Bushwick’s Blood Price: How Many More Must Die Before We Act?

Jul 8 - A Smart Car struck Dov Broyde, 70, as he crossed Avenue I near his home. Medics rushed him to the hospital. He died. The driver stayed. No charges filed. Brooklyn street claimed another life.

NY Daily News (2025-07-08) reports Dov Broyde, 70, was fatally struck by a Smart Car while crossing Avenue I at E. Fifth St. near Midwood around 9:30 p.m. The article states the driver 'plowed into him' and remained at the scene. No criminal charges were filed at the time. The incident highlights persistent danger for pedestrians in New York City, where 55 have died this year. The crash underscores the ongoing toll of traffic violence and the urgent need for systemic safety improvements.

• Elderly Pedestrian Killed Crossing Avenue I, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-08

Jun 30 - A sedan hit a 22-year-old cyclist on Knickerbocker Ave. The cyclist bled from his arm. Police cite driver distraction. The car showed no damage. The street stayed dangerous.

A sedan struck a 22-year-old man riding a bike on Knickerbocker Avenue at Jefferson Street in Brooklyn. The cyclist suffered an arm injury and minor bleeding. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' contributed to the crash. The sedan was making a right turn when it hit the cyclist, who was also turning. The car's right front bumper hit the bike's back end. The driver was licensed. No damage was reported to either vehicle. The police report lists no other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4824973 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-07

Jun 30 - A distracted sedan driver passed too close on Evergreen Ave, striking a motorcyclist. The rider suffered arm injuries. Police cite inattention and close passing as causes.

A sedan and a motorcycle collided on Evergreen Avenue at Jefferson Street in Brooklyn. The motorcyclist, a 31-year-old man, was injured in the arm and remained conscious. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing Too Closely' contributed to the crash. The sedan was slowing or stopping when the impact occurred. The report lists helmet use for the motorcyclist but only after noting driver errors. No pedestrians were involved. The crash highlights the danger of distraction and unsafe passing for those outside cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4824290 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-07

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

Jun 29 - A pick-up truck struck a 67-year-old man crossing Wyckoff Ave. The impact left him with a concussion. Police cite failure to yield. The street stayed loud. The crosswalk marked, but not safe.

A pick-up truck hit a 67-year-old man as he crossed Wyckoff Avenue at Grove Street in Brooklyn. The man, walking in a marked crosswalk, suffered a head injury and concussion. According to the police report, the driver failed to yield the right-of-way. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The driver and a vehicle occupant were not reported injured. No other factors were cited in the police report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4824422 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-07

Jun 29 - An eight-year-old boy died after a Honda SUV struck him at Eastern Parkway and Albany Ave. He was dragged under the car. Blood pooled. His sister watched. The driver stayed. No arrest. The city investigates.

NY Daily News (2025-06-29) reports an 8-year-old boy was fatally struck by a 69-year-old Honda Pilot driver at Eastern Parkway and Albany Ave. in Brooklyn. The boy was crossing when hit; witnesses saw him dragged from under the SUV. The article quotes, "I saw the kid being dragged from underneath the car by a woman." The driver remained at the scene. No arrests were made. NYPD Collision Squad investigates. The crash highlights persistent dangers at city intersections and the lethal risk large vehicles pose to children.

• Child Killed By SUV In Crown Heights, NY Daily News, Published 2025-06-29

Jun 22 - A moped rider died in Bay Ridge. A driver, drunk and unlicensed, struck him at dawn. The crash left another man broken. The street ran red. The city counts its dead. The system failed to keep danger off the road.

Gothamist (2025-06-22) reports a fatal crash at Third Avenue and 67th Street in Brooklyn. Police say Leslie Moreno, 29, drove intoxicated and without a license when her Acura collided with a moped carrying two men. Joel Mota, 22, died from head and torso injuries. His passenger suffered multiple fractures. Moreno was arrested and hospitalized in stable condition. The article notes, 'Moreno was driving west on 67th Street while Mota was driving south on Third Avenue, and he hit her passenger-side door.' NYPD data shows 13 motorized two-wheeler deaths citywide so far this year. The crash highlights persistent risks from unlicensed, impaired drivers and the vulnerability of riders on city streets.

