Third Avenue: Two Miles, Too Many Graves

Oct 4 - A box truck driver distracted behind the wheel slammed into a sedan on 33 Street in Brooklyn. The sedan’s driver suffered neck injuries and whiplash but remained conscious. The crash highlights the dangers of driver inattention on city streets.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 6:55 AM on 33 Street in Brooklyn. A box truck traveling south struck the center back end of a southbound sedan. The box truck driver’s contributing factor was listed as 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The sedan driver, a 29-year-old male occupant, was injured with neck pain and whiplash but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt. The impact point was the sedan’s center back end and the box truck’s right rear quarter panel. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The report does not cite any contributing factors related to the sedan driver. This collision underscores how driver distraction can cause rear-end crashes and serious injuries even without ejections or loss of consciousness.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4767926 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 1 - A tractor truck and an SUV collided during simultaneous left turns on 34 Street in Brooklyn. The SUV driver suffered neck injuries and whiplash. Police cite improper turning as the cause. Both drivers were licensed men, with no ejections reported.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 2:15 AM on 34 Street near 4 Avenue in Brooklyn. A tractor truck, traveling north, and an SUV, traveling east, were both making left turns when the collision happened. The point of impact was the left front quarter panel of the truck and the right side doors of the SUV, which sustained damage. The SUV driver, a 41-year-old licensed male from New York, was injured with neck pain and whiplash but was conscious and not ejected. The truck driver, a licensed male from New Jersey, was the sole occupant of his vehicle. The contributing factor listed is "Turning Improperly," indicating driver error during the left-turn maneuver. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4760364 - 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 24 - A 23-year-old bicyclist was ejected and injured after a collision with an SUV entering a parked position on 4 Avenue. The driver’s inattention caused the crash, striking the cyclist’s upper arm and causing shock and pain.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on 4 Avenue in Brooklyn at 7:36 PM. A 23-year-old male bicyclist, wearing a helmet, was traveling north when an SUV also traveling north entered a parked position and struck the cyclist. The point of impact was the SUV’s right front quarter panel and the bike’s center front end. The bicyclist was ejected and sustained an upper arm injury, resulting in shock and complaints of pain or nausea. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor, repeated twice, indicating the SUV driver failed to maintain proper attention. No other contributing factors related to the bicyclist were noted. The SUV driver was licensed and operating a 2024 model vehicle. The collision caused damage to the SUV’s right front quarter panel but no damage to the bike.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758696 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 23 - Taxi slammed front-first on 31 Street. Driver, sixty-two, hurt his face. Police cite alcohol. No passengers. No bystanders. Metal and flesh met hard. Brooklyn night, one man down.

According to the police report, a 62-year-old male taxi driver crashed on 31 Street near 4 Avenue in Brooklyn at 8:05 PM. The driver, alone in the vehicle, suffered facial abrasions and remained conscious. The taxi, a 2019 Nissan, struck an object with its center front end while heading north. Police list 'Alcohol Involvement' as the sole contributing factor. The driver wore a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. No other people were involved or injured. The report underscores the risk posed by impaired drivers on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758588 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 23 - A 47-year-old woman suffered abrasions and elbow injuries after a sedan failed to yield while making a right turn in Brooklyn. The impact struck the pedestrian at the intersection, leaving her conscious but injured. Driver error caused the collision.

According to the police report, a 47-year-old female pedestrian was crossing with the signal at an intersection on 60 Street and 3 Avenue in Brooklyn when a 2009 Nissan sedan, traveling northeast and making a right turn, struck her with its right front bumper. The pedestrian sustained abrasions and injuries to her elbow, lower arm, and hand, classified as injury severity 3. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor on the driver's part. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle legally, but the failure to yield while turning directly caused the collision. The pedestrian's crossing with the signal is noted, but the report does not list any contributing factors from her behavior. The incident highlights the dangers posed by driver errors at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758343 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 19 - A motorcycle traveling east struck the rear of a slowing SUV on the Gowanus Expressway. The motorcyclist was ejected and suffered a fractured shoulder and dislocation. The SUV showed no damage. Driver errors remain unspecified in the police report.

According to the police report, at 14:02 on the Gowanus Expressway, a 60-year-old male motorcyclist traveling east collided with the rear of a slowing or stopping eastbound SUV. The motorcycle impacted the center front end of the SUV's rear, causing the motorcyclist to be ejected from the vehicle. The motorcyclist sustained a fractured, distorted, and dislocated shoulder, classified as injury severity level 3, and remained conscious after the crash. The SUV, driven by a licensed male driver, showed no damage from the collision. The report lists the motorcyclist's contributing factors as unspecified, and no driver errors or contributing factors were cited for the SUV driver. The crash highlights the severe consequences of rear-end collisions involving motorcycles and SUVs on high-speed roadways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757319 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 15 - Two female passengers suffered neck contusions in a sedan crash on the Gowanus Expressway. The driver’s inattention and unsafe speed caused impact to the vehicle’s right rear bumper. Both occupants were conscious and restrained by seat belts.

