The Dead Don’t Wait—Why Should We?
Bushwick (East): Jan 1, 2022 - Jun 4, 2025
The Bodies in the Road
In Bushwick (East), the numbers do not lie. Five dead. Thirteen left with serious injuries. In three and a half years, there have been 1,661 crashes. 824 people hurt.
A 71-year-old woman, crossing in a marked crosswalk, never made it to the other side. A 29-year-old passenger, ejected and crushed. A 49-year-old e-bike rider, thrown and killed by a turning truck. The dead do not speak. The living limp on.
Who Bears the Brunt
Pedestrians and cyclists pay the price. Vans, SUVs, sedans, trucks—they strike the body and keep moving. In the last year alone, two people died. 232 were injured. Seven suffered injuries so severe they may never walk the same. Children are not spared. Sixteen under 18 were hurt in the past year. The young and the old, both broken on the same streets.
What Has Been Done—And What Hasn’t
The city talks of Vision Zero. They say every life matters. They point to new speed cameras, intersection redesigns, and lower speed limits. But in Bushwick (East), the blood keeps flowing. Crashes are down, but injuries are not.
Local leaders have not done enough. The laws are slow. The changes crawl. The silence is loud. There is no record of bold action from those who hold power here. No flood of press releases. No urgent votes. The streets remain the same. The bodies pile up.
What Comes Next
This is not fate. It is policy.
Demand more. Call your council member. Call the mayor. Demand a 20 mph speed limit. Demand protected bike lanes. Demand enforcement that protects the walker, not the driver. Do not wait for another name to be added to the list.
Citations
▸ Citations
- Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4537612, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-04
▸ Other Geographies
Bushwick (East) Bushwick (East) sits in Brooklyn, Precinct 83, District 37, AD 54, SD 18, Brooklyn CB4.
▸ See also
Traffic Safety Timeline for Bushwick (East)
10-Year-Old Pedestrian Hit on Gates Avenue▸A 10-year-old boy was struck while crossing Gates Avenue. The SUV driver was distracted. The child suffered abrasions and injuries to his knee and lower leg. The impact came from the vehicle’s left front bumper. No vehicle damage was reported.
According to the police report, a 10-year-old male pedestrian was injured on Gates Avenue when a 2020 Jeep SUV traveling west struck him with its left front bumper. The child was crossing outside a crosswalk or signal. The pedestrian sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors. The driver was licensed and driving straight ahead. No damage was noted on the vehicle. The pedestrian was conscious after the crash. There is no mention of helmet use or signaling by the pedestrian.
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Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4500346,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
3Two Sedans Collide on Bushwick Avenue▸Two sedans collided on Bushwick Avenue. Three occupants suffered head injuries and whiplash. The driver and two passengers were conscious but injured. Police cited driver inattention and distraction as the cause. All occupants wore seat belts except one passenger.
According to the police report, two sedans traveling south on Bushwick Avenue collided. The first vehicle was stopped in traffic when the second vehicle, starting in traffic, struck it from behind. Three occupants were injured: the 58-year-old male driver, a 63-year-old female front passenger, and a 32-year-old female rear passenger. All suffered head injuries and whiplash. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The driver of the first vehicle was wearing a lap belt and harness, as was the front passenger; the rear passenger wore no safety equipment. The collision caused center back end damage to the first sedan and center front end damage to the second. No ejections occurred.
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Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4491659,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
A 10-year-old boy was struck while crossing Gates Avenue. The SUV driver was distracted. The child suffered abrasions and injuries to his knee and lower leg. The impact came from the vehicle’s left front bumper. No vehicle damage was reported.
According to the police report, a 10-year-old male pedestrian was injured on Gates Avenue when a 2020 Jeep SUV traveling west struck him with its left front bumper. The child was crossing outside a crosswalk or signal. The pedestrian sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors. The driver was licensed and driving straight ahead. No damage was noted on the vehicle. The pedestrian was conscious after the crash. There is no mention of helmet use or signaling by the pedestrian.
- Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4500346, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15
3Two Sedans Collide on Bushwick Avenue▸Two sedans collided on Bushwick Avenue. Three occupants suffered head injuries and whiplash. The driver and two passengers were conscious but injured. Police cited driver inattention and distraction as the cause. All occupants wore seat belts except one passenger.
According to the police report, two sedans traveling south on Bushwick Avenue collided. The first vehicle was stopped in traffic when the second vehicle, starting in traffic, struck it from behind. Three occupants were injured: the 58-year-old male driver, a 63-year-old female front passenger, and a 32-year-old female rear passenger. All suffered head injuries and whiplash. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The driver of the first vehicle was wearing a lap belt and harness, as was the front passenger; the rear passenger wore no safety equipment. The collision caused center back end damage to the first sedan and center front end damage to the second. No ejections occurred.
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4491659,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
Two sedans collided on Bushwick Avenue. Three occupants suffered head injuries and whiplash. The driver and two passengers were conscious but injured. Police cited driver inattention and distraction as the cause. All occupants wore seat belts except one passenger.
According to the police report, two sedans traveling south on Bushwick Avenue collided. The first vehicle was stopped in traffic when the second vehicle, starting in traffic, struck it from behind. Three occupants were injured: the 58-year-old male driver, a 63-year-old female front passenger, and a 32-year-old female rear passenger. All suffered head injuries and whiplash. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The driver of the first vehicle was wearing a lap belt and harness, as was the front passenger; the rear passenger wore no safety equipment. The collision caused center back end damage to the first sedan and center front end damage to the second. No ejections occurred.
- Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4491659, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15