Crash Count for Gravesend (West)
Crashes: Collisions involving cars, bikes, and pedestrians. 1,288
All Injuries: Any injury from a reported crash. 758
Moderate: Broken bones, concussions, and other serious injuries. 169
Serious: Life-altering injuries: amputations, paralysis, severe trauma. 6
Deaths: Lives lost to traffic violence. 4
Data from Jan 1, 2022 to Jul 26, 2025

Who’s Injuring and Killing Pedestrians in Gravesend (West)?

Four Dead in Gravesend—City Lets Killers Drive On

Four Dead in Gravesend—City Lets Killers Drive On

Gravesend (West): Jan 1, 2022 - Jun 4, 2025

The Toll in Flesh and Bone

Four dead. Six seriously hurt. In Gravesend (West), the numbers do not tell the whole story, but they do not lie. Since 2022, cars and trucks have killed four people and left six with wounds that will not heal. Two of the dead were older New Yorkers, crossing with the light, doing nothing wrong. One was a 95-year-old woman, struck by a left-turning van as she walked with her aide. Her family remembered her as “a very active lady” and said, “Everybody knows her” said her daughter. The NYPD did not charge the driver. The street stayed the same.

A mother and her two daughters died on a sidewalk. The driver had a suspended license, over 90 violations, and a taste for speed. She bragged about it. “She always talked about driving fast,” an acquaintance told the press. The city let her keep driving. The law let her keep killing.

The Numbers Behind the Names

680 injured. 1,172 crashes. In three years, the streets of Gravesend (West) have become a gauntlet. Children, elders, cyclists, and pedestrians pay the price. Cars and trucks do most of the harm: all four deaths, all but one serious injury. Bikes and motorcycles are not the killers here. The danger comes in steel and glass, moving fast, turning left, not stopping.

What Leaders Have Done—and What They Haven’t

The city passed new laws. Speed cameras now run all day. The council can lower speed limits. But in Gravesend (West), the blood keeps flowing. Drivers with long records stay on the road. Police let killers walk. No statement from the council. No call from the board. No change at the corner where the old woman died.

Call to Action: Demand Action Now

This is not fate. This is policy. Call your council member. Demand a 20 mph speed limit. Demand real enforcement. Demand streets where children and elders do not die for crossing with the light. Do not wait for another name on the list. Take action now.

Citations

Citations

Other Representatives

William Colton
Assembly Member William Colton
District 47
District Office:
155 Kings Highway, Brooklyn, NY 11223
Legislative Office:
Room 733, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248
Susan Zhuang
Council Member Susan Zhuang
District 43
District Office:
6514 20th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11204
718-307-7151
Legislative Office:
250 Broadway, Suite 1841, New York, NY 10007
212-788-7045
Twitter: CMSusanZhuang
Steve Chan
State Senator Steve Chan
District 17
District Office:
6605 Fort Hamilton Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11219
Legislative Office:
Room 615, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12247
Other Geographies

Gravesend (West) Gravesend (West) sits in Brooklyn, Precinct 62, District 43, AD 47, SD 17, Brooklyn CB11.

See also
Boroughs
City Council Districts
Community Boards
State_assembly_districts
State Senate Districts

Traffic Safety Timeline for Gravesend (West)

SUV Strikes Pedestrian Crossing With Signal

SUV hit a woman crossing Bay Parkway with the signal. She took a blow to the leg. Police cite failure to yield and following too closely. The street turned dangerous in a flash.

A 30-year-old woman was injured when an SUV struck her as she crossed Bay Parkway at Benson Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the pedestrian was crossing with the signal at the intersection when the driver, a 19-year-old man, failed to yield right-of-way and followed too closely. The woman suffered a contusion and injury to her lower leg. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. The crash highlights the risks pedestrians face even when following traffic signals.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4821563 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04
S 8344
Colton votes yes to extend school speed zones, improving child pedestrian safety.

Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.


S 7678
Colton votes yes to expand school speed cameras, boosting pedestrian safety.

