Prospect Heights Bleeds While City Hall Waits

Feb 4 - Two sedans slammed together on 7 Avenue. Metal tore. Two passengers hurt—shoulder, arm, back bruised. Both stayed conscious. No driver errors listed. Brooklyn streets, hard and unforgiving.

According to the police report, two sedans collided at 18:14 on 7 Avenue in Brooklyn. Both vehicles were heading north when they struck each other. The Ford sedan was hit on its left rear quarter panel, damaging its left side doors. The Toyota sedan took damage to its right front quarter panel. Two Ford passengers, a 33-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman, suffered contusions and bruises to the shoulder, upper arm, and back. Both were conscious and not ejected. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4700179 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 17 - Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.

On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.

• Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-17

Jan 17 - Seven Brooklyn officials urge DOT to clear cars from corners. They want boulders, planters, and bike corrals—not just paint. Their call follows deadly crashes. They press the city to use state law and federal funds. DOT promises review. Advocates back the push.

On January 17, 2024, seven Brooklyn elected officials—including Council Member Shahana Hanif, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Jo Anne Simon, Robert Carroll, and State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes—issued a joint letter to the NYC Department of Transportation. They called for 'universal daylighting with hardened materials such as boulders, planters, and bike corrals' at intersections. The officials cited recent fatal crashes and urged the city to opt into a state law banning parking within 20 feet of corners. They want federal funds used for these changes. The group opposes DOT’s slow pace and reliance on paint, demanding physical barriers. Community board leaders and advocates support the move. DOT says it will review the letter and remains committed to evidence-based daylighting.

• Seven Brooklyn Electeds Join Growing Calls For Universal Daylighting, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-01-17

Jan 12 - A sedan traveling north collided head-on with a southbound bicyclist on Vanderbilt Avenue in Brooklyn. The bicyclist was ejected and suffered upper arm injuries. Police cited driver inattention as the primary cause of the crash.

According to the police report, at 20:10 on Vanderbilt Avenue in Brooklyn, a sedan traveling north and a bicycle traveling south collided front-to-front. The bicyclist, a 46-year-old man, was ejected from his bike and sustained an upper arm injury classified as severe. The report explicitly identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. Both vehicles were going straight ahead before impact, which occurred at the center front end of each vehicle. The sedan involved was a 2015 Kia. No other contributing factors related to the bicyclist were noted in the report. The collision underscores the dangers posed by driver distraction in shared traffic spaces.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4695110 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 10 - A taxi driver, distracted and careless with lanes, struck a 36-year-old woman crossing Vanderbilt Avenue. She suffered head injuries and shock. The crash exposes the danger of driver inattention in Brooklyn.

According to the police report, a 36-year-old female pedestrian was injured near 550 Vanderbilt Avenue in Brooklyn when a taxi driver struck her at 18:20. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The woman was crossing outside a crosswalk or signal when the southbound taxi hit her. She suffered head injuries, minor bleeding, and shock. The taxi, a 2022 Toyota, showed no damage. No victim actions were cited as contributing factors. The crash highlights driver errors as the cause of harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4694156 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 21 - A Ford SUV with defective brakes rear-ended a Toyota sedan stopped in traffic on Flatbush Avenue. The impact pushed the sedan into a tractor truck. The SUV driver suffered neck injuries and whiplash, restrained by a lap belt and harness.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn when a Ford SUV traveling north with defective brakes struck the rear of a Toyota sedan stopped in traffic. The sedan was then pushed into a tractor truck also stopped ahead. The SUV driver, a 48-year-old man, was injured with neck pain and whiplash but was not ejected and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists 'Brakes Defective' as a contributing factor to the crash. No other driver errors were noted. The collision caused damage to the left front bumper of the SUV and the rear bumpers of the sedan and truck.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4689020 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 22 - A Jeep rear-ended a diesel truck on Atlantic Avenue. The SUV’s front crumpled. The truck barely moved. An 88-year-old woman, belted in the front seat, died inside the wreck. She never made it out. Impact was sudden. Death was total.

A Jeep SUV struck the rear of a diesel tractor truck on Atlantic Avenue near Clinton Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, 'A Jeep rear-ended a diesel truck. The SUV’s front folded. The truck barely moved. An 88-year-old woman, belted in the front seat, died. Her body shattered inside the car. She never got out.' The crash killed the elderly front-seat passenger. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' as a contributing factor. The passenger was wearing a lap belt and harness. No driver errors by the truck operator are listed. The force of the collision left the SUV destroyed at the front, while the truck sustained rear-end damage but remained largely unmoved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4681770 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 21 - A 29-year-old woman was struck while crossing Eastern Parkway at Washington Avenue. She suffered hip and upper leg injuries and was left in shock. The crash involved an unspecified vehicle. No driver errors were noted in the report.

