Steel Rules, Children Die—Albany Stalls

Dec 17 - SUV driver hit a parked ambulance on Broadway. Impact left the driver hurt, neck in pain, shocked. Both vehicles damaged. Distraction and inexperience fueled the crash.

According to the police report, a 43-year-old man driving an SUV struck a parked ambulance on Broadway in Brooklyn at 6:00 PM. The SUV's left front bumper hit the ambulance's right rear quarter panel. The driver suffered neck injuries and was in shock. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. Both vehicles sustained damage. The ambulance was parked and not moving at the time. No other injuries were reported. The driver was wearing a lap belt and harness. The crash underscores the dangers of distraction and inexperience behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4781450 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 11 - A 52-year-old man crossing Broadway near Gerry Street was struck and suffered a head bruise. He stayed conscious. No driver errors or vehicle details listed in the police report.

According to the police report, a 52-year-old male pedestrian was hit while crossing Broadway near Gerry Street in Brooklyn at 17:17. He was not at an intersection or crosswalk and suffered a head contusion but remained conscious. The report lists no driver errors or contributing factors from the vehicle side. Vehicle type and driver details are unspecified. No victim actions are cited as contributing factors. The data shows the pedestrian was injured in a crash where no driver fault is documented.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4778983 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 5 - Council bill bars cars from blocking crosswalks. No standing or parking within 20 feet. City must install daylighting barriers at 1,000 intersections yearly. Streets clear. Sightlines open. Danger cut.

Int 1138-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced December 5, 2024. The bill states: “prohibiting standing or parking a vehicle within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.” Council Member Erik D. Bottcher leads, joined by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and over two dozen co-sponsors. The law orders the Department of Transportation to install daylighting barriers at a minimum of 1,000 intersections each year, up from 100. The city must also run outreach and education. The bill aims to keep crosswalks clear, improve visibility, and protect people on foot and bike. No more hiding behind parked cars. The committee laid the bill over on April 21, 2025.

• File Int 1138-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-05

Dec 2 - A van turning right on Bedford hit an 11-year-old girl. The driver’s view was blocked. She suffered broken bones in her leg and foot. The van was undamaged. The street failed her. The impact was brutal.

According to the police report, a RAM van making a right turn on Bedford Avenue at Lynch Street in Brooklyn struck an 11-year-old girl at the intersection. The report lists 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a contributing factor, showing the driver did not see the pedestrian. The girl suffered fractures and dislocations to her knee, lower leg, and foot. She was conscious at the scene. No actions by the pedestrian contributed to the crash. The van had no damage. The harm fell entirely on the young pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775776 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 28 - A sedan struck the left rear quarter panel of a taxi on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The sedan driver, impaired by alcohol and speeding, suffered an eye abrasion but was not ejected. Both vehicles traveled southbound at the time of impact.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway around 12:50 AM. A sedan traveling southbound collided with the left rear quarter panel of a taxi also heading south. The sedan driver, a 28-year-old male occupant, was injured with an eye abrasion and remained conscious. The report cites alcohol involvement and unsafe speed as contributing factors for the sedan driver. The driver was wearing a lap belt and harness and was not ejected from the vehicle. Both vehicles were going straight ahead prior to the collision, with the sedan sustaining damage to its right front bumper and the taxi to its left rear quarter panel. The driver’s impaired condition and speeding were key errors leading to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774745 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 27 - A driver struck three cars in Bed-Stuy. She dragged a person, hit a vehicle with a pregnant woman, then crashed into an empty car. No life-threatening injuries. Police arrested her at the scene. Charges include assault and reckless endangerment.

Gothamist reported on November 27, 2024, that a New York City Housing Authority employee was arrested after a chaotic crash in Brooklyn. According to police, the driver, Tanisha Simpson, "swiped an oncoming car," then "drove away, dragging the person several feet and hitting another car with a pregnant woman inside." She struck a third, empty car before New York City Sheriffs arrested her nearby. The pregnant woman was taken to the hospital for evaluation, but no serious injuries were reported. Simpson faces charges of reckless endangerment, assault, and leaving the scene. The incident highlights the dangers of hit-and-run behavior and the risks faced by vulnerable road users at busy intersections.

• Three-Car Brooklyn Crash Sparks Arrest, Gothamist, Published 2024-11-27

Nov 19 - Taxi merged too close. Slammed sedan’s rear. Woman at wheel hurt, chest bruised, in shock. Police blame taxi for tailgating. Expressway speed turned mistake into pain.