White Plains gets speed cameras near schools. Lawmakers move fast. Most vote yes. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. Program ends 2030. Streets may slow. Danger faces children every day.

Senate Bill S 7678, sponsored by Shelley Mayer, establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in White Plains. The bill passed the Senate on June 11, 2025, and the Assembly on June 16, 2025. The matter reads: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of White Plains; repeals authorization of program December 31, 2030.' Mayer led the push. Most senators and assembly members voted yes. The bill aims to catch speeding drivers near schools, a known threat to children and families. No safety analyst note was provided.


S 7785
Colton votes yes to weaken bus rules, increasing pedestrian and cyclist risk.

Senate passed S 7785. The bill carves out large Mitchell-Lama housing from bus traffic rules. Lawmakers voted yes. The carve-out weakens enforcement. Streets grow less safe for people on foot and bike.

Bill S 7785, titled 'Relates to bus operation-related traffic regulations,' passed the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. The measure, sponsored by Senator Jamaal Bailey, excludes violations in cooperative housing developments with at least 10,000 Mitchell-Lama units from bus operation traffic regulations. The bill advanced through committee and received broad support in both chambers. By exempting these large complexes, the law weakens traffic enforcement where thousands live. This move increases risk to pedestrians and cyclists, stripping away protections that save lives. Vulnerable road users lose another layer of safety in dense city streets.


SUV Strikes Teen on Standing Scooter, Bay Parkway

An SUV hit a 17-year-old on a standing scooter at Bay Parkway and 86th Street. The teen was ejected and hurt. Police cite failure to yield. Two older men and a woman in the SUV were also involved. The street stayed dangerous.

A crash on Bay Parkway at 86th Street in Brooklyn left a 17-year-old male, driving a standing scooter, injured and semiconscious after being ejected. According to the police report, both vehicles were going straight when the SUV struck the scooter, impacting the right front bumper. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for both drivers. The teen suffered hip and upper leg injuries and complained of pain and nausea. Two men, ages 60, and a 54-year-old woman in the SUV, were also involved but their injuries were unspecified. No other contributing factors were listed in the report.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4820340 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04
Adams Removes Bedford Avenue Bike Lane

City will rip out a protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue. The lane calmed a deadly stretch. Drivers still parked illegally. Children darted into traffic. Now, cyclists and pedestrians face more danger. Policy shifts, safety slips. Streets stay lethal.

Streetsblog NYC reported on June 13, 2025, that Mayor Adams will remove the protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue, a corridor known for high crash rates. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, 'before this bike lane from 2018 to 2022 this is the area that had the second largest numbers of pedestrian fatalities and crashes in the city.' The lane faced opposition from some Hasidic leaders, citing children running into the lane from illegally parked cars and buses. Despite tweaks—school bus zones, daylighted corners, no standing areas—drivers kept parking illegally, blocking sightlines and endangering children. The city rarely removes protected lanes, but Adams acted after political pressure. Moving the lane to Classon Avenue, as some demand, would force cyclists onto a chaotic BQE ramp. The decision highlights persistent driver violations and policy gaps that leave vulnerable road users exposed.


Chan Supports Delivery App Insurance Without Crash Prevention

Senate passes bill forcing delivery apps to insure workers and crash victims. Lawmakers tout support for the injured. But insurance comes after the hit. Speeders keep driving. Danger stays on the street. Prevention takes a back seat.

On June 13, 2025, the New York State Senate passed a bill requiring food delivery apps to provide insurance for delivery workers, pedestrians, and cyclists. The bill, sponsored by Senate Finance Chair Liz Krueger, mandates up to $50,000 per person for basic economic loss, regardless of citizenship or employment status. Assembly Member Robert Carroll authored the original Assembly version, stating, 'It is time we require delivery apps to take responsibility for keeping delivery workers and pedestrians safe.' Sen. Andrew Gounardes defended a related speed-limiting bill, but it was weakened. Safety analysts warn: 'Focusing on insurance rather than speed limits shifts responsibility away from prevention and system design, failing to reduce crash risk and potentially discouraging mode shift by not addressing the root causes of danger for pedestrians and cyclists.' Lawmakers back insurance, but leave the streets risky.


