No More Blood on the Belt: Demand Safety Now

• Breaking: Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Cyclist in Brooklyn, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-09-27

• Woman fatally struck by 18-wheeler truck in hit-and-run crash in Brooklyn, ABC7, Published 2025-09-19

• Brooklyn road rage attack: Man brutally stabbed over double-parked car, cops say, The Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-09-08

Aug 14 - Int 1362 repeals the definitions of “protected bicycle lane” and “protected bus lane” and strips explicit benchmarks for protected lanes from the streets master plan. It preserves signal and pedestrian targets but weakens commitments to physical protection, threatening safety and equity.

Bill Int 1362-2025. Status: Sponsorship, introduced Aug 14, 2025. Referred to Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The measure, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to removing benchmarks for bus lanes and bicycle lanes from the streets master plan and repealing certain definitions in relation thereto," repeals the definitions of "protected bicycle lane" and "protected bus lane" and removes related benchmarks in the master plan (master plan dates referenced include Dec. 1, 2021 and Dec. 1, 2026). Primary sponsor: Robert F. Holden. Co-sponsors: Inna Vernikov, Joann Ariola, Chris Banks, Vickie Paladino. Safety analysts warn: "Removing explicit benchmarks and definitions for protected bus and bicycle lanes weakens commitments to physically protected infrastructure... likely reducing mode shift to walking and cycling and worsening equity and safety-in-numbers; the retained measures focus on signals and pedestrian amenities but do not replace the protective effect of designated protected lanes."

• File Int 1362-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Int 1347-2025 orders TLC, NYPD and DOT to use a compliance checklist and levy maximum fines on unlicensed commuter vans. Punitive enforcement may cut informal transit, push riders to cars and ride‑hail, and raise vehicle volumes that endanger pedestrians and cyclists.

Bill: Int 1347-2025. Status: Sponsorship; sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced and referred August 14, 2025. The matter: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to enforcing violations against unlicensed commuter vans." Primary sponsor Nantasha M. Williams; co-sponsors Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Mercedes Narcisse, and Chris Banks. The law orders TLC, with NYPD and DOT, to maintain a checklist and requires officers to issue maximum fines for each violation. It takes effect 120 days after enactment. A safety assessment warns this punitive approach may reduce informal transit in underserved areas, shift trips to private cars and ride‑hail, and increase traffic volumes that endanger pedestrians and cyclists; it adds policing without system-wide safety gains.

• File Int 1347-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Int 1347-2025 orders TLC, NYPD and DOT to cite unlicensed commuter vans and levy maximum fines. It will likely shrink shared rides in transit deserts. Trips will shift to private cars and ride-hail. Pedestrians and cyclists face more exposure on the street.

Int 1347-2025 is at SPONSORSHIP and sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on August 14, 2025. The matter is titled, "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to enforcing violations against unlicensed commuter vans." Primary sponsor Nantasha M. Williams introduced the bill. Co-sponsors Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Mercedes Narcisse, Chris Banks, and Farah N. Louis joined her. The bill orders TLC, with NYPD and DOT, to maintain a compliance checklist and requires officers to issue maximum penalties for every listed violation. Analysts warn punitive enforcement and steep fines will likely reduce shared transit options in transit deserts, push trips to private cars and ride-hail, and increase traffic exposure for pedestrians and cyclists, prioritizing policing over safer operations or street redesign without clear system-wide safety gains.

• File Int 1347-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 4 - A car struck and dragged a man fifty feet on Broadway. He died at the scene. The driver fled. Police search for answers. Brooklyn leads the city in pedestrian injuries this year.

Gothamist (2025-08-04) reports a 47-year-old man was killed after being struck and dragged over 50 feet by a northbound car at Broadway and Suydam Street in Bushwick. The driver fled. Police have not released the victim's name and seek information on the vehicle. The article notes, 'It was not immediately clear whether the man was walking in a crosswalk, or who had the right of way.' Brooklyn has the highest number of pedestrian injuries in New York City so far this year, with 228 hurt and two killed through June. The case highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians and the persistent issue of hit-and-run drivers.

• Bushwick Hit-And-Run Kills Pedestrian, Gothamist, Published 2025-08-04

Jul 15 - A judge stopped the city from ripping out Bedford Avenue’s protected bike lane. The lane stands. Cyclists and pedestrians keep a shield, for now. The fight over safety on this deadly stretch continues in court.

