Steel Rules, Children Die—Albany Stalls

• Brooklyn police pursuit ends with pedestrian struck, alleged teenage car thief caught, amny, Published 2025-09-14

Sep 8 - A sedan driver turned right at Middleton Street and Lee Avenue in Brooklyn and hit a 41-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She suffered leg injuries. Police flagged Turning Improperly by the driver.

A 58-year-old man driving a 2014 Chevy sedan turned right from southbound travel at Middleton Street and Lee Avenue in Brooklyn and hit a 41-year-old woman in the intersection. She suffered injuries to her lower leg and foot. According to the police report, the driver was making a right turn and police recorded Turning Improperly by the driver. The report lists the pedestrian as injured and the driver as licensed in New York. The vehicle was a sedan with no recorded damage. The crash is logged as collision ID 4841902.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841902 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 15 - Two sedans collided on the BQE. One driver took a hit to the back end. The other struck with a mangled front. A 30-year-old driver was injured. Night. Steel. Impact. Brooklyn bore the brunt.

Two New Jersey-registered sedans collided on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, one traveling east with front-end damage and one traveling west with rear-end damage. A 30-year-old male driver was injured; the other driver’s injuries were unspecified. According to the police report, contributing factors were listed as “Unspecified.” With no clear driver errors recorded beyond that, the pattern of rear-end damage on the Lexus and front-end damage on the Mazda shows a forceful impact between vehicles traveling straight ahead. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The data lists no helmet or signal factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4835415 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 14 - Council pushes Albany to pass A.5440. Owner liability when cars flout posted rules. Cameras to curb illegal parking that endangers people. Less chaos. More space for those on foot and bike.

Res 1024-2025 is a Council resolution now in Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced August 14, 2025 and referred the same day. It “calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, A.5440, which imposes owner liability for failure of an operator to comply with traffic control indicators within the city of New York.” Sponsor: Council Member Lincoln Restler. A.5440, sponsored by Assemblymember Steven Raga, would pilot camera enforcement (on city vehicles or along streets) for posted parking rules, with owner fines from $50 to $250 and a six-year term, plus a two-year public report. The aim: curb illegal parking that endangers people outside cars and clogs the street.

• File Res 1024-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Illegally parked cars endanger people on foot and bike. Res 1024-2025 urges Albany to pass A.5440. Cameras ticket owners who flout posted rules. Fines escalate. Goal: clear lanes and crosswalks. Make streets less hostile to people, not cars.

Res 1024-2025 sits in Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced and referred August 14, 2025. The resolution urges passage of State bill A.5440, which, in the Council’s words, "imposes owner liability for failure of an operator to comply with traffic control indicators within the city of New York." Sponsor: Council Member Lincoln Restler. A.5440, by Assemblymember Steven Raga, authorizes a six-year camera pilot to ticket owners for posted parking-rule violations caught by street or vehicle-mounted cameras. Fines start at $50 and rise to $250 for repeaters, with a $25 late penalty. DOT must publish a two-year report. The aim: fewer illegal blockers, safer space for people outside cars.

• File Res 1024-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Council pushes Albany to pass A.5440. Owner liability when cars flout posted rules. Cameras to curb illegal parking that endangers people. Less chaos. More space for those on foot and bike.

Res 1024-2025 is a Council resolution now in Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced August 14, 2025 and referred the same day. It “calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, A.5440, which imposes owner liability for failure of an operator to comply with traffic control indicators within the city of New York.” Sponsor: Council Member Lincoln Restler. A.5440, sponsored by Assemblymember Steven Raga, would pilot camera enforcement (on city vehicles or along streets) for posted parking rules, with owner fines from $50 to $250 and a six-year term, plus a two-year public report. The aim: curb illegal parking that endangers people outside cars and clogs the street.

• File Res 1024-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Sets a 60-day clock for DOT to install traffic calming or control on streets by schools once a study says yes. Exempts major projects. Students walk there. Delay leaves them in the path of cars.

Int 1353-2025 was introduced on August 14, 2025. Referred that day to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Status: in committee. It orders DOT to install any traffic calming or control device next to a school within 60 days of a study. Major transportation projects are exempt. The bill says: “the department shall complete the installation… by no later than 60 days.” Sponsors: Council Members Jennifer Gutiérrez, Farah N. Louis, and Lincoln Restler. Louis is the primary sponsor. The focus is school frontage, where children and caregivers move on foot.

• File Int 1353-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Int 1353-2025 forces DOT to move fast near schools. When a traffic study finds a calming or control device is needed, installation must finish within 60 days. The bill was referred to the Transportation and Infrastructure committee on Aug. 14, 2025.

Int. No. 1353 (status: Committee) was introduced and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Aug. 14, 2025 (agenda and first vote listed Aug. 14, 2025). The matter is titled: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the time permitted for the installation of a traffic calming device or traffic control device on any street adjacent to a school." It was introduced by Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez and cosponsored by Tiffany Cabán, Lincoln Restler and Farah N. Louis. The bill would "complete the installation... by no later than 60 days after the department issues such traffic study determination." It takes effect immediately.