S 8344
Chan votes no, opposing safer school speed zones for children.

Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.


S 5677
Colton votes yes on school speed cameras, boosting safety for children.

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Schenectady schools. The bill passed both chambers. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. The program ends in 2030. Streets near schools may get safer. The vote was not unanimous.

Senate Bill S 5677, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. The Senate passed it on June 12, with primary sponsor James Tedisco (District 44) and co-sponsor Patricia Fahy (District 46) leading the push. The Assembly approved it on June 13. The bill sets up automated speed enforcement near schools and sunsets December 31, 2030. The measure aims to catch speeding drivers near children. Some lawmakers voted no, but most supported the move. No formal safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets a known danger zone for vulnerable road users.


S 6815
Colton votes yes to exempt some employees from bus lane rules.

Senate and Assembly clear S 6815. MTA workers get a pass for driving in bus lanes while on duty. Law shields agency vehicles from tickets. Streets grow more crowded. Vulnerable users face more risk.

Bill S 6815, titled 'Relates to bus lane restrictions in New York city,' passed the Senate on June 12, 2025, and the Assembly on June 13, 2025. The bill states, 'it shall be a defense to any prosecution for a violation of a bus lane restriction ... when an employee of the metropolitan transportation authority is performing authorized duties.' Sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie and co-sponsored by Nathalia Fernandez, the measure exempts MTA employees from bus lane tickets while working. No safety analysis was provided. The bill opens bus lanes to more agency vehicles, crowding space meant for buses, cyclists, and pedestrians.


S 8344
Chan votes no, opposing safer school speed zones for children.

Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.


S 4045
Chan votes yes in committee, boosting street safety by curbing repeat speeders.

Senate backs S 4045. Repeat speeders face forced installation of speed assistance tech. Eleven points or six camera tickets triggers action. Law targets reckless drivers. Streets may get safer for those outside the car.

Senate bill S 4045, sponsored by Andrew Gounardes and co-sponsored by over two dozen senators, passed committee votes on June 11 and June 12, 2025. The bill, titled 'Relates to requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits,' mandates these devices for drivers who rack up eleven or more points in 24 months, or six speed or red light camera tickets in a year. The measure aims to curb repeat dangerous driving. Senators including Jamaal Bailey, Jabari Brisport, and others voted yes. The bill targets drivers with a pattern of violations, seeking to cut risk for pedestrians and cyclists by limiting repeat speeding.


S 5677
Chan votes yes on school speed cameras, boosting safety for children.

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Schenectady schools. The bill passed both chambers. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. The program ends in 2030. Streets near schools may get safer. The vote was not unanimous.

Senate Bill S 5677, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. The Senate passed it on June 12, with primary sponsor James Tedisco (District 44) and co-sponsor Patricia Fahy (District 46) leading the push. The Assembly approved it on June 13. The bill sets up automated speed enforcement near schools and sunsets December 31, 2030. The measure aims to catch speeding drivers near children. Some lawmakers voted no, but most supported the move. No formal safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets a known danger zone for vulnerable road users.


S 5677
Chan votes yes on school speed cameras, boosting safety for children.

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Schenectady schools. The bill passed both chambers. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. The program ends in 2030. Streets near schools may get safer. The vote was not unanimous.

Senate Bill S 5677, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. The Senate passed it on June 12, with primary sponsor James Tedisco (District 44) and co-sponsor Patricia Fahy (District 46) leading the push. The Assembly approved it on June 13. The bill sets up automated speed enforcement near schools and sunsets December 31, 2030. The measure aims to catch speeding drivers near children. Some lawmakers voted no, but most supported the move. No formal safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets a known danger zone for vulnerable road users.


S 6815
Chan votes yes to exempt some employees from bus lane rules.

