Six Dead, Hundreds Broken—But the Street Never Changes

Apr 2 - A motorscooter traveling south struck a northbound tractor truck head-on on Rockaway Avenue in Brooklyn. The motorscooter driver, a 41-year-old man, suffered hip and upper leg injuries. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage in the collision.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Rockaway Avenue in Brooklyn around 12:54 a.m. A motorscooter traveling south and a tractor truck traveling north collided head-on, with impact centered on the front ends of both vehicles. The motorscooter driver, a 41-year-old male with a permit license, was injured, sustaining contusions and bruises to his hip and upper leg. He was conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not attribute fault to the victim. Both vehicles were going straight ahead prior to impact. The tractor truck driver was licensed and operating a 2018 Ford truck. The collision caused significant front-end damage to both vehicles, underscoring the dangers of head-on impacts on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4714318 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 31 - A driver ran a traffic control, struck a 72-year-old woman crossing Ashford Street with the signal. She suffered a concussion and arm injury. Disregard and distraction turned a crosswalk into a danger zone.

According to the police report, a 72-year-old woman was crossing Ashford Street at Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn with the signal when a driver struck her. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The pedestrian suffered a concussion and an upper arm injury. She was conscious at the scene. The vehicle showed no visible damage. The driver’s failure to obey traffic controls and lack of attention directly led to the crash, exposing the persistent threat drivers pose to people walking at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4714059 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 31 - A 42-year-old female driver suffered hip and upper leg injuries after her sedan was struck from behind on Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn. The impact caused pain and shock, with the driver restrained by a lap belt. No driver errors were cited.

According to the police report, at 11:53 AM on Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn, a 42-year-old female driver was injured when her vehicle was struck from behind by a 2019 Chevrolet sedan traveling northeast. The report states the point of impact was the center back end of the injured driver's vehicle. The injured driver was wearing a lap belt and was not ejected from the vehicle. She sustained injuries to her hip and upper leg, experienced shock, and complained of pain or nausea. The report does not list any contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or reckless driving. The collision involved no pedestrians or cyclists, and no victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4713668 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 27 - Two sedans slammed together on Bradford Street. Both drivers and a passenger suffered neck injuries. Police cite failure to yield and other driver errors. Metal twisted. Lives changed in seconds.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on Bradford Street at Riverdale Avenue in Brooklyn at 4:00 p.m. Both vehicles were going straight before impact. The crash left both drivers and a front-seat passenger with neck injuries and whiplash. Police list 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Other Vehicular' as contributing factors, pointing to driver mistakes. One sedan struck the other’s right side, damaging bumpers and doors. All injured were conscious and wore lap belts and harnesses. The report details driver errors but does not blame those hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4713131 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 27 - Senate passes S 2714. Bill pushes complete street design. Aim: safer roads for all. Pedestrians, cyclists, and riders get space. Car dominance challenged. Lawmakers move to cut street carnage.

Senate bill S 2714, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' advanced through committee and passed several Senate votes, most recently on March 27, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy with support from Jake Ashby, Jamaal Bailey, and others, the bill mandates street designs that protect everyone—not just drivers. The measure saw strong support but faced opposition from some senators. By requiring complete street principles, S 2714 aims to reduce danger for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. The bill marks a shift away from car-first planning, forcing cities to build streets for people, not just traffic.

• File S 2714, Open States, Published 2024-03-27

Mar 26 - Two sedans collided head-to-tail on Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn. Three occupants suffered neck injuries and whiplash. The crash unfolded from driver inattention and distraction, leaving all victims conscious but hurt in the wreck’s violent impact.

According to the police report, two sedans traveling westbound on Linden Boulevard collided with a center back-end to center front-end impact. The crash involved a 2009 Nissan sedan and a 2017 sedan. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor for both vehicles. Three occupants—one driver and two passengers—were injured, each sustaining neck injuries consistent with whiplash. All victims were conscious at the scene and none were ejected from their vehicles. The driver of the first sedan was a 40-year-old male, and the passengers were a 36-year-old male and a 42-year-old female. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors. The collision’s violent impact and driver distraction highlight systemic dangers on this Brooklyn corridor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712909 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 24 - SUV slammed into bike from behind on Linden Boulevard. Two cyclists down. Hip and leg injuries. Blood on the street. Driver failed to yield. Brooklyn night, danger sharp and real.