According to the police report, a 29-year-old female pedestrian was injured at the intersection of Eastern Parkway and Washington Avenue in Brooklyn. She was crossing with the signal when the crash occurred. The pedestrian sustained contusions and bruises to her hip and upper leg and experienced shock. The vehicle involved was unspecified, and no contributing factors or driver errors were listed in the report. The pedestrian was not at fault, and no helmet or signaling issues were mentioned.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4681355 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 20 - Two sedans smashed on Washington Avenue. Both drivers blew past traffic controls. One man suffered neck pain and whiplash. Metal twisted at the front. Both cars damaged. The injured driver stayed conscious.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on Washington Avenue at Saint Marks Avenue in Brooklyn. Both drivers disregarded traffic controls, listed as 'Traffic Control Disregarded' in the report. The crash struck the center front of a Nissan and the left front quarter of a Toyota. One driver, a 58-year-old man, was injured with neck pain and whiplash. He remained conscious and was not ejected. Both vehicles sustained damage at the points of impact. No other contributing factors, such as helmet use or signaling, were mentioned in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4682073 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 6 - A female driver in a pickup truck was injured when an SUV hit her vehicle’s left side. The crash happened on Atlantic Avenue. The truck driver suffered bruises and leg injuries. Police cited driver inattention as a factor.

According to the police report, a 35-year-old female driver of a 2020 Ford pickup truck was injured in a collision with a 2015 Audi SUV on Atlantic Avenue. The SUV was traveling east and struck the left side doors of the pickup truck, which was traveling south. The pickup truck driver sustained contusions and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot but was not ejected and remained conscious. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors to the crash. Both drivers were licensed. The pickup truck driver was restrained with a lap belt and harness. Vehicle damage was centered on the front end of the pickup and the left rear quarter panel of the SUV.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4678024 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 25 - Councilmember Robert Carroll blasted the proposed congestion pricing fees for taxis and Ubers. He called the charges a joke. Experts warn the low surcharges could flood Lower Manhattan with more cars. The plan risks more danger for people on foot and bike.

On October 25, 2023, Councilmember Robert Carroll (District 44) criticized the Traffic Mobility Review Board’s congestion pricing proposal. The plan recommends a $1.50 per-ride fee for taxis and $2.75 for Uber and Lyft in Lower Manhattan. Carroll tweeted, 'TMRB's recommendation to charge passengers of @Uber/@lyft an additional $1/$2 to be ferried around the congestion zone is a joke.' He argued these low fees would not curb for-hire vehicle trips, saying, 'We can't stop congestion if we don't limit FHV trips.' The matter, titled 'Analysis: Congestion Pricing Fee May Be Too Low for Taxi and Uber Riders,' highlights a split: some experts want higher surcharges to push riders to transit, while others want yellow cabs exempted. The debate centers on how pricing shapes traffic and, by extension, the safety of vulnerable road users in crowded city streets.

• Analysis: Congestion Pricing Fee May Be Too Low for Taxi and Uber Riders, streetsblog.org, Published 2023-10-25

Oct 25 - The Traffic Mobility Review Board wants low per-ride fees for taxis and Ubers in Lower Manhattan. Critics say the charges are too weak. Cheap surcharges could push more cars into crowded streets, squeezing out walkers and cyclists. The city risks more danger, not less.

This policy debate centers on congestion pricing surcharges for taxis and for-hire vehicles (FHVs) in New York City. The Traffic Mobility Review Board (TMRB) proposed per-ride fees—$1.50 for taxis, $2.75 for Uber/Lyft—far below the full congestion toll. Assemblymember Robert Carroll called the charges 'a joke,' arguing, 'We can't stop congestion if we don't limit FHV trips. Taxis shld be exempt & FHVs shld pay more.' Bruce Schaller, a former DOT official, warned, 'If you have a low fee for the taxis and the for-hires, people just switch modes.' Charles Komanoff and Sam Schwartz both support exempting yellow cabs, citing economic hardship and market imbalance. The TMRB's focus on keeping tolls low may undermine efforts to reduce traffic and protect vulnerable road users. No board member addressed the impact on street safety or congestion.

• Analysis: Congestion Pricing Fee May Be Too Low for Taxi and Uber Riders, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-10-25

Sep 23 - Two sedans collided on Prospect Place. Both drivers were distracted. The male driver suffered shoulder and arm injuries. Airbags deployed. No ejections. Impact hit both front bumpers. No pedestrians or cyclists involved.

According to the police report, two sedans crashed on Prospect Place in Brooklyn. Both vehicles were going straight when they struck each other, one on the right front bumper and the other on the left. The male driver, age 42, was injured in the shoulder and upper arm and reported whiplash. Airbags deployed. Both drivers were licensed and conscious. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors for both drivers. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. Neither driver was ejected from their vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4664621 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 20 - A 30-year-old male bicyclist was ejected and injured in Brooklyn. The SUV driver made a left turn and struck the cyclist head-on. Limited view and reaction to an uninvolved vehicle contributed. The cyclist suffered facial bruises but remained conscious.

