Deadly Silence on the Belt Parkway: Lives Lost, Leaders Absent

• Elderly driver hits 3 women in Brooklyn, killing 1, CBS New York, Published 2025-10-15

• Police hunting for driver who hit and killed a 75-year-old woman in Brooklyn and then sped off, CBS New York, Published 2025-10-05

• 4-year-old girl clinging to life after hit by school bus in Brooklyn, NY Daily News, Published 2025-09-29

• Cyclist killed in Brooklyn hit-and-run, driver sought, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-28

Sep 16 - Westbound, straight ahead. A sedan driver and a motorcyclist collided on Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. The motorcyclist, 43, suffered a leg contusion and stayed conscious. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction.

According to the police report, a driver in a sedan and a 43-year-old motorcyclist were both traveling west on Belt Parkway in Brooklyn and collided while going straight. The motorcyclist suffered an injury to the knee/lower leg/foot and was conscious at the scene, with a reported contusion. Other listed occupants showed unspecified injury status. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction as a contributing factor. The record does not specify which driver was inattentive or how the crash unfolded. No other contributing factors were noted in the dataset.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4843335 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Sep 6 - On Flatbush by the Belt Parkway, a 29-year-old motorcyclist went straight when the motorcycle's back end took the hit. He stayed conscious. He suffered severe leg cuts. Police recorded 'Other Vehicular' as the contributing factor.

A crash on Flatbush Ave at the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn injured a 29-year-old motorcyclist. According to the police report, the motorcycle was "Going Straight Ahead," and the point of impact was the "Center Back End." Police recorded "Other Vehicular" as the contributing factor. The rider suffered severe lacerations to the knee, lower leg, and foot. He remained conscious and was not ejected. The report lists a second vehicle but provides no details on that driver or vehicle. Damage to the motorcycle was recorded at the center back end. The record names the rider as the driver. No other injuries are documented.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841477 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

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

• File Int 1346-2025, 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 10 - Two SUV drivers crashed at Fillmore and East 32nd. The Honda overturned. A 62-year-old woman driving was hurt. Three others listed with unspecified injuries. Police recorded failure to yield.

Two SUV drivers collided at Fillmore Avenue and East 32nd Street in Brooklyn. The driver of a westbound 2011 Honda went straight. A northeastbound 2024 Mitsubishi driver made a left turn. The Honda overturned. A 62-year-old woman driving the Honda was injured with abrasions across her body. Three others were listed with unspecified injuries. According to the police report, the crash involved a westbound Honda and a northeastbound Mitsubishi making a left turn, and police recorded “Failure to Yield Right-of-Way” as the contributing factor. No other contributing factors were recorded.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833933 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Aug 5 - A driver in a sedan overturned on Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. The 22-year-old driver was ejected and killed. Three male passengers were injured; one passenger was also ejected. Police recorded unsafe speed and driver inattention.

A driver in a sedan was traveling west on the Belt Parkway when the vehicle overturned. The 22-year-old driver was ejected and killed. Three male passengers were injured; police said one passenger was also ejected. According to the police report, the crash killed the 22-year-old driver and injured three male passengers, ages 18, 20, and 22. Police list 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The report notes that some occupants wore no safety equipment, mentioned after the cited driver errors. The car was registered in New Jersey and suffered an overturn.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833034 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Jul 31 - Crews tore out three blocks of Bedford’s protected bike lane. Barriers gone. Riders now face traffic, steel, and risk. The city moves the lane, strips its shield, leaves cyclists exposed.

NY1 reported on July 31, 2025, that city crews began removing a protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue between Willoughby and Flushing. The lane, once shielded from traffic, will be replaced with an unprotected version. NY1 notes, 'The lane is being shifted from its current position next to the sidewalk to the other side of parked cars.' This change eliminates the physical barrier that separated cyclists from moving vehicles. The move raises questions about city policy and the safety of vulnerable road users on this busy Brooklyn stretch.

• City Removes Bedford Avenue Bike Protection, NY1, Published 2025-07-31

Jul 18 - Cargo van struck Mayya Gil, 95, as she crossed Cropsey Avenue. She died. Her aide survived. Driver charged with failure to yield and due care. The street stayed open. The danger stayed real.

Gothamist (2025-07-18) reports a 95-year-old woman, Mayya Gil, died after a cargo van hit her and her home health aide while they crossed Cropsey Avenue in Brooklyn. The driver, Thimothe Andre, was charged with two counts of failure to yield and failure to exercise due care. Police said Andre struck both victims while turning. Gil died at the hospital; her aide survived. The article notes, 'NYPD data shows 100 people have died in city traffic crashes so far this year.' The case highlights persistent risks for pedestrians and the consequences of driver inattention at city intersections.

• Brooklyn Pedestrian Killed Crossing Cropsey Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-18

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 9 - Two vehicles collided on Flatbush Avenue. A sedan struck the back of an SUV. Three people hurt. Impact was hard. Police list no clear cause. Streets remain dangerous for all.

A sedan and an SUV crashed on Flatbush Avenue near Hendrickson Place in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the sedan hit the back of the SUV. Three people were injured: a 73-year-old male driver with back pain, a 70-year-old female passenger with a neck contusion, and another occupant with unspecified injuries. Police list all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are recorded in the report. The crash left both vehicles damaged at their center ends. The report notes one passenger wore a lap belt, while another driver had no safety equipment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826825 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Jul 3 - Two SUVs struck a sedan’s rear on Belt Parkway. A three-year-old passenger suffered a head injury. Police cite driver distraction. Metal and glass, chaos and pain. The system failed the youngest first.

On Belt Parkway in Brooklyn, two SUVs crashed into the rear of a sedan. According to the police report, both SUV drivers were inattentive or distracted. A three-year-old passenger in one SUV sustained a head injury and was conscious at the scene. Other passengers, including children and adults, were also involved but listed with unspecified injuries. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor for both SUV drivers. No other contributing factors are noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4825039 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-12

Jul 1 - A judge paused city plans to cut a protected bike lane after children were struck crossing. The lane, built after five pedestrian crashes, stays for now. Streets wait. Danger lingers.

NY1 reported on July 1, 2025, that a judge halted the city's move to remove a three-block section of the Bedford Avenue protected bike lane. The city acted after 'incidents of children exiting school buses, crossing into the lane, and being hit by bikes.' The lane, stretching over two miles, was installed in 2024 following 'years of advocacy and five pedestrian incidents.' The hearing highlights ongoing conflict between street safety for cyclists and pedestrians, and the city's rapid policy shifts in response to crashes.

• Bedford Avenue Bike Lane Faces Review, NY1, Published 2025-07-01

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