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

Dec 3 - A driver fell asleep and veered, smashing SUVs on Wilson Avenue. One man, 42, took the brunt—body battered, mind in shock. Police cite fatigue and bad lane use. Metal twisted. Streets stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, a crash erupted on Wilson Avenue in Brooklyn at 16:41. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' and 'Fell Asleep' as the main causes. Two SUVs collided, one driven by a 42-year-old man who suffered full-body trauma and shock. The injured driver wore a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. Police highlight driver fatigue and improper lane use as the key errors. No mention of victim fault or other contributing behaviors appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4776370 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 2 - A motorcycle traveling northwest struck a parked sedan on Willoughby Ave in Brooklyn. The solo rider, a 55-year-old man, suffered elbow and arm injuries. Police cited unsafe speed and driver inexperience as contributing factors in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 18:20 on Willoughby Ave in Brooklyn. A 55-year-old male motorcycle driver, wearing a helmet, was traveling northwest when he collided with a parked sedan. The sedan was stationary, facing north, with no occupants inside. The motorcycle driver sustained injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand, described as contusions and bruises, and remained conscious after the crash. The report explicitly lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors to the collision. No damage was noted on the motorcycle, while the sedan sustained damage to its right rear quarter panel. The crash highlights the dangers posed by speeding and inexperienced vehicle operators, with no fault attributed to the parked vehicle or its absence of occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792438 - 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 25 - Bay Ridge’s parks and promenade get $30 million for repairs and upgrades. Community Board 10 approves. New lighting, wider paths, and more green space promised. Council Member Justin Brannan funds and supports. Cyclists and pedestrians get safer, smoother routes. No timeline yet.

On November 25, 2024, City Council Member Justin Brannan and Community Board 10 announced approval and funding for major upgrades to the Bay Ridge Promenade and Leif Ericson Park. The Parks Committee and full board both voted unanimously for the $30 million overhaul, which includes $20.97 million for the Shore Road Promenade and $9.25 million for Leif Ericson Park. The project, described as 'Destination: Greenways!', will expand green space, separate bike and pedestrian lanes, add lighting, and install new amenities. Brannan, a key funder and supporter, said, 'Our local parks are the lungs of our city.' The overhaul aims to improve recreational cycling, repair pothole-ridden paths, and increase accessibility. Board members raised concerns about safety and sanitation, which the Parks Department pledged to address in final designs. No construction timeline has been set.

• Bay Ridge community board greenlights $30M facelift for Shore Road Promenade, Leif Ericson Park, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2024-11-25

Nov 22 - A bus hit a 15-year-old girl as she crossed St. Nicholas Avenue with the signal. Blood marked the crosswalk. The bus kept moving. The girl stayed conscious, head bleeding, as the street bore silent witness to the violence of traffic.

According to the police report, a bus traveling north on St. Nicholas Avenue struck a 15-year-old girl in the crosswalk at Stanhope Street. The report states the pedestrian was 'crossing with signal' when the collision occurred. The girl suffered severe lacerations to her head but remained conscious at the scene. The narrative notes, 'Blood pooled on white paint,' underscoring the violence of the impact. The bus did not stop and was described as 'unmarked.' Police list the contributing factors as 'unspecified,' but the report makes clear the pedestrian was in the intersection, acting lawfully, with the signal in her favor. No driver errors are explicitly cited in the data, but the facts highlight the systemic dangers faced by pedestrians even when following traffic rules.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775142 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 22 - Council weakened Adams’s zoning plan. Parking mandates stay in low-density zones. Central areas lose mandates. Housing projections drop. Some neighborhoods bear the burden. Car-centric rules persist. Vulnerable road users see little relief. The city’s streets remain dangerous.

""The consequences of today's decision to exempt R1, R2, and R3 contextual districts from City of Yes are severe," he said in a statement. "The housing pressure on every other neighborhood will go up, which means if Queens or Staten Island doesn't grow, Brooklyn is asked to do more than our fair share."" -- Antonio Reynoso

Bill: City of Yes zoning reform. Status: Amended and advanced by City Council on November 22, 2024. The Council’s action, described as 'watering down' the mayor’s plan, keeps mandatory parking in low-density neighborhoods while ending it in central areas. The matter summary states: 'ending mandatory parking in areas with the best transit while keeping the costly mandate in low-density neighborhoods where it most hinders development.' Council Member Crystal Hudson voted yes, urging all neighborhoods to share the housing burden. Council Member Kevin Riley defended single-family zones. Council Member Rafael Salamanca cited balancing concerns and securing $5 billion for affordable housing. Borough President Antonio Reynoso warned of increased housing pressure elsewhere. The Council’s changes preserve car-centric zoning, leaving vulnerable road users exposed and limiting progress on safer, less car-dependent streets.