• Unlicensed Drunk Driver Kills Moped Rider, Gothamist, Published 2025-06-22

Jun 21 - Heavy trucks pound the BQE. The city will ticket Staten Island-bound rigs. Sensors catch the violators. The road crumbles under weight it cannot bear. Warnings are over. Fines begin. The system aims to cut danger and slow decay.

Gothamist (2025-06-21) reports that New York City will start ticketing overweight Staten Island-bound trucks on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The Department of Transportation will fine violators $650 per incident, using in-road sensors to detect excess weight. Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, "Overweight trucks cause wear and tear on our roadways and we all pay the price through expensive repairs to our infrastructure." The city issued over 3,000 warnings during a 90-day grace period. Similar enforcement on Queens-bound trucks led to a 60% drop in overweight vehicles. Albany has approved expanding this automated system to more city roadways. The BQE’s aging structure faces risk from trucks exceeding its design limits, raising safety and infrastructure concerns.

• City Targets Overweight Trucks On BQE, Gothamist, Published 2025-06-21

Jun 18 - A Brooklyn judge stopped the city from tearing out a protected bike lane. Cyclists and children face danger when lanes vanish. The city acted fast, without notice. The fight for safe passage on Bedford Avenue continues in court.

Streetsblog NYC reported on June 18, 2025, that Judge Carolyn Walker-Diallo halted New York City's plan to remove three blocks of the Bedford Avenue protected bike lane. The court found the city may have acted "arbitrarily, capriciously, and illegally" by ordering the removal without proper legal notice. City law requires the Department of Transportation to notify local officials and allow time for public discussion, but, as the court papers state, "DOT did not provide the required notice." Plaintiffs argued that removing the lane would "irreparably" harm cyclists, especially children. The city claimed it would only shift the lane, not remove it, but advocates countered that any removal increases danger. The case highlights the need for transparent processes and the risks when safety infrastructure is hastily altered.

• Judge Blocks Bedford Avenue Bike Lane Removal, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-18

Jun 17 - Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-17

Jun 16 - White Plains gets speed cameras near schools. Lawmakers move fast. Most vote yes. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. Program ends 2030. Streets may slow. Danger faces children every day.

Senate Bill S 7678, sponsored by Shelley Mayer, establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in White Plains. The bill passed the Senate on June 11, 2025, and the Assembly on June 16, 2025. The matter reads: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of White Plains; repeals authorization of program December 31, 2030.' Mayer led the push. Most senators and assembly members voted yes. The bill aims to catch speeding drivers near schools, a known threat to children and families. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 7678, Open States, Published 2025-06-16

Jun 16 - Senate passed S 7785. The bill carves out large Mitchell-Lama housing from bus traffic rules. Lawmakers voted yes. The carve-out weakens enforcement. Streets grow less safe for people on foot and bike.

Bill S 7785, titled 'Relates to bus operation-related traffic regulations,' passed the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. The measure, sponsored by Senator Jamaal Bailey, excludes violations in cooperative housing developments with at least 10,000 Mitchell-Lama units from bus operation traffic regulations. The bill advanced through committee and received broad support in both chambers. By exempting these large complexes, the law weakens traffic enforcement where thousands live. This move increases risk to pedestrians and cyclists, stripping away protections that save lives. Vulnerable road users lose another layer of safety in dense city streets.

• File S 7785, Open States, Published 2025-06-16

Jun 13 - A garbage truck turned right on Flushing Avenue. A moped kept straight. The truck struck the moped. The moped rider was ejected and left unconscious with severe injuries. Police cite failure to yield. The street bore the mark of impact.

A crash occurred on Flushing Avenue at Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn. A garbage truck made a right turn and collided with a moped traveling straight. According to the police report, the moped rider was ejected, left unconscious, and suffered severe lacerations to the entire body. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The moped rider was riding or hanging on the outside and was not using any safety equipment. The truck's right front quarter panel struck the moped's front end. No injuries to the truck driver were reported. The crash highlights the danger when large vehicles fail to yield to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4820107 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-07

Jun 13 - Lawmakers back speed cameras near Schenectady schools. The bill passed both chambers. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. The program ends in 2030. Streets near schools may get safer. The vote was not unanimous.