According to the police report, a taxi merging westbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway struck the center rear of a sedan traveling straight. The sedan’s 36-year-old female driver suffered chest injuries and shock. Police cited the taxi driver for "Following Too Closely." The sedan was damaged at the center back end. No contributing factors were listed for the sedan driver. The crash shows the danger when drivers fail to keep distance during merging on high-speed roads.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4772614 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 14 - A distracted driver collided with a moped in Brooklyn’s Ross Street area. The moped rider, a 20-year-old man wearing a helmet, suffered knee and lower leg abrasions. The SUV was parked at the time, sustaining left side damage from the impact.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 7 PM on Ross Street in Brooklyn. The moped driver, a 20-year-old male wearing a helmet, was traveling east when he was struck on the right front quarter panel by a parked SUV. The SUV sustained damage to its left side doors. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor, indicating the moped driver’s lack of attention played a role. The moped driver was injured with abrasions to his knee, lower leg, and foot but was conscious and not ejected. The SUV was stationary before the collision. No other contributing factors were listed. The incident highlights the dangers posed by driver distraction in urban traffic environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773748 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 14 - A southbound SUV making a left turn struck a northbound bicyclist on Broadway in Brooklyn. The cyclist suffered knee and lower leg injuries. Police cited the SUV driver’s failure to yield right-of-way as the cause of the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Broadway near Lorimer Street in Brooklyn. A 31-year-old female bicyclist traveling north was struck on her left front quarter panel by a 2014 Jeep SUV making a left turn southbound. The SUV driver, a licensed female, failed to yield the right-of-way, causing the collision. The bicyclist, who was unlicensed and not wearing a helmet, sustained contusions and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot but was conscious and not ejected. The point of impact was the left front bumper of the SUV and the left front quarter panel of the bike. The police report explicitly lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor, highlighting driver error as the primary cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4772953 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 10 - A 10-year-old e-scooter rider was partially ejected and suffered severe leg injuries after a sedan made a right turn and struck the scooter’s front. The driver’s inattention and other vehicular factors caused the crash on Lee Ave in Brooklyn.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on Lee Ave in Brooklyn at 8:11 AM involving a 2013 Ford sedan and an e-scooter. The sedan was making a right turn when it struck the e-scooter rider, a 10-year-old boy, impacting the scooter’s center front end and the sedan’s left rear quarter panel. The rider was partially ejected and sustained fractures and dislocations to his knee, lower leg, and foot, with an injury severity rated as serious. The report cites driver errors including 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Other Vehicular' contributing factors. The sedan driver was licensed and traveling east. The e-scooter rider was conscious but injured. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. Vehicle damage was noted on the scooter only, emphasizing the impact’s severity on the vulnerable rider.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4771952 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 1 - A car’s right front struck a 48-year-old cyclist on Union Avenue. The man wore a helmet. His arm was torn open. Blood pooled on the street. He was thrown, conscious, with deep cuts and broken flesh. Failure to yield shattered the morning.

According to the police report, a 48-year-old man riding a bike westbound on Union Avenue near Broadway in Brooklyn was struck by a car’s right front. The collision left the cyclist with severe lacerations to his arm, described as 'deep cuts and broken flesh,' and he was partially ejected from his bike but remained conscious. The report states the driver’s 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The narrative details blood on the street and the cyclist’s helmet use, but helmet use is not listed as a contributing factor. The crash occurred at 8:36 a.m. The focus remains on the driver’s failure to yield, which directly led to the cyclist’s injuries, as documented by police.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768382 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 27 - A 73-year-old woman suffered head injuries after a sedan made a left turn on Bedford Avenue. The driver’s view was obstructed, contributing to the collision. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal but was injured at the intersection.

According to the police report, a 73-year-old female pedestrian was injured when a 2023 Toyota sedan, traveling east on Bedford Avenue, made a left turn and struck her with its left front bumper. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal at the intersection near Taylor Street. The report cites 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a contributing factor, indicating the driver’s impaired visibility played a role in the crash. Additionally, the pedestrian’s 'Error/Confusion' is noted but only after the driver’s error, emphasizing the primary fault lies with the driver’s failure to yield while turning. The pedestrian sustained a head injury classified as severity 3 and was conscious at the scene. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle with three occupants aboard.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4767224 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 24 - A 24-year-old woman suffered upper arm injuries and shock after a distracted driver made a right turn and struck her at an intersection. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal. The driver showed inexperience and inattention, causing the collision.

