No One Dead—Yet: Gravesend’s Streets Are Waiting for Blood

Apr 16 - A new map exposes the city’s worst drivers. Ten repeat offenders rack up hundreds of speed-camera tickets. Fines do nothing. Advocates demand action. The Stop Super Speeders Bill would force speed limiters on these drivers. Lawmakers stall. Streets stay deadly.

The Stop Super Speeders Bill (S7621) is under debate. It would require speed limiter technology for drivers with six or more automated enforcement tickets in a year. The bill is supported by Amber Adler of Families for Safe Streets and Ben Furnas of Transportation Alternatives, who call out the deadly pattern of repeat offenders. Furnas says, 'These results point to a small population with a shocking pattern of recidivism, resistance to traditional deterrents, and disregard for human life.' Adler points to a recent fatal crash by a repeat offender as proof of legislative failure. Assembly Member Michael Novakhov opposes the bill, claiming six tickets is not excessive. The NYPD withholds license plate data, blocking public scrutiny. The Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program has expired, leaving no replacement. Advocates say the bill is urgent to stop the next tragedy.

• Map Quest: Meet The City’s Most Dangerous Drivers (And Where They’re Preying On You), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-16

Apr 16 - New research from Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets announced a report detailing NYC's top 10 super speeders.

• Road report: Here’s where lead-foot drivers repeatedly get speed-camera tickets in NYC, The Brooklyn Paper, Published 2025-04-16

Apr 10 - Council bill orders trees and plants on new medians between bike lanes and car traffic. Concrete gets green. Barriers grow roots. The city must build for life, not speed.

Int 1233-2025 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced April 10, 2025, it demands new medians between bicycle lanes and motor vehicles be built for trees and vegetation, pending feasibility. The bill’s title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to the planting of vegetation on new medians separating bicycle lanes from motorized vehicle traffic.” Council Member Shekar Krishnan leads, joined by Bottcher, Ossé, Brannan, Hanif, and Brooks-Powers. They push the city to plant, or allow planting, in every new median. The law would take effect 120 days after passage. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 1233-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-10

Apr 10 - Council passed a law forcing DOT to post sharp, regular updates on street safety projects. Progress on bike lanes, bus lanes, and signals must go public. No more hiding delays or cost overruns. The city must show its work.

Bill Int 1105-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced November 13, 2024, it passed Council on April 10, 2025, and became law May 10, 2025. The bill's title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' Council Member Julie Won led sponsorship, joined by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others. The law demands DOT post annual and monthly updates on every project tied to the master plan—listing details, timelines, funding, and setbacks. This law brings sunlight to street safety work, making the city answer for every mile and missed deadline.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-04-10

Apr 9 - A school bus veered off course in Flatbush. Metal crumpled. A woman and boy fell. The boy’s arm broke. The woman’s neck and hip throbbed. The bus smashed a fence. Sirens wailed. Both survived. The driver stayed. The city’s danger remained.

ABC7 reported on April 9, 2025, that a 66-year-old school bus driver struck a 43-year-old woman and an 8-year-old boy at Bedford Avenue and Farragut Road, Brooklyn. The driver told police he 'hit the gas instead of the brakes, jumped the curb and struck the pedestrians before smashing into a fence.' The woman suffered neck and hip pain; the boy’s arm broke. Both were hospitalized and are expected to survive. No charges were immediately filed. The bus remained at the scene. The article notes the investigation is ongoing. The incident highlights risks at intersections and the consequences of driver error, especially when large vehicles enter pedestrian space.

• School Bus Jumps Curb, Hits Two Pedestrians, ABC7, Published 2025-04-09

Apr 7 - A sedan struck a 29-year-old woman walking along Ocean Parkway. She suffered arm injuries and shock. Driver inattention and inexperience caused the crash.

A sedan traveling south on Ocean Parkway struck a 29-year-old female pedestrian who was walking along the highway with traffic. She suffered injuries to her arm and reported pain and shock. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' contributed to the crash. The vehicle's right front quarter panel was damaged. The pedestrian was not at an intersection when hit. No other contributing factors were listed in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804300 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Apr 6 - A mother and two children died in Midwood. Miriam Yarimi sped through a red light with a suspended license. Her Audi struck the family. Police say she ran the light. The crash ended three lives on a Brooklyn street.

