Clinton Hill: The hits don’t stop

May 20 - Midnight. Clinton Avenue. Two sedans collide—one turning, one straight. Steel screams. A woman, 44, crushed behind the wheel, her back broken. Sirens slice Brooklyn’s silence. Distraction at the wheel. Metal torn, lives changed.

Two sedans collided at midnight on Clinton Avenue near Fulton Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one sedan was turning left while the other drove straight. The crash left a 44-year-old woman, the driver, with a broken back and crush injuries. She stayed conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. No other driver errors are noted. Other occupants and the second driver were involved but not reported injured. The police report describes torn metal, chaos, and the violence of impact. Distraction behind the wheel split the night and broke lives.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4631714 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 16 - Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-05-16

May 11 - A 33-year-old male bicyclist was partially ejected after colliding with a parked SUV on Fulton Street in Brooklyn. The cyclist suffered upper arm and shoulder injuries and was left in shock. The driver’s inattention caused the crash.

According to the police report, a 33-year-old male bicyclist traveling west on Fulton Street collided with a parked 2018 Nissan SUV. The impact struck the left side doors of the SUV, partially ejecting the cyclist. The bicyclist sustained upper arm and shoulder injuries and was in shock at the scene. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors. The cyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. No other contributing factors were specified. The SUV was occupied by three people but was stationary before the crash. The bicyclist was going straight ahead at the time of impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4628946 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 8 - A sedan turned right on Classon Avenue and hit a scooter going straight. The scooter driver, 32, suffered arm injuries. Police cite driver distraction and improper turning. Metal and flesh met. The street stayed hard.

According to the police report, a 32-year-old man riding a scooter was injured when a 2017 Honda sedan made a right turn and struck him on Classon Avenue. The scooter driver suffered abrasions and injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. He was conscious and not ejected. The sedan’s left rear bumper was damaged. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Turning Improperly' as driver errors. No safety equipment was noted for the scooter driver. The crash happened as the sedan traveled northeast and the scooter headed north.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4627223 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 27 - A moped struck by an SUV changing lanes in Brooklyn left the rider bruised and shocked. The moped’s left front bumper took the impact. The driver suffered whole-body contusions but was not ejected. The SUV showed no damage.

According to the police report, a moped traveling north was hit on its left front bumper by an SUV also heading north that was changing lanes. The moped driver, a 35-year-old man, suffered contusions and shock, with injuries affecting his entire body. The report lists "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as a contributing factor, indicating the SUV driver failed to notice the moped during the lane change. The moped driver was not wearing any safety equipment. The SUV sustained no damage, and no occupants were in the vehicle at the time. The moped driver was not ejected from the vehicle. This crash highlights the dangers of distracted driving during lane changes in Brooklyn.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4624026 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 23 - A 36-year-old male bicyclist was ejected and injured in a collision with an SUV on Fulton Street. The cyclist suffered bruises over his entire body. The crash involved driver inattention and distraction. Both vehicles were traveling eastbound.

According to the police report, a 36-year-old male bicyclist was injured after a collision with a station wagon/SUV on Fulton Street. The bicyclist was ejected from his bike and sustained contusions and bruises over his entire body. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors. Both the bicyclist and the SUV were traveling straight ahead eastbound at the time of the crash. The bicyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. The impact occurred at the center back end of the bike. No other contributing factors were specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4624022 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 22 - A sedan turning left struck a westbound e-bike on Fulton Street. The cyclist, a 34-year-old man, suffered a head contusion. The crash caused front-end damage to both vehicles. The cyclist was conscious and not ejected from the bike.

According to the police report, a 34-year-old male bicyclist riding an e-bike westbound on Fulton Street was injured when a sedan making a left turn collided with him. The cyclist sustained a head contusion and remained conscious after the crash. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor, indicating driver error related to lane use. The sedan's right front bumper and the e-bike's center front end were damaged. The cyclist was not ejected and was not wearing any safety equipment. The driver of the sedan was licensed in New York. No other contributing factors were specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4614766 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 21 - Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

Mar 1 - NYC streets kill. Cars rule the city. Most people do not own one. Still, roads belong to drivers. Air chokes. Noise blares. Vision Zero fails. Other cities save lives. NYC rebuilds highways. The author demands bold change. Streets must serve people, not cars.

This opinion piece, published March 1, 2023, in Streetsblog NYC, argues that New York City streets themselves are a public nuisance. The article states, 'Most New York City households don’t own a car, yet most street space is given to motor vehicles, interfering with city life.' The author criticizes the Department of Transportation and city leaders for maintaining car dominance, rebuilding highways like the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, and failing to meet Vision Zero goals. The piece cites Attorney General Letitia James’s stance on truck depots and calls for NYC to follow cities like Helsinki and Oslo, which have eliminated pedestrian deaths. The author urges the city to use federal funds to remove highways and reclaim streets for people, not cars. No council members are directly involved, as this is an editorial.

• Opinion: New York City Streets Should Themselves Be Illegal!, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-01

Feb 21 - Assembly Bill 4637 would use cameras to keep cars out of bike lanes. The bill targets drivers who block protected lanes. Sponsors say it will protect cyclists from deadly crashes.