Senate and Assembly clear S 6815. MTA workers get a pass for driving in bus lanes while on duty. Law shields agency vehicles from tickets. Streets grow more crowded. Vulnerable users face more risk.

Bill S 6815, titled 'Relates to bus lane restrictions in New York city,' passed the Senate on June 12, 2025, and the Assembly on June 13, 2025. The bill states, 'it shall be a defense to any prosecution for a violation of a bus lane restriction ... when an employee of the metropolitan transportation authority is performing authorized duties.' Sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie and co-sponsored by Nathalia Fernandez, the measure exempts MTA employees from bus lane tickets while working. No safety analysis was provided. The bill opens bus lanes to more agency vehicles, crowding space meant for buses, cyclists, and pedestrians.


S 6815
Chan votes yes to exempt some employees from bus lane rules.

Senate and Assembly clear S 6815. MTA workers get a pass for driving in bus lanes while on duty. Law shields agency vehicles from tickets. Streets grow more crowded. Vulnerable users face more risk.

Bill S 6815, titled 'Relates to bus lane restrictions in New York city,' passed the Senate on June 12, 2025, and the Assembly on June 13, 2025. The bill states, 'it shall be a defense to any prosecution for a violation of a bus lane restriction ... when an employee of the metropolitan transportation authority is performing authorized duties.' Sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie and co-sponsored by Nathalia Fernandez, the measure exempts MTA employees from bus lane tickets while working. No safety analysis was provided. The bill opens bus lanes to more agency vehicles, crowding space meant for buses, cyclists, and pedestrians.


S 5677
Colton votes yes on school speed cameras, boosting safety for children.

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Schenectady schools. The bill passed both chambers. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. The program ends in 2030. Streets near schools may get safer. The vote was not unanimous.

Senate Bill S 5677, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. The Senate passed it on June 12, with primary sponsor James Tedisco (District 44) and co-sponsor Patricia Fahy (District 46) leading the push. The Assembly approved it on June 13. The bill sets up automated speed enforcement near schools and sunsets December 31, 2030. The measure aims to catch speeding drivers near children. Some lawmakers voted no, but most supported the move. No formal safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets a known danger zone for vulnerable road users.


S 6815
Colton votes yes to exempt some employees from bus lane rules.

Senate and Assembly clear S 6815. MTA workers get a pass for driving in bus lanes while on duty. Law shields agency vehicles from tickets. Streets grow more crowded. Vulnerable users face more risk.

Bill S 6815, titled 'Relates to bus lane restrictions in New York city,' passed the Senate on June 12, 2025, and the Assembly on June 13, 2025. The bill states, 'it shall be a defense to any prosecution for a violation of a bus lane restriction ... when an employee of the metropolitan transportation authority is performing authorized duties.' Sponsored by Senator Leroy Comrie and co-sponsored by Nathalia Fernandez, the measure exempts MTA employees from bus lane tickets while working. No safety analysis was provided. The bill opens bus lanes to more agency vehicles, crowding space meant for buses, cyclists, and pedestrians.


S 8344
Colton votes yes to extend school speed zones, improving child pedestrian safety.

Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.


Brooklyn Parents Demand Safer School Streets

Parents in Greenpoint want cars out. A cyclist died at Monitor and Driggs. Children walk and bike to PS 110. The street stays dangerous. The city has not acted. Families wait. The threat of cars remains.

Streetsblog NYC reported on June 11, 2025, that parents at Public School 110 in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, are calling for a Paris-style school street to protect children. Their plan would turn Monitor Street into a cul-de-sac with a pedestrian plaza, add mid-block crossings, and close a slip lane to block cut-through traffic from the BQE. The push follows a fatal crash at Monitor and Driggs, where a driver killed 73-year-old cyclist Teddy Orzechowski. Streetsblog notes, 'Streets outside schools have higher crash and injury rates than the city average.' Most PS 110 families walk or bike, but the city has not responded to the proposal. The article highlights the persistent risk from drivers using local streets as shortcuts.