According to the NY Daily News (2025-04-06), Miriam Yarimi drove her Audi at high speed through a red light in Midwood, Brooklyn, on March 29, with a suspended license. Police and prosecutors state she struck and killed a mother and her two young children. The article quotes, "Yarimi was speeding in her Audi when she ran a red light and struck the family." Yarimi told first responders she was 'possessed' at the time. The report highlights her suspended license and excessive speed, both clear driver errors. The case underscores ongoing risks for pedestrians and families on city streets, and raises questions about license enforcement and traffic safety in New York.

• Suspended Driver Kills Brooklyn Family, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-06

Apr 5 - SUV hit a man on West Street. Pedestrian suffered leg injury. Police cite failure to yield. Impact was right front bumper. Danger for those on foot remains high.

A station wagon SUV traveling north struck a 25-year-old man on West Street in Brooklyn. The pedestrian was not at an intersection and suffered a knee and lower leg injury. According to the police report, the crash involved 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The point of impact was the SUV's right front bumper. The report also lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a factor, but the primary error cited is failure to yield. No injuries were reported for the vehicle occupants. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4803702 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Apr 4 - Ocean Parkway cuts through Brooklyn like a wound. Six lanes, fast cars, old design. State and city spent millions. Speed cameras blink. Still, people die. Politicians block real change. Residents demand more. Enforcement alone fails. The danger remains. Blood stains the asphalt.

"Assembly Member Michael Novakhov recently told Streetsblog he thinks the speed limit is too slow on Ocean Parkway." -- Misha Novakhov

On April 4, 2025, public debate erupted over Ocean Parkway’s safety. The matter, described as 'Tragedy Underscores Shortcomings of Vision Zero Era State Ocean Parkway Fixes,' highlights the failure of current efforts. Despite millions spent on speed cameras and signals, the six-lane highway remains deadly. Assembly Member Michael Novakhov called for higher speed limits. State Senator Simcha Felder pushed for a 30 mph limit, above the citywide standard. Advocates like Jon Orcutt demand deeper redesigns—lane reductions, pedestrian islands. Residents and experts say enforcement alone cannot save lives. Local opposition and political power block bold changes. The city DOT promises more work, but the danger persists. Vulnerable road users pay the price.

• Vision? Zero: Tragedy Underscores Shortcomings of Efforts to Make Ocean Parkway Safer, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-04-04

Apr 2 - A mother and two daughters died on Ocean Parkway. The car struck them in the crosswalk. The driver sped, license suspended, dozens of violations. A son clings to life. The street holds the mark. Lawmakers call for speed limiters.

CBS New York (2025-04-02) reports that Miriam Yarimi faces arraignment after a crash in Midwood, Brooklyn killed Natasha Saada and her daughters, ages 8 and 5, as they crossed Ocean Parkway. Police say Yarimi was speeding, rear-ended another car, and hit the family in the crosswalk. Her license was suspended, with 'dozens of violations and $10,000 of unpaid fines.' NYPD Commissioner Tisch stated, 'This was a horrific tragedy caused by someone who shouldn't have been on the road.' The crash renewed calls for Albany lawmakers to mandate speed-limiting devices for repeat offenders, with a bill proposed to require such technology for drivers with more than six camera violations.

• Speeding Driver Kills Brooklyn Family Crossing, CBS New York, Published 2025-04-02

Apr 1 - After a crash killed a mother and two daughters in Gravesend, advocates and Council Member Shahana Hanif rallied for the Stop Super Speeders bill. The law would force repeat reckless drivers to use speed-limiting tech. Survivors demand action. Lawmakers promise change.

On April 1, 2025, Council Member Shahana Hanif joined a rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall demanding passage of the Stop Super Speeders bill. The bill, sponsored in Albany by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, would require drivers with repeated violations to install intelligent speed assistance (ISA) devices. These devices cap speed at 5 mph over the limit for those with 11 or more license points in 24 months or six camera tickets in a year. The rally followed a fatal Gravesend crash that killed a mother and her two daughters. Hanif and other lawmakers called current enforcement—ticketing, suspensions, fines, jail—ineffective. Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon said, 'The speed limiter technology is available to us. Let’s use it. It will save lives.' The bill is modeled on EU and Virginia laws. Some opposition remains, but supporters say the measure is urgent and practical.

