Zero Deaths, Endless Wounds: Demand Streets That Don’t Bleed

Aug 7 - A 34-year-old male bicyclist was struck on 5 Avenue by a westbound SUV making a left turn. The cyclist suffered knee and lower leg fractures. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way by both parties. The cyclist wore a helmet.

According to the police report, a 34-year-old male bicyclist traveling south on 5 Avenue was hit by a 2019 Jeep SUV making a left turn westbound. The bicyclist sustained fractures to his knee and lower leg but was conscious and not ejected. The report lists failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor for both the bicyclist and the SUV driver. The cyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The SUV showed no damage, while the bike had front-end damage. The SUV driver was licensed; the bicyclist held a permit. The collision occurred at the center front end of both vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4652215 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 18 - Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.

On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.

• Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations, amny.com, Published 2023-07-18

Jul 10 - An ambulance struck a stopped sedan from behind on McDonald Avenue in Brooklyn. The sedan’s 24-year-old female driver suffered facial bruises. The ambulance showed no damage. Police cited other vehicular factors. The driver was conscious and restrained.

According to the police report, an ambulance traveling east on McDonald Avenue rear-ended a stopped sedan. The sedan’s 24-year-old female driver was injured, sustaining facial contusions but remained conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The ambulance, also eastbound, had no damage. The point of impact was the center back end of the sedan and the center front end of the ambulance. The report lists "Other Vehicular" as a contributing factor but does not specify driver errors. Both drivers were licensed and operating their vehicles in traffic. No ejections or additional injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4644448 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 6 - Albany gets speed cameras near schools. Lawmakers pass A 7043. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. The program runs until 2028. Streets near schools face new watchful eyes.

Bill A 7043, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Albany,' moved forward after committee votes in June 2023. The Assembly passed it on June 6, the Senate on June 8. Patricia Fahy sponsored the bill. The measure allows speed cameras in school zones, aiming to catch drivers who speed near children. The program ends December 31, 2028. Many lawmakers voted yes, some no. The bill targets driver behavior in Albany school zones, putting enforcement where kids walk and cross.

• File A 7043, Open States, Published 2023-06-06

Mar 31 - A concrete mixer turned right on 28th Street. It struck a parked Ford SUV. Inside, a 65-year-old man sat still. The impact crushed the left doors. He died there, alone, in the midday sun. No driver errors listed.

A concrete mixer made a right turn on 28th Street and struck a parked Ford SUV. According to the police report, the mixer hit the left side doors of the SUV, where a 65-year-old man sat inside. He died at the scene. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors. The man was not wearing a seatbelt, as noted in the data, but no other factors are cited. No other injuries were reported. The crash shows the deadly force of heavy vehicles, even when victims are stationary and inside their cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4617120 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 21 - Assembly Bill 4637 would use cameras to keep cars out of bike lanes. The bill targets drivers who block protected lanes. Sponsors say it will protect cyclists from deadly crashes.

Assembly Bill A 4637, now in the sponsorship stage, aims to create a bicycle lane safety program in New York City. The bill, introduced on February 21, 2023, enforces restrictions on protected bike lanes using photo devices. The matter title reads: 'Establishes in the city of New York a bicycle lane safety program to enforce certain restrictions on the use of protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani leads as primary sponsor, joined by Brian Cunningham, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Harvey Epstein, Amy Paulin, and others. The bill targets drivers who endanger cyclists by blocking protected lanes. No safety analyst note is available.

• File A 4637, Open States, Published 2023-02-21

Feb 14 - Lawmakers push two bills. One widens legal cargo bikes. One reins in dirty warehouses. Both target truck traffic choking city streets. Sponsors say the measures will cut pollution, asthma, and danger for people outside cars. Albany momentum grows.

Bills S6106 (Sen. Jessica Ramos) and A6968 (Asm. Marcela Mitaynes) are active in the New York State legislature. S6106 would expand the legal width of cargo bikes from 36 to 48 inches, making them more useful for deliveries. A6968 would let the Department of Environmental Conservation regulate emissions from last-mile warehouses and require plans to cut transportation pollution, including by using zero-emission vehicles like cargo bikes. The matter summary notes, 'The bills complement each other.' Ramos and Mitaynes sponsor the measures. Their staff and advocates say the bills will help replace polluting vans with cleaner cargo bikes, especially in low-income areas hit hard by asthma. Both bills are gaining support in Albany.

• V-DAY SPECIAL: Bigger Cargo Bikes and Last-Mile Warehouse Regulation is a Match Made In Heaven, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-14

Feb 10 - Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.

• Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-10

Jan 24 - Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-01-24

Dec 30 - A sedan turning right struck a southbound bicyclist on 5 Avenue in Brooklyn. The 20-year-old cyclist suffered a head contusion. Police cited failure to yield and other vehicular factors. The cyclist was conscious and not ejected.

According to the police report, a sedan making a right turn collided with a bicyclist traveling straight south on 5 Avenue in Brooklyn. The bicyclist, a 20-year-old male, sustained a head injury classified as a contusion and was conscious at the scene. The report lists driver errors including failure to yield right-of-way and other vehicular factors. The cyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. The point of impact was the sedan's right front quarter panel and the bike's center front end. The cyclist was not ejected from the bike. No other injuries or contributing factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4594546 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 18 - Arterial roads kill. They are wide, fast, and deadly for walkers and cyclists. Most are state-owned. Cities and advocates demand lower speeds, urban design, and local control. Changing these streets is urgent. Lives hang in the balance.

