No More Widows for Van Buren: Lower the Speed, Save a Life

A 30-year-old male bicyclist suffered a head abrasion in a Brooklyn crash. The cyclist was conscious and not ejected. The crash involved unsafe lane changing. The collision occurred on Broadway near Grove Street. The cyclist was making a U-turn at impact.

According to the police report, a 30-year-old male bicyclist was injured in a crash on Broadway in Brooklyn. The bicyclist sustained a head abrasion and remained conscious throughout the incident. The report lists unsafe lane changing as a contributing factor to the crash. The bicyclist was making a U-turn when the collision occurred, impacting the center front end of the bike. No other vehicle damage was reported. The bicyclist was not ejected and no other injuries or persons were involved. The driver errors noted focus solely on unsafe lane changing.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4616168 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

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

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 2023-03-21

Two sedans collided on MacDonough Street in Brooklyn. One driver suffered chest injuries and whiplash. Impact struck left side doors of one vehicle and right rear bumper of the other. Both drivers were licensed. Crash involved multiple vehicular factors.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on MacDonough Street in Brooklyn. The 60-year-old male driver of one sedan was injured, sustaining chest injuries and whiplash. The collision impacted the left side doors of his vehicle and the right rear bumper of the other sedan, which was parked. Both drivers held valid New York licenses. The report lists 'Other Vehicular' as the contributing factor for both drivers, indicating driver error related to vehicle operation. No ejection occurred, and the injured driver was conscious at the scene. The crash involved multiple vehicles traveling northbound, with one vehicle parked at the time of impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4611418 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

A bicyclist was struck by a sedan making a left turn on Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn. The rider suffered knee and lower leg injuries. Police cited the driver’s failure to yield right-of-way. The cyclist was conscious and not ejected.

According to the police report, a 38-year-old male bicyclist traveling west on Ralph Avenue was hit by a southbound sedan making a left turn. The collision caused contusions and injuries to the bicyclist’s knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists the driver’s failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor. The bicyclist was not wearing safety equipment and remained conscious after the crash. The impact occurred at the sedan’s left front bumper. No other contributing factors were specified. The bicyclist was the sole occupant of the bike, and the sedan had one occupant.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4613314 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

A 35-year-old male driver lost consciousness in a crash on Patchen Avenue. The vehicle showed no damage. Police cited driver inattention and inexperience. The driver was restrained by a lap belt and was not ejected. Injuries remain unknown.

According to the police report, a 35-year-old male driver was injured and found unconscious after a crash on Patchen Avenue. The report lists driver inattention and driver inexperience as contributing factors. The driver was wearing a lap belt and was not ejected from the vehicle. Both vehicles involved showed no damage, and the driver had no visible complaints at the scene. The crash occurred with vehicles traveling straight ahead in opposite directions. No other persons were reported injured or involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4633417 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

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 2023-02-28

SUV plowed into a parked sedan on Broadway. Woman behind the wheel suffered a head wound, semiconscious, bleeding. Police cite driver distraction. Metal and blood on Brooklyn pavement.

According to the police report, an SUV traveling west on Broadway struck a parked sedan on Flushing Avenue. The sedan’s driver, a 46-year-old woman, was injured in the crash, suffering a head wound and minor bleeding. She was semiconscious at the scene. The report lists driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor. The SUV hit the sedan’s left front quarter panel while moving straight ahead. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted. The injured driver wore no safety equipment, but the report does not list this as a cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4608209 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

A sedan making a right turn struck the left rear quarter panel of a parked bus on Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn. Two female passengers on the bus suffered neck injuries and whiplash. Driver inattention and passing too closely caused the crash.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling north on Ralph Avenue made a right turn and collided with the left rear quarter panel of a parked bus. The bus carried four occupants; two female passengers, ages 20 and 38, were injured with neck injuries and complaints of whiplash. The report lists driver errors including "Driver Inattention/Distraction" and "Passing Too Closely" as contributing factors. Both injured passengers were conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. The bus was stationary at the time of impact. No other contributing factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4608028 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

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

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

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

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

A sedan traveling south on Reid Avenue hit a pedestrian crossing outside an intersection. The woman suffered injuries to her entire body and minor bleeding. She was left in shock. The vehicle’s left front bumper took the impact.

According to the police report, a 2017 Toyota sedan was traveling south on Reid Avenue when it struck a female pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her entire body and minor bleeding, resulting in shock. The point of impact was the vehicle’s left front bumper. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors, only unspecified causes. The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was crossing without a signal or crosswalk. The driver was licensed and driving straight ahead. No helmet or signaling issues were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4605202 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

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

A northbound SUV struck the rear of a sedan on Lewis Avenue in Brooklyn. The sedan’s female driver suffered back injuries and whiplash. Police report the SUV driver fell asleep at the wheel. Both vehicles sustained center-end damage.

According to the police report, a 34-year-old female sedan driver was injured when a northbound SUV rear-ended her vehicle on Lewis Avenue in Brooklyn. The sedan driver suffered back injuries and whiplash but was conscious and not ejected. The SUV driver, also female, was found to have fallen asleep at the wheel, a critical contributing factor to the crash. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead before the collision, which impacted the center back end of the sedan and the center front end of the SUV. The report lists no other contributing factors or victim errors. The sedan driver was licensed and the SUV driver was licensed in North Carolina.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4601438 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

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

Assembly bill A 1280 pushes for streets built for all. Dozens of lawmakers back the plan. The bill demands roads that protect walkers, cyclists, and riders. It calls for design, not luck, to keep people safe.

Assembly bill A 1280, now in sponsorship, aims to 'enable safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles.' Introduced January 13, 2023, the bill sits with the Assembly. Jonathan Rivera leads as primary sponsor, joined by over 70 co-sponsors including Patrick Burke, Kenny Burgos, and Catalina Cruz. Their action signals strong legislative momentum. The bill’s focus: force planners to build streets for people, not just cars. No safety analyst note is available, but the intent is clear—systemic change for vulnerable road users. The bill’s progress can be tracked at the New York Assembly website.

• File A 1280, Open States, Published 2023-01-13

Senate bill S 100 demands complete street design in state and federally funded projects. Lawmakers push for public guidance. Streets built for people, not just cars.

Senate bill S 100 was introduced on January 4, 2023, and is in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Requires the consideration of complete street design for certain transportation projects which receive federal or state funding,' aims to force planners to consider all users—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan leads, joined by Jamaal Bailey, Jabari Brisport, Samra Brouk, Cordell Cleare, Jeremy Cooney, Michael Gianaris, Kristen Gonzalez, Rachel May, Kevin S. Parker, and Luis R. Sepúlveda. The bill also orders the department to publish street design guidance. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 100, Open States, Published 2023-01-04

A 42-year-old woman was struck at an intersection on Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn. The sedan, traveling east, hit her with its front center. She suffered bruises and injuries to her knee and lower leg. The driver was inattentive and inexperienced.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling east on Lafayette Avenue struck a pedestrian at an intersection. The pedestrian, a 42-year-old woman, sustained contusions and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists driver inattention and driver inexperience as contributing factors. The vehicle had no visible damage, and the driver was going straight ahead at the time of impact. The pedestrian's actions are unknown, and no safety equipment was noted. The crash highlights the dangers posed by distracted and inexperienced drivers in Brooklyn.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4592656 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10