• ‘Enough is enough’: Street safety advocates demand passage of ‘Stop Super Speeders’ bill after tragic Gravesend crash, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2025-04-01

Apr 1 - A mother and two children died on Ocean Parkway. A driver with a suspended license and a record of violations struck them. The road has claimed many lives before. Residents see speeding daily. Calls for change echo. Danger remains.

The New York Post (April 1, 2025) reports that Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn has seen 20 deaths since 2014, with nearly 2,400 injuries since 2012. On March 30, Miriam Yarimi, driving with a suspended license and 93 prior traffic violations, crashed into an Uber and then into a family, killing Natasha Saada and two of her children. A third child remains in critical condition. The article quotes Ben Furnas of Transportation Alternatives: Ocean Parkway is 'one of Brooklyn's most dangerous roads.' Residents and advocates demand stronger safety measures, including speed-limiting technology for repeat offenders. Mayor Eric Adams is open to lowering the speed limit, but state approval is needed. Despite Vision Zero, Ocean Parkway remains hazardous for pedestrians.

• Ocean Parkway Crash Exposes Deadly Pattern, New York Post, Published 2025-04-01

Mar 31 - Assembly Member Novakhov stood at a funeral for a mother and two children killed by a speeder. He spoke against a bill to fit repeat speeders’ cars with limiters. He called enforcement excessive. Mourners demanded action. The street remains deadly.

On March 31, 2025, Assembly Member Michael Novakhov publicly opposed a state bill requiring speed-limiting devices for cars owned by repeat speeders. The statement came at the funeral for Natasha Saada and her children, killed by a speeding driver on Ocean Parkway. Novakhov argued, 'six red-light or speed violations in one year [is] too little,' and claimed, 'any driver can get much more than six.' He also denounced speed cameras, saying, 'we have too many,' and that they punish regular drivers. The bill’s matter summary centers on requiring devices for vehicles with six violations in a year. Community members and advocates at the funeral demanded stronger accountability and cited the area’s deadly history. Other local politicians, including Kalman Yeger and Simcha Felder, have also opposed speed safety measures. The Department of Transportation has not recommended major changes to Ocean Parkway, despite ongoing danger.

• Local Pol Novakhov Appears to Defends Reckless Driving at Funeral of Mother and Two Kids Killed by Speeder, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-31

Mar 31 - A mother and her daughters crossed Ocean Parkway. An Audi, speeding, struck them in the crosswalk. Three died. A boy clings to life. The driver had a record: dozens of violations, unpaid fines. Lawmakers now push for speed limiters.

ABC7 reported on March 31, 2025, that Natasha Saada and her two daughters were killed while crossing Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. The driver, Miriam Yarimi, rear-ended a Toyota, then continued into the crosswalk, striking the family. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, 'the Audi continued forward, striking the mother and her kids in the crosswalk.' Yarimi's car had 99 violations since 2023, including 21 speed camera and five red light tickets. Lawmakers are calling for new legislation requiring speed limiters for drivers with repeated violations. The crash highlights systemic failures in stopping high-risk drivers before tragedy strikes.

• Speeding Driver Kills Brooklyn Family Crossing, ABC7, Published 2025-03-31

Mar 30 - A driver ran a red at speed on Ocean Parkway. Her car struck a cab, then a mother and three children. Two girls died. The boy fights for life. The driver had a long record. The street remains deadly.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-03-30) reports that Miriam Yarimi faces manslaughter and other charges after running a red light at high speed on Ocean Parkway, killing a mother and her two daughters and injuring a young boy. Police say Yarimi had over 99 traffic violations, including 21 for speeding and five for red-light running. Her license was suspended, yet she continued to drive. Advocates point to the lack of speed-limiting devices on vehicles with repeated violations, a measure pending in Albany. Ben Furnas of Transportation Alternatives said, "If Albany had passed this bill when it was first introduced, this vehicle would already have been speed limited and this crash would never have happened." The crash has renewed calls for urgent policy action to protect vulnerable road users.

• Ocean Parkway Crash Exposes Systemic Failure, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-03-30

Mar 29 - A mother and her two daughters died on Ocean Parkway. A driver with a suspended license crashed, then hit the family in a crosswalk. The youngest son survived after surgery. Nine others were hurt. The street ran red with grief.