Senate Bill S 5677, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. The Senate passed it on June 12, with primary sponsor James Tedisco (District 44) and co-sponsor Patricia Fahy (District 46) leading the push. The Assembly approved it on June 13. The bill sets up automated speed enforcement near schools and sunsets December 31, 2030. The measure aims to catch speeding drivers near children. Some lawmakers voted no, but most supported the move. No formal safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets a known danger zone for vulnerable road users.

• File S 5677, Open States, Published 2025-06-13

Jun 13 - Senate and Assembly clear S 6815. MTA workers get a pass for driving in bus lanes while on duty. Law shields agency vehicles from tickets. Streets grow more crowded. Vulnerable users face more risk.

Bill S 6815, titled 'Relates to bus lane restrictions in New York city,' passed the Senate on June 12, 2025, and the Assembly on June 13, 2025. The bill states, 'it shall be a defense to any prosecution for a violation of a bus lane restriction ... when an employee of the metropolitan transportation authority is performing authorized duties.' Sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie and co-sponsored by Nathalia Fernandez, the measure exempts MTA employees from bus lane tickets while working. No safety analysis was provided. The bill opens bus lanes to more agency vehicles, crowding space meant for buses, cyclists, and pedestrians.

• File S 6815, Open States, Published 2025-06-13

Jun 13 - Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-13

Jun 12 - Concrete and granite now guard Brooklyn corners. Barriers force drivers to slow, protect cyclists, and clear sightlines. Seventy-nine crashes last year on Ocean Avenue alone. The city moves slow, but hard edges cut risk where cars once ruled.

Streetsblog NYC reported on June 12, 2025, that the Department of Transportation will install hard barriers at six Brooklyn intersections to protect cyclists and pedestrians. The new design 'daylights' corners, using concrete, granite, and planters to keep cars back and create mini-protected bike lanes. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, 'Using barriers to clear space at the intersection will help ensure pedestrians, cyclists and turning vehicles can see each other and enhance safety.' The agency targeted intersections with a history of turning crashes—Ocean Avenue saw 79 crashes in 2024, injuring 75 people, including 15 pedestrians and 13 cyclists. Advocates praised the move but called for faster, broader use of hard infrastructure. The article notes that most pedestrian injuries and deaths in New York occur at intersections, and that keeping corners clear is standard in other states. DOT opposes removing parking without barriers, citing risks of faster, more dangerous turns.

• DOT Adds Barriers to Brooklyn Intersections, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-12

Jun 12 - Senate backs S 4045. Repeat speeders face forced installation of speed assistance tech. Eleven points or six camera tickets triggers action. Law targets reckless drivers. Streets may get safer for those outside the car.

Senate bill S 4045, sponsored by Andrew Gounardes and co-sponsored by over two dozen senators, passed committee votes on June 11 and June 12, 2025. The bill, titled 'Relates to requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits,' mandates these devices for drivers who rack up eleven or more points in 24 months, or six speed or red light camera tickets in a year. The measure aims to curb repeat dangerous driving. Senators including Jamaal Bailey, Jabari Brisport, and others voted yes. The bill targets drivers with a pattern of violations, seeking to cut risk for pedestrians and cyclists by limiting repeat speeding.

• File S 4045, Open States, Published 2025-06-12

Jun 12 - Lawmakers back speed cameras near Schenectady schools. The bill passed both chambers. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. The program ends in 2030. Streets near schools may get safer. The vote was not unanimous.

Senate Bill S 5677, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. The Senate passed it on June 12, with primary sponsor James Tedisco (District 44) and co-sponsor Patricia Fahy (District 46) leading the push. The Assembly approved it on June 13. The bill sets up automated speed enforcement near schools and sunsets December 31, 2030. The measure aims to catch speeding drivers near children. Some lawmakers voted no, but most supported the move. No formal safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets a known danger zone for vulnerable road users.

• File S 5677, Open States, Published 2025-06-12