According to the police report, a 2018 Toyota sedan traveling north on the Gowanus Expressway struck an object or vehicle impacting its right rear bumper. The crash occurred around 4:00 AM. Two female occupants, aged 38 and 40, seated in the front passenger and right rear passenger positions, were injured with neck contusions. Both were conscious and restrained by lap belts and harnesses. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors to the crash. The vehicle damage was limited to the right rear bumper. No ejections occurred. The driver’s failure to maintain attention and control at a safe speed directly led to the collision and injuries sustained by the passengers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4756374 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 12 - Two sedans smashed on 60 Street in Brooklyn after midnight. One driver hurt, neck pain and shock. Police blamed driver inattention and improper turning. Metal twisted, right sides torn open.

According to the police report, two sedans collided at 12:26 a.m. on 60 Street in Brooklyn. The New Jersey sedan was turning right and struck the New York sedan, which was heading straight south. The New York driver, a 40-year-old man, suffered neck pain and shock. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. Both cars took heavy damage to their right sides. The report highlights driver errors as the cause, with no mention of victim fault.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4756699 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 12 - A white SUV struck a 74-year-old man in a Bay Ridge crosswalk. The driver did not slow down. The victim flew through the air. He died at the hospital. The driver fled. Senator Gounardes called for prosecution and safer streets.

On September 12, 2024, State Senator Andrew Gounardes (District 26) responded to a fatal hit-and-run in Bay Ridge. Surveillance video shows a white SUV slamming into Segundo Reina-Gaon, 74, at Ridge Boulevard and Bay Ridge Avenue. The driver did not slow down and fled the scene. Gounardes wrote, 'Awful news to wake up to this morning in Bay Ridge. The video is hard to watch. The driver doesn’t appear to even slow down. This driver needs to be apprehended and prosecuted. And we will continue to work with DOT to make this intersection – and Ridge Boulevard – safer.' Gounardes supports stronger enforcement and street redesign to protect pedestrians. The crash underscores the deadly risk to vulnerable road users at dangerous intersections.

• Brutal video shows SUV plow into 74-year-old, send him flying in fatal hit-and-run crash, nypost.com, Published 2024-09-12

Sep 12 - A white SUV struck and killed a 74-year-old man in a Bay Ridge crosswalk. The driver fled. Council Member Justin Brannan called out the violence. Police search for answers. Grief and anger grip the neighborhood. The victim’s family mourns. Justice remains elusive.

On September 12, 2024, Council Member Justin Brannan (District 47) responded to a deadly hit-and-run in Bay Ridge. The incident, reported by brooklynpaper.com, saw a 74-year-old pedestrian killed while crossing Ridge Boulevard at Bay Ridge Avenue. The matter, titled 'Police seek driver of white SUV after 74-year-old killed in Bay Ridge hit-and-run,' details how the driver fled, leaving the victim and several damaged vehicles behind. Brannan posted: 'This is not the news any of us wanted to wake up to today. One of our neighbors was killed by a driver in a white SUV last night. The driver took off, and all of it was captured on video.' State Senator Andrew Gounardes also voiced outrage and concern. Both officials pledged to support the investigation and seek justice for the victim. No safety analyst assessment was provided for this event.

• Police seek driver of white SUV after 74-year-old killed in Bay Ridge hit-and-run, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2024-09-12

Sep 12 - A white SUV struck Segundo Reina-Gaon, 74, in a Brooklyn crosswalk. The driver fled. Paramedics rushed Reina-Gaon to the hospital. He died. Police set up a checkpoint. State Sen. Andrew Gounardes had raised safety concerns at this spot days before.

On September 12, 2024, a fatal hit-and-run occurred in Council District 26. Segundo Reina-Gaon, 74, was killed crossing Ridge Blvd. near Bay Ridge Ave. The incident happened just a block from where State Senator Andrew Gounardes met with Department of Transportation officials to discuss safety issues earlier that week. Gounardes responded, 'Devastated to wake up to the news that a Bay Ridge neighbor was killed by an SUV in a hit-and-run last night. Just two days ago I was discussing safety concerns one block from here with DOT.' The NYPD set up a checkpoint at the crash site, stopping vehicles and checking IDs. The matter underscores the deadly risk to pedestrians and the urgent need for systemic change. Gounardes supports pedestrian safety improvements and enforcement against hit-and-run drivers.

• SUV collides with 74-year-old man on Brooklyn crosswalk in fatal hit-and-run, nydailynews.com, Published 2024-09-12

Sep 9 - A 23-year-old woman suffered severe leg injuries after a sedan failed to yield while making a left turn. Glare impaired the driver’s vision, leading to impact at an intersection in Brooklyn. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when struck.