• File Int 1353-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Illegally parked cars endanger people on foot and bike. Res 1024-2025 urges Albany to pass A.5440. Cameras ticket owners who flout posted rules. Fines escalate. Goal: clear lanes and crosswalks. Make streets less hostile to people, not cars.

Res 1024-2025 sits in Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced and referred August 14, 2025. The resolution urges passage of State bill A.5440, which, in the Council’s words, "imposes owner liability for failure of an operator to comply with traffic control indicators within the city of New York." Sponsor: Council Member Lincoln Restler. A.5440, by Assemblymember Steven Raga, authorizes a six-year camera pilot to ticket owners for posted parking-rule violations caught by street or vehicle-mounted cameras. Fines start at $50 and rise to $250 for repeaters, with a $25 late penalty. DOT must publish a two-year report. The aim: fewer illegal blockers, safer space for people outside cars.

• File Res 1024-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Hidden plates beat the cameras. Pedestrians lose. Cyclists lose. Int 1358-2025 would yank city parking permits from plate cheats. It also targets permit misuse and big unpaid fines. A strike at impunity that puts people on foot and bike at risk.

Int 1358-2025 is in Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on August 14, 2025, with same‑day referral. Primary sponsor: Council Member Lincoln Restler. Co-sponsor: Robert F. Holden. The bill quotes its aim as the “revocation of city‑issued parking permits” for “obscured or defaced license plates.” It would also revoke permits for three misuse violations, any §19‑166 violation, or unpaid violations over $350. Status: Committee. Agenda date: August 14, 2025. Obscured plates block identification and undermine camera enforcement that protects people walking and cycling. This bill goes at that shield and the culture of permit misuse that lets drivers dodge accountability.

• File Int 1358-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 11 - A truck killed a man on Morgan Avenue. Neighbors rally. They demand the city fix the street. Four dead since 2022. The city stalls. The danger grows. Lives hang in the balance.

"Far too many preventable crashes have taken place on Morgan Ave in recent years. We must do more to ensure walkers, cyclists, and drivers are able to use Morgan Ave safely. I will continue working with local electeds and NYC DOT to increase protected bike lanes and visible crossings here and around the city." -- Emily Gallagher

On August 6, 2025, a 56-year-old man was killed crossing Morgan Avenue by a Freightliner truck. The crash, reported by Paul Frangipane and Kirstyn Brendlen, marks the fourth fatality since 2022. Community leaders like Juan Serra and Meryl Laborde urge the city to add protected bike lanes, crosswalks, and daylighting. Assembly member Emily Gallagher called for more action, saying, 'Far too many preventable crashes have taken place on Morgan Ave.' Despite workshops and letters, the city has not acted. No council bill has been filed. According to safety analysts, there is no direct safety impact yet—only calls for change, not action.

• ‘Another neighbor is dead’: After fatal Morgan Avenue crash, locals urge city to take action, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 9 - A driver in an SUV hit a 32-year-old cyclist at 655 Flushing Ave in Brooklyn. The rider was partially ejected and suffered a fractured arm. He was conscious. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction.

A driver in an SUV struck a 32-year-old bicyclist at 655 Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn. The rider was partially ejected and suffered fractures to the elbow and lower arm; he was conscious at the scene. According to the police report, the contributing factor was "Driver Inattention/Distraction." Police recorded Driver Inattention/Distraction by the driver. The SUV showed no damage; the bicycle sustained left-front damage and the SUV's left front bumper was listed as the point of impact. The report lists the cyclist's safety equipment as "None."

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4837725 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 8 - The driver of a sedan struck two people inside the car on Heyward Street. A 65-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman suffered bruises and contusions to arms and legs. Police list contributing factors as 'Unspecified.'

The driver of a sedan was traveling west on Heyward Street and went straight ahead when the right front bumper took the impact. A 65-year-old man, the driver, suffered elbow and lower-arm injuries. A 68-year-old woman, the front passenger, suffered knee and lower-leg injuries. According to the police report, both were conscious with contusions and bruises. Police recorded contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for the occupants. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The official record names the injuries and point of impact but does not attribute a specific driver error beyond the 'Unspecified' designation.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833640 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 7 - Another pedestrian killed on Morgan Avenue. Three deaths in three years. Advocates rally. City stalls. No redesign. The street stays deadly. The call for change grows louder.

On August 7, 2025, Sophia Lebowitz and street safety advocates renewed demands for a Morgan Avenue redesign after a third pedestrian death in three years. Streetsblog NYC reports: 'renewing calls from advocates for the city to redesign the dangerous street.' Council Member Jennifer Gutierrez, State Sen. Julia Salazar, and Assembly Member Emily Gallagher back the push. Advocates want a protected bike lane, mid-block crossings, and safer loading zones. Despite meetings and official letters, the city has not acted. The safety analyst notes: advocacy alone brings no immediate safety change, but it could spark future improvements. The danger remains until the city moves.

