program reauthorization.
  • Q: What is CrashCount? A: We’re a tool for helping hold local politicians and other actors accountable for their failure to protect you when you’re walking or cycling in NYC. We update our site constantly to provide you with up to date information on what’s happening in your neighborhood.

Citations

Geo: senate-23

Editor Evaluation

  • Overall score: 6
  • Poignancy: ✅ — Spare, specific, avoids melodrama; lands with a clear call to act. Human details are restrained.
  • Persuasiveness: ✅ — Strong on urgency and clear policy asks; local crash vignettes support advocacy for vulnerable users, though focus skews to motorcycles/mopeds and a Brooklyn incident that may dilute pedestrian/cyclist framing for SD23.
  • Interest: ✅ — High. Short, vivid sections and concrete scenes keep momentum. Original subheads work.
  • Writing quality: ✅ — Muscular and spare with concrete details; minimal filler. Occasional rhetorical line (“The metal never stops.”) edges toward editorializing but within voice.
  • Trustworthiness: ❌ — Multiple issues: 1) NYC Open Data link is generic yet the citation title claims a specific CrashID; 2) Ped/SUV rollups (“106 injuries… 70… 2 pedestrian deaths”) are asserted without a traceable rollup reference; 3) DMV quote is attributed …
  • Recommendations:
    • Force data scoping and provenance: require a dataset filter block (district, date range, modalities) and an auto-generated ‘data_methods’ note in the body that links to the exact filtered NYC Open Data query URL; ban aggregate rollups unle…
    • Enforce quote sourcing rules: only allow quotes if a citation domain matches the originating entity (e.g., DMV text must link to dmv.ny.gov). Add a validator that flags quotes pulled from secondary articles and requires either rephrasing w…
    • Tighten scope coherence prompts: add a checklist item that every incident is within the defined coverage area (SD23) or explicitly labeled as outside but relevant, and that subheads and ledes reflect the scope. Include a requirement to tag…

accountability_narrative

SD 23: Five dead since 2022. The streets keep taking.

One life, one block

Just before 1 a.m. at Castleton and Park in Port Richmond, a 13-year-old on a moped hit an MTA bus and was left with a head injury, police said (amNY; ABC7).

How often it happens

He is one of 5 people killed here since 2022, alongside 1,259 injured in 2,057 crashes in this Senate district’s footprint, according to city data (NYC Open Data).

The dead include an 80-year-old struck at Hylan and Benton in March (NYC Open Data). A 34-year-old motorcyclist died after hitting a Toyota’s door during a turn on Bay Street on July 5 (amNY; NYC Open Data).

On Hylan Boulevard, confusion over bus-lane signs has fed a steady drumbeat of crashes. “That’s one accident every four days,” Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said of drivers turning from the middle lane (amNY).

What leaders did (or didn’t)

State Sen. Jessica Scarcella‑Spanton voted “no” on reauthorizing NYC’s school‑zone speed camera program last June (Streetsblog NYC). She also voted “yes” in committee on S 4045 to require speed‑limiters for repeat speeders (Open States).

Assembly Member Sam Pirozzolo opposed the speed‑camera renewal in Albany, joining nine city Assembly Members who voted “no” (Streetsblog NYC). He has not been listed here as a sponsor of the companion speed‑limiter bill (A2299C). Will he back it now?

Council Member Kamillah Hanks represents much of this area. With state law in place, the Council can act to lower speeds. What is the hold‑up on a lower default?

The simplest fix

Lower the citywide speed limit under Sammy’s Law. Then force the worst repeat speeders to slow down with mandatory limiters. The tools exist: pass and implement the Stop Super Speeders bill and set a lower default speed now (Open States).

One corner at a time, the toll mounts. The fix is simple. Use it. Take action.