According to the police report, a 30-year-old male bicyclist was injured after a collision with a 2020 Honda SUV on Vanderbilt Avenue in Brooklyn. The SUV was making a left turn when it struck the bicyclist traveling straight north. The point of impact was the center front end of both vehicles. The bicyclist was ejected and sustained facial contusions but remained conscious. Contributing factors included the SUV driver's limited or obstructed view and the bicyclist's reaction to an uninvolved vehicle. The report lists no other driver errors or victim faults. The bicyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4664386 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 19 - A 82-year-old sedan driver suffered back injuries and whiplash after an SUV struck his vehicle from behind on Lincoln Place. The SUV was starting from a parked position when the collision occurred. Driver inexperience was cited as a factor.

According to the police report, an SUV starting from a parked position rear-ended a sedan traveling west on Lincoln Place. The sedan's 82-year-old male driver was injured, sustaining back injuries and whiplash. The driver was wearing a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report lists driver inexperience as a contributing factor. The SUV struck the sedan's center back end, causing damage to both vehicles. No other contributing factors were specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4666812 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 4 - A 66-year-old woman suffered a neck injury when a convertible backed into her on Dean Street in Brooklyn. The driver failed to back safely. The pedestrian was conscious and complained of internal pain. No vehicle damage was reported.

According to the police report, a convertible was backing southeast on Dean Street in Brooklyn when it struck a 66-year-old female pedestrian. The pedestrian sustained a neck injury and was conscious at the scene, complaining of internal pain. The report lists "Backing Unsafely" as the contributing factor for the crash, indicating driver error in maneuvering the vehicle. The vehicle showed no damage despite the impact. The pedestrian's injury severity was classified as moderate. No other factors or victim errors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4659459 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 4 - A sedan turned left into an SUV on Atlantic Avenue. The SUV’s front passenger took the blow. Head trauma. Whiplash. Driver inattention listed. Brooklyn street, early morning, steel and flesh collide.

According to the police report, a 2021 sedan making a left turn on Atlantic Avenue struck a 2017 SUV traveling straight east. The SUV’s right front quarter panel hit the sedan’s left front bumper. A 25-year-old man riding in the SUV’s front seat suffered head injuries and whiplash. He was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4659316 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 18 - Assembly bill A 7979 targets reckless drivers. Eleven points or six camera tickets triggers a speed limiter. Lawmakers move to curb repeat danger. No more unchecked speeding. Streets demand it.

Assembly bill A 7979, now in sponsorship, sits before the New York State Assembly. Introduced August 18, 2023, it 'requires the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices if a driver accumulates eleven or more points on their driving record during an eighteen month period, or receives 6 speed camera or red light camera tickets during a twelve month period.' Assemblymember Emily Gallagher leads as primary sponsor, joined by Rebecca Seawright, Andrew Hevesi, Tony Simone, Jo Anne Simon, and others. The bill aims to force chronic speeders to slow down. No safety analyst note is available, but the intent is clear: rein in repeat offenders, protect those outside the car.

• File A 7979, Open States, Published 2023-08-18

Aug 13 - A Nissan SUV struck a moped on Dean Street late at night. The moped driver was ejected and suffered abrasions over his entire body. Unsafe speed by one vehicle contributed to the crash. The SUV’s left front bumper was damaged.

According to the police report, a 2019 Nissan SUV traveling east on Dean Street collided head-on with a southbound 2023 Zhongneng moped. The moped driver, a 51-year-old man, was ejected from his vehicle and sustained abrasions over his entire body. The report lists unsafe speed as a contributing factor to the crash. The SUV’s left front bumper was damaged on impact. The moped driver was conscious but injured. No other contributing factors or safety equipment were noted. The crash involved two vehicles going straight ahead before impact, with the SUV striking the moped at the center front end.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4654209 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 28 - A Nissan SUV struck a northbound moped from behind on Washington Avenue. The moped rider, helmeted and unlicensed, suffered a shattered pelvis. The SUV’s bumper split. The street fell silent. Driver inattention marked the crash.

A Nissan SUV rear-ended a northbound moped on Washington Avenue. The moped rider, a 50-year-old man, was helmeted but unlicensed. He sustained severe crush injuries to his pelvis and remained conscious at the scene. According to the police report, 'A Nissan SUV crushed into the rear of a northbound moped. The rider, 50, unlicensed but helmeted, lay conscious with a shattered pelvis.' The SUV’s bumper split from the impact. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The moped rider’s helmet use is noted, but the primary cause remains the SUV driver’s inattention. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4650160 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19