• Three Years, Three Deaths: Advocates Want DOT To Make Morgan Avenue Safe, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-07

Aug 7 - Another pedestrian killed on Morgan Avenue. Three deaths in three years. Advocates rally. City stalls. No redesign. The street stays deadly. The call for change grows louder.

On August 7, 2025, Sophia Lebowitz and street safety advocates renewed demands for a Morgan Avenue redesign after a third pedestrian death in three years. Streetsblog NYC reports: 'renewing calls from advocates for the city to redesign the dangerous street.' Council Member Jennifer Gutierrez, State Sen. Julia Salazar, and Assembly Member Emily Gallagher back the push. Advocates want a protected bike lane, mid-block crossings, and safer loading zones. Despite meetings and official letters, the city has not acted. The safety analyst notes: advocacy alone brings no immediate safety change, but it could spark future improvements. The danger remains until the city moves.

• Three Years, Three Deaths: Advocates Want DOT To Make Morgan Avenue Safe, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-07

Aug 4 - A hotel awning crashed down at Clark Street station. Years of leaks, rot, and stench warned locals. No one fixed it. The city let danger fester. Pedestrians faced the risk. No injuries, but trust is broken.

On August 4, 2025, a hotel awning collapsed outside the Clark Street subway station in Brooklyn Heights. The incident, reported by Barbara Russo-Lennon and Lloyd Mitchell, followed 'years of visible disrepair, foul smells and water leaks.' Council Member Lincoln Restler confirmed no timeline for reopening. The Department of Buildings cited the owners for 'Failure to maintain' and ordered demolition. DOB Commissioner James Oddo said engineers are inspecting a second awning showing 'poor maintenance.' The collapse put pedestrians in harm's way. As safety analysts note, such failures in busy areas raise the risk of injury or death for vulnerable road users and discourage walking, undermining city safety goals.

• ‘Not surprised’: Locals say neglect to blame in Clark Street station awning collapse, Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-08-04

Jul 31 - A bicyclist struck the left-side doors of a parked SUV on Flushing Avenue. The rider was ejected and suffered severe hip and upper-leg lacerations. Police listed driver inattention and other vehicular factors.

A 28-year-old male bicyclist riding west collided with the left-side doors of a parked SUV and was ejected. He suffered severe lacerations to the hip and upper leg. According to the police report, "Driver Inattention/Distraction" and "Other Vehicular" were contributing factors. The SUV was parked before the impact and the point of impact was recorded as the vehicle's left-side doors. Police recorded the bicyclist as ejected and injured; the report lists the bicyclist's complaint as severe lacerations and notes no reported injury to the SUV occupant.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832900 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 30 - A Nissan struck a 65-year-old e-biker on Second Ave. The rider fell, hit his head, and lay critical as the red light blinked. The unlicensed driver fled. Police arrested him two hours later.

West Side Spirit (2025-07-30) reports a 21-year-old unlicensed driver hit a 65-year-old e-biker on Second Ave. near 14th St., leaving the rider with serious head trauma. The driver fled, but police arrested him two hours later, charging him with "leaving the scene of an accident that caused serious injury and driving without a license." The crash shut down Second Ave. between 14th and 15th Streets. NYPD's Collision Investigation Squad continues to investigate. The article highlights the dangers posed by unlicensed drivers and the consequences of fleeing crash scenes.

• Unlicensed Driver Hits E-Biker, Flees Scene, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-07-30

Jul 25 - A firefighter fell from his motorcycle on FDR Drive. A car struck him. The driver fled. Paramedics rushed him to Bellevue. He died. Police investigate. No arrests. The road claimed another life.

West Side Spirit (2025-07-25) reports Matthew Goicochea, 31, was killed after falling from his motorcycle and being struck by a car near E. 25th St. on FDR Drive. The driver did not remain at the scene. The NYPD Collision Investigation Squad is reviewing the incident. The article states, "He was then struck by an unknown vehicle shortly thereafter, which did not remain on the scene." No arrests have been made. The crash highlights ongoing dangers for vulnerable road users on high-speed city highways and the persistent issue of hit-and-run drivers.

• Firefighter Killed in FDR Drive Collision, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-07-25

Jul 23 - Two men killed crossing Third Avenue. A driver sped through a red light, fled. Eighty hurt or dead since 2018. Residents rally. Promised fixes stalled. Danger remains. Children cross nine lanes to reach school.

Gothamist (2025-07-23) reports Sunset Park residents and officials demand safety upgrades on Third Avenue after a hit-and-run killed two men. Police say the driver "sped through a red light" and fled. Since 2018, drivers have killed or seriously injured 80 people on this two-mile stretch. A redesign with protected bike lanes was approved but stalled. State Sen. Gounardes criticized the city's response: "We should all be offended... the response... is a sign that says: 'be careful.'" The article highlights the need for enforcement and infrastructure, noting children must cross nine lanes daily.

• Sunset Park Demands Safer Third Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-23