According to the police report, a 23-year-old female pedestrian was injured at the intersection of 3 Avenue and 33 Street in Brooklyn at 8:55 AM. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when a 2012 Nissan sedan, driven by a licensed female driver, made a left turn and struck her under the vehicle’s undercarriage. The report cites driver errors including Failure to Yield Right-of-Way and impairment from glare as contributing factors. The pedestrian sustained fractures and dislocations to her knee, lower leg, and foot, classified as serious injuries. The vehicle sustained no damage. The collision highlights the dangers posed by driver failure to yield and environmental conditions like glare, without any contributing fault attributed to the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4754254 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 3 - A 73-year-old woman crossing with the signal was struck by an SUV making a left turn on 60 Street in Brooklyn. The pedestrian suffered a head contusion. The driver’s reaction to an uninvolved vehicle and limited view contributed to the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 19:40 on 60 Street near 3 Avenue in Brooklyn. A 73-year-old female pedestrian, crossing with the signal at the intersection, was injured when a 2023 Nissan SUV making a left turn struck her with its left front bumper. The pedestrian sustained a head contusion but remained conscious. The report cites the driver’s 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as a contributing factor, indicating the driver’s error in responding to other traffic. Additionally, 'View Obstructed/Limited' contributed to the collision, pointing to systemic visibility issues. The vehicle sustained no damage. The pedestrian was not at fault; the crash highlights dangers posed by driver errors and limited sight lines at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752820 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 27 - SUV struck sedan on Gowanus Expressway. Distracted driver behind the wheel. Front passenger hurt, neck injury. Impact tore quarter panels. Night crash, metal twisted, pain sharp.

According to the police report, a crash occurred at 22:16 on the Gowanus Expressway in Brooklyn. An SUV and a sedan, both heading west, collided. The left front quarter panel of the SUV hit the right rear quarter panel of the sedan. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. A 30-year-old woman riding in the front passenger seat of the SUV suffered neck injuries and whiplash. She was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. Both drivers were licensed. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751141 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 27 - A sedan collided with a bicyclist traveling east on 4 Avenue in Brooklyn. The bicyclist suffered severe knee and lower leg injuries. Police cite the sedan driver’s disregard of traffic control as the primary cause of the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 16:20 on 4 Avenue near 50 Street in Brooklyn. A sedan traveling south struck a bicyclist moving east. The point of impact was the sedan’s right front bumper and the bike’s center front end. The bicyclist, a 50-year-old man, sustained serious injuries including fractures and dislocations to his knee, lower leg, and foot. He was conscious and not ejected from his bike. The report identifies 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to obey traffic signals or signs. No other contributing factors related to the bicyclist were noted. The sedan driver was licensed and operating the vehicle straight ahead. This crash highlights the dangers posed by drivers ignoring traffic controls in Brooklyn.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751142 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 26 - A 23-year-old female bicyclist was partially ejected and injured after an SUV struck her on 6 Avenue in Brooklyn. The collision caused abrasions to her elbow and lower arm. Police cited driver inattention and failure to yield as key factors.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 6:30 AM on 6 Avenue near 22 Street in Brooklyn. A 2014 Honda SUV traveling west struck a northbound 23-year-old female bicyclist. The bicyclist was partially ejected upon impact and sustained abrasions to her elbow and lower arm, with an injury severity rated at level 3. The report identifies the SUV driver’s inattention and failure to yield right-of-way as contributing factors. The SUV’s point of impact was the center front end, while the bike was hit on the right side doors. The bicyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. The collision highlights critical driver errors that led to serious injury for the vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750987 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 16 - Taxi made a right turn. Struck a woman crossing with the signal. Her leg shattered. She stayed conscious. Brooklyn street, late night. No damage to the cab. The driver was licensed. The crash left her broken.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling northeast on 48 Street in Brooklyn made a right turn at 22:48 and struck a 42-year-old woman who was crossing with the signal at the intersection with 4 Avenue. The pedestrian suffered severe fractures and dislocations to her knee, lower leg, and foot. She remained conscious after the crash. The report notes the taxi had no visible damage and the driver was licensed. No driver errors such as failure to yield were cited, and contributing factors are listed as unspecified. The pedestrian was crossing legally with the signal. The report does not attribute any contributing factors to the pedestrian's actions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4748402 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 15 - City law now forces DOT to reveal where bikes and scooters go. Streets and bridges, protected or not. Data goes public. Riders’ movement, danger, and safety projects laid bare. No more hiding the facts.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and passed on August 15, 2024. The law orders the Department of Transportation to post current bicycle and micromobility ridership data online, updated monthly or at least yearly. The matter summary reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Restler, Hudson, Schulman, and others. The law demands transparency on where riders travel and what DOT does to keep them safe. This opens the books on bike movement and exposes gaps in protection.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-08-15