Gothamist reported on July 15, 2025, that a state appellate judge blocked Mayor Adams from removing the protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue. The lane, installed after high crash rates and pedestrian deaths, was set for removal until the court's emergency order. The Department of Transportation admitted, "The City risks legal liability for knowingly reducing safety on a Vision Zero priority corridor." Advocates and families appealed, citing the lane’s role in protecting vulnerable road users. The legal battle highlights the tension between city policy, resident concerns, and the need for proven safety infrastructure.

• Judge Halts Bedford Avenue Bike Lane Removal, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-15

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes. More vehicles in bus lanes mean more risk for people walking, biking, and waiting at curbs. Danger grows where curb chaos reigns.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since July 14, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' would let ambulettes drive, stop, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Council Member Julie Menin sponsors, joined by Linda Lee, Frank Morano, Eric Dinowitz, Lynn C. Schulman, Kamillah Hanks, Carlina Rivera, and Chris Banks. Allowing more vehicles to double-park and block bus lanes increases risk for pedestrians and cyclists at the curb. The city’s most vulnerable will face more conflict and less safe space.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 12 - A crash on Lincoln Avenue turned brutal. One driver struck another with a metal object. The victim landed in the hospital. The assailant fled in a black car. Police hunt for answers.

According to amny (2025-07-12), a traffic crash on Lincoln Avenue in Cypress Hills escalated when a driver "pulled out a metal object and repeatedly struck the victim about the head and body." The victim, 36, was hospitalized in stable condition. The assailant fled in a black vehicle. NYPD released video of the suspect, seeking public help. The incident highlights how post-crash confrontations can turn violent, raising questions about conflict de-escalation and the need for safer streets.

• Driver Attacks Man After Brooklyn Crash, amny, Published 2025-07-12

Jul 11 - A BMW ran a red in Sunset Park. Two men died on the street. The driver fled. Police made an arrest. Blood on the asphalt, lives ended fast.

Patch reported on July 11, 2025, that a hit-and-run driver killed two pedestrians at Third Avenue and 52nd Street in Brooklyn. The NYPD said the BMW "sped through a red light" before striking 80-year-old Kex Un Chen and 59-year-old Faqiu Lin. Both men died at the scene. Police later arrested Juventino Anastacio Florentino, charging him with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and leaving the scene. The crash highlights the lethal risk of red-light running and the ongoing threat to pedestrians in city crosswalks.

• Red Light Run Kills Two Pedestrians, Patch, Published 2025-07-11

Jul 4 - A man crossing near Broadway Junction died after a gray Ford hit him. The driver fled. Hours later, a Mustang plowed into six in the Bronx. Both drivers vanished. The city counts 55 pedestrian deaths this year.

NY Daily News (2025-07-04) reports a 36-year-old man was killed crossing Broadway and East New York Ave. in Brooklyn when a gray Ford struck him and fled. Hours later, a Ford Mustang hit six people in the Bronx, then the driver and passenger ran off. The article notes, 'It was the second hit-and-run in the five boroughs in 24 hours.' Police said, 'As of Thursday, 55 pedestrians have been killed by vehicles while crossing city streets.' Both drivers remain at large. The incidents highlight persistent dangers for pedestrians and the ongoing problem of drivers fleeing crash scenes.

• Hit-And-Run Drivers Strike Brooklyn, Bronx, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-04

Jun 30 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned, derelict cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. No plates, no stickers, no excuses. Police and sanitation must act. Safer crossings for all who walk, ride, or wait.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council on June 30, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation," requires the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours of report. The NYPD must tow cars lacking valid plates or stickers. Prime sponsor Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led, joined by Crystal Hudson, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, and others. The law targets street hazards, clearing blocked sightlines and crosswalks. It aims to cut risks for pedestrians and cyclists by removing abandoned vehicles fast.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 30 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned, derelict cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. No plates, no stickers, no excuses. Police and sanitation must act. Safer crossings for all who walk, ride, or wait.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council on June 30, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation," requires the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours of report. The NYPD must tow cars lacking valid plates or stickers. Prime sponsor Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led, joined by Crystal Hudson, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, and others. The law targets street hazards, clearing blocked sightlines and crosswalks. It aims to cut risks for pedestrians and cyclists by removing abandoned vehicles fast.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 29 - An SUV struck and killed an eight-year-old boy crossing Eastern Parkway with his sister. Blood washed from the street. His yarmulke left behind. The driver stayed. Police probe speed. The community mourns.