Assembly Bill A 4637, now in the sponsorship stage, aims to create a bicycle lane safety program in New York City. The bill, introduced on February 21, 2023, enforces restrictions on protected bike lanes using photo devices. The matter title reads: 'Establishes in the city of New York a bicycle lane safety program to enforce certain restrictions on the use of protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani leads as primary sponsor, joined by Brian Cunningham, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Harvey Epstein, Amy Paulin, and others. The bill targets drivers who endanger cyclists by blocking protected lanes. No safety analyst note is available.

• File A 4637, Open States, Published 2023-02-21

Feb 13 - Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Feb 10 - Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.

• Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-10

Feb 10 - Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.

• Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-10

Feb 5 - A sedan made a left turn on Greene Avenue. An e-bike rider going straight collided with the sedan’s left front bumper. The e-bike driver was ejected, suffering knee and lower leg injuries. The sedan driver failed to yield and was distracted.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling east on Greene Avenue made a left turn and collided with an e-bike traveling west straight ahead. The e-bike driver, a 33-year-old man, was ejected and sustained injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, including contusions and bruises. The report lists the sedan driver’s errors as Failure to Yield Right-of-Way and Driver Inattention/Distraction. The e-bike rider was wearing a helmet at the time. The point of impact was the sedan’s left front bumper and the e-bike’s center front end. The sedan driver was licensed and the e-bike driver’s license status was not provided.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4603551 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 4 - A sedan hit a man crossing Waverly Avenue. The impact threw him to the street. His arm broke and twisted. The car’s front end crumpled. No driver errors listed. Brooklyn pavement stained again.

According to the police report, a 2018 Toyota sedan traveling south on Waverly Avenue in Brooklyn struck a 35-year-old male pedestrian at Lafayette Avenue. The man was crossing against the signal at the intersection. The impact ejected him, causing a fractured, distorted, and dislocated upper arm. The sedan suffered center front-end damage. The driver, licensed in New York, was going straight. Police listed no specific driver errors; contributing factors were marked as unspecified. The report does not mention any safety equipment for the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4602966 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 2 - A developer pushes a new housing plan after his truck depot faces backlash. Council Member Richardson Jordan stands firm. She demands more affordable units and community input. Pollution from trucks draws fire. The fight pits profit against people in Harlem.

On February 2, 2023, Council Member Kristin Richardson Jordan opposed a developer's push to swap a polluting truck depot for a new housing plan in Harlem. The developer, Bruce Teitelbaum, offered 'One45 Harlem for ALL,' promising 50% below-market-rate units. Richardson Jordan wants deeper affordability: 60% of units at 60% AMI, 30% at 30% AMI. She rejects private deals and insists on community-led negotiations. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Attorney General Letitia James joined calls to shut the truck depot, citing pollution. Richardson Jordan's spokesperson said, 'Right now, the truck stand cannot be on the table whatsoever. That is not good faith.' The council member stands with her community, demanding clean air and real affordability.

• Truck Depot Developer Wants to Restart His Bid for ‘Affordable’ Housing — But How Affordable?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-02

Jan 30 - Senate bill S 3304 aims to keep cars out of bike lanes. Photo devices would catch violators. Sponsors say it’s time to protect cyclists. The bill stands at the sponsorship stage.

Senate bill S 3304, sponsored by Brad Hoylman-Sigal with co-sponsors Jabari Brisport, Kristen Gonzalez, Liz Krueger, and Julia Salazar, was introduced on January 30, 2023. The bill is in the sponsorship stage. It seeks to 'establish in the city of New York a bicycle lane safety program to enforce certain restrictions on the use of protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' The measure targets drivers who block bike lanes, aiming to keep space clear for cyclists. No safety analyst note is available. The bill has not yet advanced to committee or vote.

• File S 3304, Open States, Published 2023-01-30

Jan 30 - Attorney General Letitia James called out a Harlem truck depot for endangering health and safety. Trucks bring noise, fumes, and danger to streets. Council Member Richardson Jordan and advocates rallied to stop it. The depot stands accused of harming a vulnerable community.

On January 30, 2023, Attorney General Letitia James issued a statement warning that a new truck depot at W. 145th Street and Lenox Avenue in Harlem may violate state law. James called the depot a potential 'public nuisance,' citing 'increased traffic, noise, vibrations, and local air pollution from trucks.' The matter, described as 'Attorney General James Says Harlem Truck Depot May Violate State Law,' centers on developer Bruce Teitelbaum’s project, which followed failed rezoning for affordable housing. Council Member Kristin Richardson Jordan and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams joined community members and Transportation Alternatives in opposition, arguing the depot 'will make our streets more dangerous.' Richardson Jordan thanked James for her support. The Attorney General’s office is considering legal action, echoing past interventions against similar depots. No formal council bill is attached, but the case highlights systemic threats to vulnerable road users in Harlem.

• Attorney General James Says Harlem Truck Depot May Violate State Law, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-30

Jan 25 - A 27-year-old man was struck while crossing Vanderbilt Avenue at Gates Avenue in Brooklyn. He suffered injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The pedestrian was in shock but showed no visible complaints. No driver errors were reported.

According to the police report, a 27-year-old male pedestrian was injured at the intersection of Vanderbilt Avenue and Gates Avenue in Brooklyn. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the crash occurred. He sustained injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot and was in shock. The report lists no contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The vehicle involved is unspecified, and no details about the driver or vehicle condition were provided. The pedestrian had no visible complaints at the scene. This incident highlights the dangers pedestrians face even when crossing legally.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4602282 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 24 - Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-01-24