No One Is Safe Until Streets Change

Aug 19 - A sedan turning right struck a bicyclist going straight on 9 Avenue. The cyclist was ejected, suffering a head injury and concussion. The crash damaged the left side of the bike and right front quarter panel of the sedan. No driver errors listed.

According to the police report, a sedan making a right turn collided with a bicyclist traveling straight west on 9 Avenue in Brooklyn. The bicyclist, a 55-year-old man, was ejected from his bike and sustained a head injury resulting in a concussion. The bike was damaged on its left side doors, and the sedan's right front quarter panel was impacted. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction. The bicyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. The cyclist remained conscious after the crash but suffered serious injuries.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4655378 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 27 - DOT moves to end a rule letting drivers park in unmarked crosswalks at T-intersections. Cars block ramps, endanger walkers, and hide danger. Advocates cheer. The city will hold a hearing. The change restores sight lines and puts people before parking.

On July 27, 2023, the Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed a rule change to close a 2009 loophole that allowed drivers to park in unmarked crosswalks at T-intersections. The proposal, not yet finalized, will be discussed at a virtual hearing in early September. The matter summary states: 'The city wants to reverse a 2009 policy that allows drivers to park in unmarked crosswalks at T-intersections, undoing a decade-and-a-half giveaway to drivers that blocked pedestrian access and made streets less safe.' Former Council Member Vincent Gentile pushed for the original exemption, arguing it would create parking and increase safety. DOT spokesperson Mona Bruno said, 'This proposed change will enhance safety and accessibility for pedestrians.' Disability and street safety advocates, including Jean Ryan, praised the move, saying the loophole blocked access for people with disabilities and endangered all pedestrians. The change will restore visibility at intersections, known as daylighting, and aligns city rules with state law requiring clear sight lines at crosswalks.

• City To Close Loophole That Allows Drivers to Park in Certain Crosswalks, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-07-27

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

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

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

Jun 5 - Families for Safe Streets rallied outside Speaker Heastie’s office. They demanded action on Sammy’s Law. The bill would let New York City set its own speed limits. Lawmakers dodged a vote. Grief and anger filled the air. The Assembly stayed silent.

On June 5, 2023, supporters of Sammy’s Law gathered outside Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s Bronx office. The bill, which would grant New York City local control over its speed limits, remains stalled in the Assembly. The rally, led by Families for Safe Streets, called out lawmakers for refusing to bring the measure to a vote. Fabiola Mendieta-Cuapio, a leading advocate, criticized the lack of transparency: 'We are demanding that the Speaker bring this to a vote.' Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz voiced strong support, but others, like Chantel Jackson, hesitated, citing constituent feedback. The bill’s matter summary states it would not mandate lower limits but allow the city to decide. The legislative process left families of crash victims frustrated and angry. The Assembly’s inaction keeps city streets dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.

• Supporters of Sammy’s Law Rally Heastie and Share Frustrations About Assembly’s Inaction on Speed Limit Reduction, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-06-05

May 23 - A Ford SUV traveling northeast hit a bicyclist also moving northeast on 41st Street in Brooklyn. The cyclist suffered bruises and injuries to his knee and lower leg. The impact was on the SUV’s right front bumper and the bike’s center back end.

According to the police report, a 42-year-old male bicyclist was injured in a collision with a 2022 Ford SUV in Brooklyn near 41st Street. Both vehicles were traveling northeast when the SUV struck the bike. The bicyclist sustained contusions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, but was conscious and not ejected. The report lists the bicyclist’s contributing factors as unspecified. The SUV driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead. The point of impact was the SUV’s right front bumper and the bike’s center back end. No specific driver errors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4636133 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 9 - Assembly bill A 6906 would scrap congestion pricing and order a forensic audit of the MTA. Streets would stay clogged. Air would stay foul. The city’s most vulnerable would keep dodging danger.

Assembly bill A 6906 was introduced on May 9, 2023, now in sponsorship stage. The bill aims to 'repeal congestion pricing (Part A); direct the metropolitan transportation authority to contract with a certified public accounting firm for an independent, comprehensive, forensic audit (Part B).' Assembly Members Jake Ryan Blumencranz (primary sponsor, District 15) and Lester Chang (co-sponsor, District 49) back the measure. The bill would halt congestion pricing, a policy designed to cut traffic and crashes. No safety analyst has weighed in, but repealing congestion pricing would leave streets more dangerous for those on foot and bike.

• File A 6906, Open States, Published 2023-05-09

Apr 26 - A fire in Sunset Park forced out two families. E-bike batteries sparked it. Council Member Gutiérrez called for a city taskforce and safe charging stations. Lawmakers want stricter rules. Lithium-ion fires have killed, maimed, and displaced hundreds. The danger grows.