This policy advocacy statement, published October 18, 2022, by Streetsblog NYC, highlights the urgent need to fix deadly arterial roads. The statement, titled 'Vision Zero Cities: How to Fix Our Most Dangerous Roads,' calls for context-sensitive speed limits, urban street design standards, and transferring state-owned roads to city control. Streetsblog and Transportation Alternatives urge, 'Cities and advocates should push their states to transform arterial streets into safe spaces for all modes.' The statement notes that arterials make up 15 percent of roads but see 67 percent of pedestrian deaths. It stresses that speed is the main factor in fatal crashes and that state DOTs often prioritize fast driving over safety. The call is clear: redesign streets for people, not cars, and give cities the power to act.

• Vision Zero Cities: How to Fix Our Most Dangerous Roads, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-10-18

Sep 8 - Councilmember Alexa Avilés pushes new rules to rein in e-commerce warehouses. The bill would block massive facilities near homes, schools, and parks. It demands public review and stricter permits. The aim: less truck traffic, cleaner air, safer streets.

On September 8, 2022, Councilmember Alexa Avilés (District 38) supported a proposal to tighten zoning and permitting for e-commerce warehouses in New York City. The measure, not yet introduced as a formal bill, seeks to amend city zoning rules to require special permits for warehouses over 50,000 square feet and ban them within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, nursing homes, public housing, or other warehouses. The proposal states: 'The facilities won’t negatively impact nearby traffic, pedestrian and road safety, or air pollution.' Avilés, along with Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes, backs the effort, citing frequent community complaints about truck traffic and pollution. The plan mandates environmental review and public input before any City Council vote. Community groups and environmental advocates say the change is urgent for neighborhoods already burdened by traffic and pollution.

• Environmental activists call for a crack down on e-commerce warehouses in New York City, gothamist.com, Published 2022-09-08

Aug 17 - A 25-year-old woman on a bike was ejected and suffered head wounds on 5 Avenue. Improper lane use led to the crash. She was semiconscious, bleeding, helmeted. Impact struck her bike’s left rear.

According to the police report, a 25-year-old female bicyclist was ejected and injured on 5 Avenue in Brooklyn. The report lists "Passing or Lane Usage Improper" as a contributing factor. The crash occurred when another vehicle, going straight ahead, struck the left rear bumper of her bike. The bicyclist suffered head injuries, was semiconscious, and had minor bleeding. She was wearing a helmet at the time. The crash underscores the danger of improper lane usage, resulting in serious harm to a vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4556432 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 29 - A 23-year-old male bicyclist was ejected and injured on 34 Street near 5 Avenue in Brooklyn. The SUV made a right turn while the e-bike traveled south. The rider suffered abrasions to his elbow and lower arm. No vehicle damage was reported.

According to the police report, a 23-year-old male bicyclist riding an e-bike was injured after an SUV made a right turn on 34 Street near 5 Avenue in Brooklyn. The bicyclist was ejected and sustained abrasions to his elbow and lower arm. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield. Both vehicles showed no damage at the point of impact. The bicyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. The SUV driver was licensed and traveling west while making the turn; the e-bike was traveling straight south. The crash resulted in injury severity level 3 for the bicyclist.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550727 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 2 - Senate passed S 5602 to keep school zone speed cameras running longer. More eyes on reckless drivers. Lawmakers push back against speeding near kids. The vote was clear. The danger remains.

Bill S 5602, titled 'Relates to the hours of operation of a school zone speed camera demonstration program,' passed the Senate on May 25, 2022, and the Assembly on June 2, 2022. The bill extends the hours that speed cameras operate in New York City school zones. Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, with co-sponsors Biaggi, Cleare, Gianaris, Hoylman, Jackson, Kavanagh, Krueger, Myrie, Persaud, Ramos, Rivera, and Sepulveda. The measure saw strong support in both chambers, despite some opposition. The bill aims to keep cameras watching when children are at risk. More enforcement, more accountability. The fight for safer streets continues.

• File S 5602, Open States, Published 2022-06-02

May 23 - Albany passed A 8936. Cities get more state cash if they build complete streets. Lawmakers want safer roads. The bill sailed through both chambers. Money now follows safety.

Bill A 8936, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' passed the Assembly on May 23, 2022, and the Senate on June 1, 2022. The bill boosts state funding for transportation projects when municipalities add complete street features. Assemblymember Fahy led as primary sponsor, joined by Hunter, Seawright, Woerner, and others. The Assembly and Senate both voted yes, with broad support. The law aims to push cities to design streets for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers—by tying state dollars to safety upgrades.

• File A 8936, Open States, Published 2022-05-23

May 23 - Senate and Assembly passed S 1078. New drivers must now learn how to avoid hitting people on foot or bike. Law aims to cut crashes at the root—before drivers get the keys.

Bill S 1078, introduced in the Senate on April 27, 2021, requires pedestrian and bicyclist safety instruction in the drivers pre-licensing course. The bill moved through committee and passed the Senate and Assembly, with key votes on May 20, 2021, February 1, 2022, May 16, 2022, and May 23, 2022. The matter summary reads: 'Requires instruction in pedestrian and bicyclist safety as part of the drivers pre-licensing course.' Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, joined by Bailey, Biaggi, Brisport, Cleare, Comrie, and others. The measure targets driver ignorance, a root cause of deadly crashes, by putting vulnerable road users at the center of driver education.

• File S 1078, Open States, Published 2022-05-23