According to the police report, an SUV struck a bike carrying two cyclists on Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn at 21:14. The SUV, making a left turn, hit the bike from behind. The impact drove both riders—a 27-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman—to the ground. Both suffered hip and upper leg injuries, with abrasions, but stayed conscious. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the cause, pointing to the SUV driver's error. No other contributing factors are named. The crash shows the risk when drivers ignore the right-of-way and endanger people on bikes.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712175 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 24 - A sedan and pick-up truck collided on New Lots Avenue. Unsafe speed and ignored signals. A front passenger took the hit. Neck injury. Whiplash. Brooklyn street, metal and flesh, pain left behind.

According to the police report, a crash on New Lots Avenue in Brooklyn involved a sedan and a pick-up truck. The collision happened at 15:02. The report lists unsafe speed and traffic control disregarded as driver errors. A 51-year-old male front passenger was injured, suffering neck injuries and whiplash. The passenger was conscious and not ejected. No contributing factors were listed for the passenger. The crash shows the harm caused when drivers ignore speed limits and traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712169 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 22 - Two SUVs slammed together on Dumont Avenue. A front-seat passenger was thrown partway out and hit her head. Police blamed failure to yield. The crash left the street scarred and a woman hurt.

According to the police report, two SUVs collided at 15:48 on Dumont Avenue in Brooklyn. The northbound SUV was struck on its right side by a westbound SUV's front end. A 41-year-old woman riding in the front seat was partially ejected and suffered head injuries and abrasions. She wore a lap belt and harness. Police listed "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" as the main cause of the crash. Both drivers were licensed women. No victim actions contributed to the collision. The impact left one passenger hurt and exposed the danger of driver errors at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712009 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 20 - A 38-year-old woman was struck by a sedan while walking outside an intersection in Brooklyn. She suffered bruises and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot. The driver was traveling south, continuing straight at the time of impact.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on Cozine Avenue struck a 38-year-old female pedestrian who was not at an intersection. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, with contusions and bruises reported. The report lists the pedestrian's contributing factors as unspecified, and no driver errors or violations were explicitly noted. The vehicle was going straight ahead at the time of the collision, with the point of impact described as "other." The pedestrian was in shock following the crash. The report does not specify any driver license status or vehicle damage details beyond "other." This incident highlights the dangers pedestrians face even outside intersections, with limited information on driver fault or contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4711424 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 20 - Senate passes S 6808. The bill creates first responder safety zones. It sets speed limits in these zones. Lawmakers act after crashes and close calls. The vote is strong. The danger is real. The streets demand change.

Senate bill S 6808, titled 'Relates to establishing first responder safety zones and setting speed limits in such safety zones,' moved through committee and passed multiple Senate votes between May 2023 and March 2024. Primary sponsor John Mannion led the push, joined by Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Iwen Chu, and Pamela Helming. The bill aims to carve out protected zones for first responders and lower speed limits in those areas. The measure passed with broad support, reflecting urgency after repeated crashes near emergency scenes. The bill’s text and votes show lawmakers responding to the deadly toll of reckless driving near first responders. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, passengers, and responders—stand in harm’s way. The bill targets that risk.

• File S 6808, Open States, Published 2024-03-20

Mar 19 - Council wants bold signs at every school entrance. Paint on pavement. Metal overhead. The aim: warn drivers, shield kids. The bill sits in committee. Streets wait. Danger does not.

Bill Int 0714-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced March 19, 2024. The bill reads: 'installing safety signs near schools.' Council Member Susan Zhuang leads, joined by Rivera, Gennaro, Won, Hanif, Gutiérrez, Louis, Cabán, Restler, Farías, Banks, Riley, and Feliz. The bill orders the Department of Transportation to paint and hang school safety signs on every street with a school entrance. The goal: alert drivers to children and pedestrians. The bill awaits further action. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0714-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-19

Mar 15 - E-bike rider struck a parked sedan on New Lots Avenue. He suffered facial abrasions but stayed conscious. Police cite confusion as a factor. The sedan was stationary. No driver errors reported.

An e-bike rider traveling west crashed into a parked sedan near 792 New Lots Avenue in Brooklyn. The rider, a 27-year-old man, suffered facial abrasions but remained conscious and was not ejected. According to the police report, 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' contributed to the crash. The sedan was parked and stationary at the time of impact. No driver errors or moving violations by the sedan operator were listed. The report does not mention helmet use or crossing signals as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4710646 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 14 - A moped traveling south on New Jersey Avenue hit a pedestrian working on a car at an intersection. The pedestrian suffered abrasions and injuries to his elbow and lower arm. The crash involved a failure to yield right-of-way by the moped operator.