According to the police report, at 6:30 AM on Lee Ave in Brooklyn, a pedestrian crossing with the signal was struck by a vehicle making a right turn. The 24-year-old female pedestrian sustained upper arm injuries and was in shock, complaining of pain and nausea. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors to the crash. The vehicle impacted the pedestrian on its right front quarter panel. No vehicle damage was recorded. The pedestrian's crossing with the signal is noted but not cited as a contributing factor. The collision highlights the dangers posed by distracted and inexperienced drivers at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768383 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 12 - A sedan struck the rear of a parked car on Broadway in Brooklyn. The driver, a 55-year-old woman, suffered neck injuries and shock. Police cited unsafe speed as a contributing factor. The impact damaged the center back end of the parked vehicle.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Broadway near Keap Street in Brooklyn at 5:40 p.m. A 2014 BMW sedan, traveling east, rear-ended a parked vehicle. The driver of the sedan, a 55-year-old woman, was injured with neck pain and shock, wearing a lap belt and harness. The report identifies unsafe speed as a contributing factor to the collision. The point of impact was the center back end of the parked vehicle and the center front end of the sedan. The driver was licensed in Delaware. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted. The collision highlights driver error in speed control leading to a rear-end crash with a stationary vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4764130 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 12 - A westbound SUV struck a sedan from behind on Williamsburg Street in Brooklyn. Both vehicle occupants suffered injuries to back and neck, enduring shock and pain. Police cited driver inattention and following too closely as key factors in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 13:55 on Williamsburg Street West in Brooklyn when a 2024 SUV traveling westbound rear-ended a 2015 sedan also heading west. The point of impact was the center back end of the SUV striking the center front end of the sedan. The SUV driver was cited for 'Following Too Closely' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction,' indicating failure to maintain safe distance and lack of attention as primary causes. Both occupants of the sedan, a 41-year-old male driver and a 43-year-old female front passenger, were injured with back and neck pain respectively and experienced shock. Neither occupant was ejected from the vehicle. The report does not list any contributing victim behaviors. The crash highlights the dangers of driver distraction and tailgating on Brooklyn streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765840 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 7 - A van struck a sedan from behind on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The sedan’s passenger, a 62-year-old woman, suffered neck injuries and whiplash. Police cited unsafe speed and an oversized vehicle as contributing factors in the collision.

According to the police report, at 17:10 a van traveling east on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway collided with the rear of a sedan also traveling east. The point of impact was the van’s center front end striking the sedan’s center back end. The van driver was licensed and going straight ahead. The sedan carried two occupants; the middle front seat passenger, a 62-year-old female, was injured with neck trauma and whiplash. She was conscious and restrained by a lap belt. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Oversized Vehicle' as contributing factors, indicating driver error on the van’s part. There is no mention of victim fault or contributing behaviors. The collision caused damage to the van’s right front bumper and the sedan’s rear end.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4761675 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 5 - Taxi struck a northbound e-bike on Williamsburg Street West. Cyclist, 33, was partially ejected and suffered head injuries and abrasions. Taxi’s right side doors were damaged. No driver errors listed. Helmet use noted.

According to the police report, a taxi passing on Williamsburg Street West in Brooklyn collided with a northbound e-bike at 20:11. The 33-year-old male cyclist was partially ejected and suffered head injuries and abrasions. The taxi’s right front quarter panel struck the cyclist, damaging the vehicle’s right side doors. The report lists the taxi’s pre-crash action as 'Passing' and the e-bike as 'Going Straight Ahead.' No specific driver errors such as Failure to Yield are cited. Helmet use by the cyclist is noted but not listed as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the risks faced by cyclists when vehicles pass in shared street space.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4762579 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 2 - City will cut McGuinness Boulevard from four lanes to two. DOT reversed course after backlash. Advocates and Assembly Member Gallagher cheered the move. Fewer lanes mean slower cars, fewer crashes. The fight for safety on the rest of the boulevard continues.

On October 2, 2024, the Adams administration reversed its earlier decision and restored the road diet for McGuinness Boulevard between Calyer Street and Meeker Avenue. The Department of Transportation (DOT) will reduce the street from four lanes to two. The DOT cited community and elected officials' feedback as the reason for the change. Assembly Member Emily Gallagher said, "I'm just really grateful to the better angels of the Adams administration for coming back with this." The advocacy group Make McGuinness Safe called it a win for safety and vowed to keep pushing for improvements. Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi praised the city's willingness to listen. Local business Broadway Stages, which had opposed the plan, said it respects the process. Removing car lanes will slow traffic and protect all users, according to advocates.

• FLIP-FLOP: City Brings Back Road Diet For McGuinness Blvd., Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-02

Sep 26 - Council pushes Albany to let New York City ticket drivers who block bike lanes. Cameras would catch violators. Cyclists face deadly risk. Lawmakers demand action. Streets must protect the vulnerable.

Resolution 0574-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced September 26, 2024, it urges passage of S.5008A/A.803A. The measure calls for a 'bicycle lane safety program' using cameras to enforce bike lane rules. Council Members Shahana K. Hanif (primary sponsor), Lincoln Restler, and Erik D. Bottcher back the resolution. The text states: 'enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' The council demands Albany act. Cyclists die while drivers block lanes. The bill aims to hold motorists accountable and protect those most at risk.

• File Res 0574-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Sep 26 - Council bill slashes legal parking time for big rigs. Ninety minutes max for tractor-trailers. Three hours for other commercial trucks. Streets clear faster. Heavy metal moves on.

Int 1069-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced September 26, 2024. The bill reads: "reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park." Sponsored by Kevin C. Riley and 23 others, it limits parking to three hours for most commercial vehicles, and 90 minutes for tractor-trailers, unless signs say otherwise. The law takes effect 120 days after passage. Council aims to keep streets less clogged by oversized trucks. No safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets long-term truck storage on city streets.

• File Int 1069-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26