On April 26, 2023, the City Council Transportation Committee held a hearing on lithium-ion battery regulation and e-bike safety. Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, District 34, proposed a taskforce to study citywide e-bike charging stations, saying, 'E-bikes are here to stay.' She urged the city to 'keep New Yorkers safe' with exclusive charging points for delivery riders. The matter, titled 'Fire at Sunset Park e-bike store displaces 2 families as pols fight to regulate lithium-ion batteries,' highlights a deadly pattern: over 400 fires, 300 injuries, and 12 deaths from e-bike batteries in four years. The bill has no set vote date. Federal lawmakers also introduced the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act to regulate battery safety. The push aims to curb fires, protect homes, and shield vulnerable New Yorkers from battery explosions.

• Fire at Sunset Park e-bike store displaces 2 families as pols fight to regulate lithium-ion batteries, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-04-26

Apr 25 - A sedan struck an e-bike on New Utrecht Avenue in Brooklyn. The e-bike rider suffered bruises and full-body contusions. The sedan hit the bike’s right front bumper. Driver distraction caused the collision. The rider wore a helmet and remained conscious.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling northwest on New Utrecht Avenue collided with an eastbound e-bike. The e-bike rider, a 32-year-old man, was injured with contusions and bruises over his entire body but was not ejected and remained conscious. The point of impact was the sedan’s center front end and the e-bike’s right front bumper. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors. The e-bike rider wore a helmet. No other contributing factors were specified. The sedan driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of the crash. The collision caused damage to both vehicles and injured the vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4635967 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 13 - A sedan making a left turn hit a northbound bicyclist turning right on 9 Avenue. The cyclist, a 20-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg bruises. Driver inattention and improper lane usage caused the crash.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling north on 9 Avenue made a left turn and collided with a northbound bicyclist making a right turn. The bicyclist, a 20-year-old male, was injured with contusions to his knee and lower leg but remained conscious. The report lists driver errors as "Driver Inattention/Distraction" and "Passing or Lane Usage Improper." The cyclist was not ejected and was wearing a lap belt. The point of impact was the right side doors of the sedan and the center front end of the bike. No other contributing factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4621041 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 12 - A 7-year-old boy was struck by an SUV while crossing with the signal in Brooklyn. The driver was making a left turn and distracted. The child suffered abrasions and injuries to his abdomen and pelvis. The vehicle’s left front bumper was damaged.

According to the police report, a 7-year-old pedestrian was injured at an intersection in Brooklyn while crossing with the signal. The driver of a 2014 SUV was making a left turn when the collision occurred. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors. The child sustained abrasions and injuries to the abdomen and pelvis but remained conscious. The vehicle’s left front bumper was damaged on impact. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4620183 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 28 - A 17-year-old bicyclist was partially ejected and injured in Brooklyn. The SUV struck the bike on its right side doors. The teen suffered abrasions and upper arm injuries. Both vehicles traveled northwest, going straight ahead at impact.

According to the police report, a 17-year-old male bicyclist was partially ejected and injured after a collision with a 1997 SUV in Brooklyn near New Utrecht Avenue. The SUV, driven by a licensed male driver, was traveling northwest going straight ahead when it struck the bicyclist on the right side doors. The bicyclist, also traveling northwest, suffered abrasions and upper arm injuries. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors. The bicyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. Vehicle damage was reported as none for both the SUV and the bike.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4616373 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 15 - A 21-year-old e-bike rider crashed into a parked sedan on 50th Street in Brooklyn. The rider was ejected and suffered upper arm injuries and bruises. The sedan had damage to its right side doors. Driver inattention caused the collision.

According to the police report, a 21-year-old male riding an e-bike traveling east collided with a parked sedan on 50th Street in Brooklyn. The e-bike rider was ejected from his vehicle and sustained injuries to his shoulder and upper arm, along with contusions. The sedan, occupied by two people, was damaged on its right side doors, with impact at the right rear bumper. The report lists driver inattention and distraction as the contributing factors. No other contributing factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted. The sedan driver was licensed and parked at the time of impact. The e-bike rider’s license status was not provided.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4613177 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 2 - A 33-year-old male bicyclist suffered knee and lower leg injuries after colliding with a parked SUV on 8 Avenue in Brooklyn. The SUV was stationary when the cyclist, changing lanes, struck its left front bumper. Driver distraction was a factor.

According to the police report, a 33-year-old male bicyclist was injured when he collided with a parked 2021 Kia SUV on 8 Avenue in Brooklyn. The bicyclist was changing lanes southbound when he struck the left front bumper of the stationary SUV. The bicyclist sustained contusions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot but was conscious and not ejected. The report lists driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted. The bicyclist was not wearing any safety equipment at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4609568 - 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

Feb 9 - An 11-year-old girl was struck by a sedan traveling south on 8 Avenue in Brooklyn. The driver was distracted, hitting the pedestrian at an intersection. The girl suffered facial bruises but remained conscious. The sedan’s front center was damaged.

According to the police report, a sedan driven by a licensed female driver was traveling south on 8 Avenue in Brooklyn when it struck an 11-year-old female pedestrian at an intersection. The pedestrian sustained facial contusions and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the crash. The sedan’s center front end was damaged on impact. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted. The pedestrian’s actions before the crash are unknown. The collision caused injury but no ejection or life-threatening trauma was reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4604398 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

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