According to the New York Post (March 29, 2025), a suspended driver with a record of '15 school zone speeding and red-light tickets in the last 12 months' collided with an Uber and struck a family crossing Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called it 'a horrific tragedy caused by someone who shouldn’t have been on the road.' The crash killed Natasha Saada, 35, and her daughters, Diana, 7, and Debra, 5. A four-year-old son was critically injured but survived surgery. The Audi driver, Miriam Yarimi, was arrested at the scene. Policy gaps loom: Yarimi’s history of fines and violations did not keep her off the road. Both drivers were to be tested for impairment. The incident highlights systemic failures in keeping dangerous drivers away from city streets.

• Mother And Daughters Killed On Ocean Parkway, New York Post, Published 2025-03-29

Mar 23 - Luis Cruz stepped from his car. An e-bike delivery worker sped through a stop sign. The crash was sudden. Cruz died on the street. The rider stayed. The intersection has seen this before. The system pushes speed. The danger remains.

Gothamist reported on March 23, 2025, that Luis Cruz, 49, died after an e-bike delivery worker "sped through a stop sign" and struck him as he exited his double-parked car in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Witness Jack Collins said, "He died basically on the spot." The e-bike rider remained at the scene. No arrests were made. The article notes this intersection is known for frequent stop sign violations: "It's not a unicorn incident. It's happened a lot." The piece highlights systemic issues, including delivery app pressures and gaps in e-bike regulation. City data shows e-bikes account for less than 2% of traffic deaths, but the policy debate continues. Lawmakers have called for tighter rules, as delivery workers face incentives to rush.

• E-Bike Rider Runs Stop, Kills Pedestrian, Gothamist, Published 2025-03-23

Mar 20 - A child passenger suffered whiplash and full-body injuries in a Brooklyn crash involving a sedan. The child was restrained and conscious, lying across a rear seat. The sedan was struck on its right rear bumper while parked, causing injury to the occupant.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Bay 43 Street in Brooklyn around 2:40 PM. A 2022 Nissan sedan, traveling west, was parked when it was struck on the center back end, specifically the right rear bumper. The injured party was a child passenger seated in the middle rear seat or lying across the seat, secured with a child restraint. The child sustained whiplash and injuries to the entire body but was conscious and not ejected. The report does not list any contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved, and no victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors. The crash highlights the dangers of impacts to parked vehicles and the vulnerability of child passengers inside.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800512 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Mar 15 - Police sped to a gun call. A U-turn blocked their path. The cruiser swerved, jumped the curb, and hit a shuttered shop. Metal buckled. Officers hurt. In Manhattan, a Charger spun wild, pinning a cop. Steel and flesh met hard. Sirens followed.

The NY Daily News (March 15, 2025) reports two Staten Island police officers crashed their cruiser into a closed restaurant while responding to an emergency. The officers 'lost control of their marked cruiser and slammed into the front of a Mexican restaurant' after swerving to avoid a car making a U-turn. Both officers sustained minor injuries. Hours earlier in Manhattan, a Dodge Charger 'spinning out of control' struck a police officer, pinning him against his patrol vehicle. Witness Abi Aguirre described, 'He crashed into a sanitation car... then he's doing circles and then he crashed out with a police car.' Both the officer and the driver were hospitalized. The incidents highlight risks from high-speed responses and erratic driving, raising questions about street design and emergency protocols.

• Police Cruiser Slams Into Staten Island Store, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-15

Mar 8 - A driver out on bail smashed into a Toyota in Bushwick. The crash killed Hayden Wallace and injured three others. The driver fled, leaving chaos behind. Police tracked him for over a year. Charges stack up, but the loss remains.

NY Daily News (March 8, 2025) reports that Christopher Seabrook, 28, was arrested after a deadly hit-and-run in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Seabrook had been out on bail for a previous crash involving police. On January 8, 2024, he crashed into a Toyota, killing Hayden Wallace and injuring three others. Seabrook fled the scene, abandoning his vehicle. The article notes, "All accidents are useless but this one was even more useless because [Seabrook] had so many other offenses." Seabrook faces 23 charges, including manslaughter, leaving the scene, unlicensed driving, and speeding. The case highlights repeated driver offenses and questions about bail and enforcement. Police needed over a year to arrest Seabrook, who had a history of fleeing crashes and driving without a license.

• Repeat Offender Kills Passenger In Brooklyn Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-08