ABC7 (2025-06-29) reports an eight-year-old boy, Mordica Keller, died after a southbound SUV hit him at Eastern Parkway and Albany Avenue in Crown Heights. He was crossing with his sister. The 69-year-old driver remained at the scene. Police towed a black Honda Pilot. The article notes, "Police are looking at whether speed was a factor." No arrests have been made. Residents called the street dangerous. The crash highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians at busy Brooklyn intersections.

• SUV Kills Boy At Brooklyn Crossing, ABC7, Published 2025-06-29

Jun 23 - Two sedans collided on Belt Parkway. Both drivers hurt. One unlicensed. Center-front and center-rear smashed. Night, empty road, metal and pain.

Two sedans crashed on Belt Parkway. A 42-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man, both drivers, were injured. According to the police report, both vehicles were going straight. The woman suffered chest pain; the man reported whiplash. The man was unlicensed. Both cars took heavy damage—front and rear. No pedestrians or cyclists involved. The report lists contributing factors as 'Unspecified.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4822534 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Jun 22 - A moped slammed into a car’s door in Bay Ridge. The rider died. His passenger broke bones. The driver was drunk, unlicensed, and arrested. The street stayed quiet after the crash. Another life lost to reckless driving.

NY Daily News reported on June 22, 2025, that Joel Mota, 22, died after his moped struck the passenger-side door of a 2013 Acura TSX at Third Ave and 67th St in Brooklyn. The crash happened at 4:45 a.m. Police said the car’s driver, Leslie Moreno, was intoxicated and unlicensed. Mota’s passenger suffered multiple fractures. The article notes, 'Police arrested the Acura driver, 29-year-old Leslie Moreno, for driving while intoxicated, driving while ability impaired, and being unlicensed.' Moreno was arraigned and released without bail. The case highlights the ongoing risk posed by impaired, unlicensed drivers on city streets.

• Drunk Unlicensed Driver Kills Moped Rider, NY Daily News, Published 2025-06-22

Jun 21 - Heavy trucks pound the BQE. The city will ticket Staten Island-bound rigs. Sensors catch the violators. The road crumbles under weight it cannot bear. Warnings are over. Fines begin. The system aims to cut danger and slow decay.

Gothamist (2025-06-21) reports that New York City will start ticketing overweight Staten Island-bound trucks on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The Department of Transportation will fine violators $650 per incident, using in-road sensors to detect excess weight. Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, "Overweight trucks cause wear and tear on our roadways and we all pay the price through expensive repairs to our infrastructure." The city issued over 3,000 warnings during a 90-day grace period. Similar enforcement on Queens-bound trucks led to a 60% drop in overweight vehicles. Albany has approved expanding this automated system to more city roadways. The BQE’s aging structure faces risk from trucks exceeding its design limits, raising safety and infrastructure concerns.

• City Targets Overweight Trucks On BQE, Gothamist, Published 2025-06-21

Jun 18 - A judge froze Mayor Adams’ plan to strip Bedford Avenue’s protected bike lane. The lane stays for now. Cyclists and pedestrians remain shielded. The fight over safety and street space continues. The city must wait for court.

Gothamist reported on June 18, 2025, that Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Carolyn Walker-Diallo blocked Mayor Adams from removing the protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue. The city must wait until an August hearing before making changes. The ruling follows a lawsuit by Transportation Alternatives, who argued Adams 'abused his discretion' by ordering the lane reverted to its unprotected design. The city had cited community feedback and a viral video of a child struck by an e-bike as reasons for removal. The Department of Transportation installed the protected lane after five pedestrian deaths in 2021 and 2022. Local lawmakers protested the removal, calling the process hasty. The judge’s order keeps the safety improvements in place, pausing the city’s plan to restore curbside parking and expose cyclists to traffic.

• Judge Halts Removal Of Bedford Bike Lane, Gothamist, Published 2025-06-18

Jun 17 - Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-17