FAQ

  • Q: How many people have been killed and injured here since 2022? A: Since 2022, there have been 5 deaths and 1,259 injuries in 2,057 reported crashes in this area, according to city data NYC Open Data.
  • Q: What recent crashes stand out in SD 23? A: A 13-year-old on a moped was critically hurt after colliding with an MTA bus at Castleton and Park around 1 a.m. on Aug. 5 (amNY; ABC7). An 80-year-old pedestrian was killed at Hylan and Benton on Mar. 7, and a motorcyclist died after a Bay Street collision on July 5 (NYC Open Data; amNY).
  • Q: Where are officials on speed cameras and limiters? A: State Sen. Jessica Scarcella‑Spanton voted no on renewing NYC’s school‑zone speed cameras (Streetsblog NYC) but voted yes in committee for S 4045 to require speed‑limiters for repeat speeders (NY Senate). Assembly Member Sam Pirozzolo voted no on speed cameras; he has not been listed here as a sponsor of the companion bill A2299C (Streetsblog NYC).
  • Q: What is the fastest way to reduce the body count? A: Lower the default city speed limit under Sammy’s Law and mandate intelligent speed assistance for repeat offenders via S 4045/A2299C (NY Senate).
  • Q: What is CrashCount? A: We’re a tool for helping hold local politicians and other actors accountable for their failure to protect you when you’re walking or cycling in NYC. We update our site constantly to provide you with up to date information on what’s happening in your neighborhood.

Citations

Geo: senate-23

Editor Evaluation

  • Overall score: 6
  • Poignancy: ✅ — Spare and unsentimental; avoids melodrama. The closing is forceful without sentiment. Could add one precise, sourced human detail if available.
  • Persuasiveness: ✅ — Clear call for lower speed limits and speed limiters; connects local toll to fixes. Could foreground pedestrians/cyclists more; lead incident centers a moped rider, not the most vulnerable.
  • Interest: ✅ — Tight, brisk, with pointed local details and numbers. Could use one visceral but factual detail from cited sources; current imagery is minimal.
  • Writing quality: ❌ — Short, direct, mostly Hemingway‑lean. A few rhetorical questions and light editorializing (“What is the hold‑up,” “The fix is simple”) bend the no‑editorialize rule.
  • Trustworthiness: ❌ — Potential issues: “five people killed…1,259 injured…2,057 crashes in this Senate district’s footprint” not shown how filtered; Open Data link is citywide dataset sans parameters. Claims about Scarcella‑Spanton committee “yes” vote inferred…
  • Recommendations:
    • Require all stats from NYC Open Data to include explicit filters in-text and mirrored in citations.links (borough, district, date range). Replace “in this Senate district’s footprint” with a labeled geography defined in context, or remove …
    • Ban rhetorical questions and prescriptive language. Replace with sourced, declarative sentences and attributed quotes when available. Add a style check: no sentence should assert causation unless the source states it explicitly and is quot…
    • Constrain policy attributions to what the cited source explicitly confirms. If stating votes or sponsorships, include the roll call link and exact status field (e.g., “cosponsor: no as of YYYY‑MM‑DD”). If unavailable, use neutral phrasing …

narrative_arc_light

Five deaths, 2,057 crashes: SD 23’s slow grind of street violence

One life, one block

At 3:12 p.m. on July 5, on Bay Street in Clifton, a motorcycle hit the driver-side door of a Toyota making a K-turn. The rider, 34-year-old Jeremy Claudio, died at the hospital, police said (amNY).

He was one of 5 people killed in Senate District 23 since January 2022, in 2,057 crashes that left 1,259 injured and 12 seriously hurt (NYC Open Data).

How often it happens

The tape doesn’t stop. A pedestrian, 80, was struck at Hylan Boulevard and Benton Avenue on March 7 and died (NYC Open Data). An 87-year-old man was pinned under an MTA bus at East 12th Street and Avenue Z in Sheepshead Bay and left in critical condition; police said the driver made a left and hit him (Gothamist).

On August 5 in Port Richmond, a 13-year-old on a moped collided with an MTA bus on Castleton Avenue and went to the hospital in critical condition (ABC7; amNY).

Since 2022, SUVs and cars account for the bulk of pedestrian harm here: 196 pedestrian injuries or deaths tied to passenger vehicles, including 2 deaths (NYC Open Data). Trucks and buses add more. The number doesn’t flinch.