• Analysis: Mayor Gets the ‘W,’ But Council Turns His Zoning Plan into ‘City Of Yes … Sort Of’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-22

Nov 13 - Council demands DOT show its work. The law forces public updates on every street safety project. No more hiding delays. No more silent cost overruns. Progress for bus riders, cyclists, and walkers must be tracked and posted.

Int 1105-2024 became law on May 10, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by Julie Won and co-sponsored by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others, amends the city code to require the Department of Transportation to post annual and monthly updates on all projects tied to the streets master plan. The law’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' It forces transparency on protected bike lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian signals, and upgrades. The public will see delays, costs, and status. No more secrets. The mayor returned it unsigned, but the law stands.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-11-13

Oct 30 - Private trash trucks still maim and kill. Five years after reform, chaos rules. Only one waste zone runs. No citywide plan. Streets stay dangerous. Lawmakers and survivors demand action. The city stalls. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price.

""If done right, CWZs can eliminate millions of truck miles traveled from our streets, keep workers and pedestrians safe, and ensure quality service for all customers. The city's goal right now should be to prevent bad implementation from undermining a good bill."" -- Antonio Reynoso

The 2019 commercial waste zone reform aimed to cut truck carnage by dividing New York City into 20 zones, each served by specific haulers. As of October 30, 2024, only one zone is active. No timeline exists for citywide rollout. The Department of Sanitation claims caution is needed to avoid price hikes and ensure effective change, but offers no clear metrics or deadlines. Lauren Pine, a crash survivor, pleads, 'We can't wait another day to enforce truck safety requirements.' Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso warns, 'The city's goal right now should be to prevent bad implementation from undermining a good bill.' Delays keep streets deadly for workers, pedestrians, and cyclists. The law’s promise remains unfulfilled. Vulnerable New Yorkers remain at risk.

• Private Trash Haulers Are Still Killing and Injuring New Yorkers As Long-Awaited Reforms Lag, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-30

Oct 27 - A sedan, northbound on Bushwick Avenue, struck a 28-year-old man crossing outside the crosswalk. The left front bumper hit his head. He lay unconscious, blood pooling on the quiet street. Driver inattention and unsafe speed marked the morning.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling north on Bushwick Avenue near DeKalb Avenue struck a 28-year-old man who was crossing outside the crosswalk in the early morning. The report states, 'the left front bumper hit his head,' leaving the pedestrian unconscious and bleeding on the street. The police report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The driver’s distraction and excessive speed directly preceded the impact. The report does not list any pedestrian behaviors as contributing factors. The focus remains on the driver’s failure to maintain attention and control, which led to severe injury for the man crossing Bushwick Avenue.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769900 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 18 - Steel swept through the crosswalk at De Kalb and Wyckoff. A van turned right, head-on into a man with the light. No screech, no skid, no mercy. The man died where he stood, body broken by the van’s front end.

A 59-year-old man was killed at the intersection of De Kalb Avenue and Wyckoff Avenue in Brooklyn when a van making a right turn struck him head-on. According to the police report, the pedestrian was 'crossing with signal' in the crosswalk when the van, registered in Michigan and operated by a licensed New York driver, failed to yield the right-of-way. The report states, 'A van turned right. A man, 59, walked with the light. Steel struck him head-on.' The impact was so severe that the victim suffered injuries to his entire body and died at the scene. The police report notes there were 'no skid marks' and 'no damage to the van.' The contributing factor listed is 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The pedestrian’s lawful crossing is mentioned only after the driver’s error, underscoring the systemic danger posed by vehicles failing to yield at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4764527 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 12 - A 24-year-old woman crossing Flushing Avenue with the signal was struck by a garbage truck making a left turn. She suffered knee and lower leg abrasions and was left in shock. The crash exposed critical driver errors in yielding at intersections.

According to the police report, a garbage truck traveling northeast on Flushing Avenue was making a left turn when it struck a 24-year-old female pedestrian crossing with the signal at the intersection near Knickerbocker Avenue in Brooklyn. The pedestrian sustained abrasions to her knee, lower leg, and foot, resulting in injury severity level 3 and emotional shock. The point of impact was the center front end of the truck. The report identifies the contributing factor as "Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion," but the data shows no vehicle damage and the driver was licensed and operating the truck legally. The truck driver's failure to yield while making the left turn created the conditions for this collision, highlighting systemic dangers at intersections involving large vehicles and vulnerable pedestrians.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765517 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 10 - Council bill orders DOT to build 35 e-bike battery stations yearly. A quarter will sit curbside, letting riders lock up. Sponsors: Rivera, Nurse, Hanif. Streets may shift. City must post locations.