According to the police report, a moped traveling south on New Jersey Avenue in Brooklyn struck a pedestrian who was pushing or working on a car at the intersection with Riverdale Avenue around 3:15 a.m. The pedestrian, a conscious male, sustained abrasions and injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report identifies the moped driver's failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor to the collision. The point of impact was the center front end of the moped, which also sustained damage in the same area. The pedestrian's presence at the intersection and the moped's straight travel direction are noted, but no contributing factors related to the pedestrian's actions or safety equipment were cited. The crash highlights driver error and systemic danger at this Brooklyn intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4710640 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 7 - Council moves to force DOT to post clear bus lane signs on every block. Riders and walkers need to know when cars must stay out. The bill demands public, block-by-block rules. No more guessing. Streets reveal their rules.

Int 0647-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on March 7, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to bus lane restrictions," orders DOT to post signs on each block with bus lane rules and to publish hours online. Sponsors include Althea V. Stevens (primary), Chris Banks, Chi A. Ossé, Nantasha M. Williams, Carmen N. De La Rosa, Amanda Farías, Yusef Salaam, and Kevin C. Riley. The measure aims to end confusion and make bus lane rules plain for all. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0647-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Mar 7 - Council wants every e-bike and scooter tagged and tracked. Plates on wheels. Riders face new rules. Lawmakers say it’s about order. The bill sits in committee. Streets wait.

Int 0606-2024 was introduced on March 7, 2024, in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring that every bicycle with electric assist, electric scooter and other legal motorized vehicle be licensed and registered," would force all e-bikes, e-scooters, and similar vehicles not covered by DMV rules to register with DOT and display visible plates. Council Member Inna Vernikov is the primary sponsor, joined by 26 co-sponsors including Holden, Farías, Riley, and others. The bill was laid over in committee and has not advanced. No safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• File Int 0606-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-03-07

Mar 6 - A woman crossing New Jersey Avenue was hit. She suffered knee and leg injuries. No driver errors listed. The crash left her bruised but conscious. The cause remains unclear. The street proved unforgiving.

According to the police report, a 45-year-old woman was crossing New Jersey Avenue at Riverdale Avenue in Brooklyn when a vehicle struck her at 7:03 AM. She was in a marked crosswalk with no crossing signal. The pedestrian suffered contusions and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, but remained conscious. The report lists no driver errors or contributing factors. No pedestrian errors are noted. The vehicle type is unspecified. The absence of identified driver actions leaves the cause of the crash unclear, but the impact left the pedestrian hurt in the intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4707862 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 2 - A 45-year-old man suffered severe full-body injuries after an SUV struck him at a Brooklyn intersection. The driver failed to yield right-of-way, hitting the pedestrian with the vehicle’s left front bumper. The victim was left semiconscious at the scene.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 9:45 p.m. on Linden Boulevard near Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn. A 2008 Honda SUV traveling west went straight ahead and struck a 45-year-old male pedestrian at the intersection. The point of impact was the vehicle’s left front bumper. The pedestrian sustained injuries to his entire body and was semiconscious after the collision. The police report explicitly cites the driver’s failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor. No other contributing factors related to the pedestrian were noted. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle alone. Vehicle damage was limited to the left front bumper. This crash highlights the danger posed by drivers not yielding to pedestrians at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4706607 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 28 - Council bill pushes DOT to let schools, centers, and institutions use streets outside their doors. More people, less traffic. Streets shift from cars to community. Still in committee.

Int 0450-2024 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since February 28, 2024. The bill orders DOT to create a program letting community centers, schools, arts, and religious institutions use adjacent outdoor spaces. The matter title reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to establish a program to allow community centers, schools, arts and cultural institutions and religious institutions to use adjacent outdoor spaces.' Council Member Shekar Krishnan leads, joined by Stevens, Restler, Won, and others. The bill has not yet passed. If enacted, it could reclaim space from cars, giving it to people. No formal safety analysis yet, but the measure could mean safer, more vibrant streets for all.

• File Int 0450-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28

Feb 28 - Council moves to form a board on school crossing guard deployment. NYPD, DOT, and DOE must report twice a year. The aim: more eyes on street danger where kids cross.

Bill Int 0448-2024 sits in the Committee on Public Safety after introduction on February 28, 2024. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to an advisory board on crossing guard deployment," calls for NYPD, DOT, and DOE to join an advisory board. The board must send biannual reports on crossing guard needs to the Mayor, Council Speaker, and Police Commissioner. Council Member Kamillah Hanks leads as primary sponsor, joined by Stevens, Schulman, Salaam, and others. The Bronx Borough President requested the bill. The board’s reports could spotlight gaps and push for better protection at dangerous crossings.

• File Int 0448-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-02-28