What leaders did (or didn’t)

On Hylan Boulevard, signs muddle bus-lane rules. Crashes pile up. “That’s one accident every four days,” said Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, pointing to drivers turning from the middle lane while signs send mixed signals (amNY).

In Albany, Senator Jessica Scarcella‑Spanton voted yes in committee for the Stop Super Speeders Act (S 4045) to force speed limiters on repeat violators (Open States). But when the legislature moved to reauthorize 24/7 school‑zone speed cameras, she voted no, one of three city senators to oppose it (Streetsblog NYC).

Assembly Member Sam Pirozzolo also voted no on the cameras in the Assembly, according to the same report (Streetsblog NYC). Council Member Kamillah Hanks: will you back safer default speeds now? What gives.

The simplest fix

Lower speeds save lives. The city can set safer limits and enforce them. Drop the default to 20 mph and mandate speed limiters for repeat speeders. The state bill to rein in the worst drivers, S 4045, has momentum in committee (Open States). New York can move now on slower streets. Start here: /take_action/.

FAQ

  • Q: Where is SD 23? A: It spans parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn, including neighborhoods like St. George–New Brighton, Tompkinsville–Stapleton–Clifton–Fox Hills, and Sheepshead Bay–Manhattan Beach–Gerritsen Beach. See our map links in this story’s citations.
  • Q: How many crashes and injuries has SD 23 had since 2022? A: From 2022-01-01 to 2025-08-25, there were 2,057 crashes, 1,259 injuries, 12 serious injuries, and 5 deaths, per NYC Open Data.
  • Q: Which recent crashes stand out? A: A motorcyclist died after a K-turn collision on Bay Street on July 5 (amNY). An 80-year-old pedestrian was killed at Hylan Blvd and Benton Ave on March 7 (NYC Open Data). An 87-year-old man was pinned under a bus in Sheepshead Bay on June 2 (Gothamist).
  • Q: What policies could cut these deaths now? A: Lower the default city speed limit and pass the Stop Super Speeders Act (S 4045) to require speed limiters for repeat offenders. S 4045 advanced in committee.
  • Q: What is CrashCount? A: We’re a tool for helping hold local politicians and other actors accountable for their failure to protect you when you’re walking or cycling in NYC. We update our site constantly to provide you with up to date information on what’s happening in your neighborhood.

Citations

Geo: senate-23

Editor Evaluation

  • Overall score: 6
  • Poignancy: ✅ — Spare and unsentimental. Human impact present without melodrama. Avoids victim‑blaming. Could add one precise, sourced human detail from context to deepen impact.
  • Persuasiveness: ❌ — Strong numbers and clear policy ask, but motorcyclist/moped dominate examples; limited pedestrian/cyclist focus. A jab at a council member (“What gives.”) reads editorial and dilutes advocacy precision.
  • Interest: ✅ — Lean, punchy, timely incidents hold attention. Subheads are concrete. Some repetition and generic lines (“The tape doesn’t stop.”) could be sharper.
  • Writing quality: ❌ — Mostly clean Hemingway‑lean voice, concrete details, short sentences. A few slips into editorializing and rhetorical questions; minor overstatement (“The number doesn’t flinch.”).
  • Trustworthiness: ❌ — Several risks: SD 23 geography in FAQ not sourced; counts (2,057/1,259/12/5) not shown as SD‑specific derivation; “since 2022” passenger‑vehicle pedestrian figures may be correct but aren’t proven as SD‑scoped in body. Claims about S4045 “…
  • Recommendations:
    • Constrain scope and attribution: Require the model to explicitly state the geographic filter (SD 23) and timeframe in a parenthetical after each statistic, and to include a one‑line “Method” note describing the exact dataset filter used, w…
    • Ban rhetorical questions and editorial asides; instruct: “Do not use rhetorical questions or evaluative phrases. State the action or vote and its consequence for people walking or cycling.” Replace prompts like “What gives.” with a sourced…
    • Refocus incident mix on vulnerable road users: Add rule to prioritize at least two pedestrian and/or cyclist cases in the lede sections, with sourced details, before motorcyclist/moped examples; if none exist in context, state that absence…