Int 1084-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced October 10, 2024. The bill reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to install e-bicycle battery stations.' Council Members Carlina Rivera (primary sponsor), Sandy Nurse, and Shahana K. Hanif back the measure. It mandates DOT to install at least 35 e-bike battery stations each year for five years, with at least 25% curbside for secure parking. DOT must report on station rollout and post locations online. The bill aims to reshape curb space and infrastructure for e-bike riders, but offers no direct safety analysis for vulnerable road users.

• File Int 1084-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-10-10

Oct 5 - A sedan making a left turn collided with a moped traveling straight on Knickerbocker Avenue in Brooklyn. The moped driver suffered neck contusions but was conscious and not ejected. The crash was caused by unsafe lane changing by the sedan driver.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 1:20 AM on Knickerbocker Avenue in Brooklyn. A 2013 BMW sedan, traveling north and making a left turn, struck a 2024 ZNEN moped also traveling north straight ahead. The point of impact was the sedan's left rear quarter panel, damaging its left side doors, while the moped sustained no damage. The moped driver, a 58-year-old male, was injured with neck contusions and remained conscious and not ejected. The report cites 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as the contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to execute a safe lane maneuver. The moped driver wore a helmet, but no victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. The evidence highlights driver error in lane changing as the cause of this collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4761439 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

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

Sep 26 - Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians now cross anywhere, any time. No summons. Law strips drivers of excuses. Streets shift. Power tilts to people on foot.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, rewrites New York’s pedestrian rules. The bill, heard by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, passed on September 26, 2024, and became law on October 26, 2024. Its title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way.” Sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán and co-sponsored by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, and Restler, the law lets pedestrians cross streets anywhere, even against signals. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks. The Department of Transportation must educate all street users on new rights and responsibilities. The law removes a tool police used to target walkers. It shifts blame from people on foot to the system and those behind the wheel.

• File Int 0346-2024, 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

Sep 26 - Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians now cross anywhere, any time. No summons. Law strips drivers of excuses. Streets shift. Power tilts to people on foot.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, rewrites New York’s pedestrian rules. The bill, heard by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, passed on September 26, 2024, and became law on October 26, 2024. Its title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way.” Sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán and co-sponsored by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, and Restler, the law lets pedestrians cross streets anywhere, even against signals. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks. The Department of Transportation must educate all street users on new rights and responsibilities. The law removes a tool police used to target walkers. It shifts blame from people on foot to the system and those behind the wheel.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Sep 21 - A 26-year-old man on an e-bike was struck by a sedan on Hart Street near Evergreen Avenue. Thrown, crushed against a parked car. Head trauma. He died there. The driver disregarded traffic control, according to the police report.

A 26-year-old e-bike rider was killed on Hart Street near Evergreen Avenue in Brooklyn when a sedan struck him, according to the police report. The report states the collision occurred at 2:48 a.m. The e-bike rider was thrown and crushed against a parked car, suffering fatal head trauma. According to the police report, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' was cited as a contributing factor, highlighting a critical driver error. The sedan's driver failed to obey traffic controls, leading directly to the deadly impact. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors. The e-bike rider was ejected and died at the scene. The crash involved two sedans—one moving, one parked—and an e-bike. The focus remains on the sedan driver's disregard for traffic control, which proved fatal for the vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757577 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 6 - A female SUV driver rear-ended a sedan on Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn. Both vehicles were traveling west when the collision occurred. The SUV driver was inattentive and followed too closely. Two occupants in the sedan suffered neck and head injuries.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 22:50 on Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn. A 43-year-old female driver of a station wagon/SUV rear-ended a sedan traveling westbound. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors for the SUV driver. The sedan's driver, a 43-year-old female, and a 17-year-old female front passenger were both injured, suffering neck and head injuries respectively, with complaints of whiplash. Both occupants were conscious and restrained with lap belts and harnesses. The impact point was the center back end of the SUV striking the center front end of the sedan. The report does not list any contributing factors related to the victims. The collision highlights driver errors of inattention and unsafe following distance.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4756852 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 26 - Taxi turned from parked, struck e-bike rider on Stockholm Street. Rider thrown, suffered leg injuries. Driver’s improper turn and passenger distraction caused the crash. System failed to protect the vulnerable.

According to the police report, a taxi on Stockholm Street near Wyckoff Avenue in Brooklyn turned improperly from a parked position at 9:38 AM, striking a northbound e-bike rider. The 41-year-old cyclist was partially ejected and suffered abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists 'Turning Improperly' and 'Passenger Distraction' as contributing factors on the driver’s part. The taxi’s right side doors were damaged by the impact with the e-bike’s front end. The bicyclist wore pads, but the primary causes were the driver’s errors. The crash left the cyclist moderately injured but conscious. The report centers driver mistakes and distraction as key dangers in this collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751242 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19