Dec 17 - A corruption probe toppled Ingrid Lewis-Martin, City Hall’s top aide and a key road safety foe. Her resistance stalled the McGuinness Blvd. redesign, leaving pedestrians and cyclists at risk. Only after investigators seized phones did the city revive its safety plan.

This story centers on the McGuinness Boulevard safety redesign, a project to protect pedestrians and cyclists on a deadly Brooklyn street. No council bill number applies, but the saga unfolded across 2023 and 2024, with City Hall’s powerful aide Ingrid Lewis-Martin at the center. The matter: 'What role did a single bike lane play in Ingrid Lewis-Martin's undoing?' Lewis-Martin, Mayor Adams’s closest advisor, fought the road diet and bike lane, siding with Broadway Stages and its CEO Gina Argento, who opposed the plan. Under their pressure, Adams abandoned the Department of Transportation’s safety design. After both women’s phones were seized in a corruption probe, City Hall reversed course and advanced the safety project. The episode exposes how political interference delayed life-saving street changes, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to ongoing danger.

• The Lewis-Martin Probe and McGuinness Blvd.: What We Know, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-17

Dec 12 - SUV veered on Flatbush Avenue. Metal struck metal. A woman in the front seat took the blow. Her shoulder and arm broke the silence. Lane change error left her hurt.

According to the police report, a southbound Lexus SUV changed lanes on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn and struck a northbound Isuzu box truck at 12:30. The SUV’s front end hit the truck’s rear. The SUV’s front passenger, a 27-year-old woman, suffered internal, shoulder, and upper arm injuries. She was conscious and not ejected. The box truck showed no damage. The report lists the SUV driver’s pre-crash action as 'Changing Lanes,' highlighting a lane change error. No contributing factors were assigned to the passenger or the truck driver. The crash underscores the risk when drivers fail at basic maneuvers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4778753 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 9 - A sedan slammed into an SUV’s side on Cortelyou Road. Two men inside the SUV suffered whiplash and full-body injuries. Both drivers were licensed. No driver errors listed. Impact left the SUV’s doors crushed.

According to the police report, at 1:20 AM on Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn, a westbound sedan struck the left side doors of a northbound SUV. Two men, ages 27 and 31, rode in the SUV. Both wore lap belts and remained conscious, but suffered whiplash and injuries to their entire bodies. The sedan’s male driver was licensed. Both vehicles were traveling straight before the crash. The report lists no contributing driver errors or factors such as failure to yield or speeding. The collision’s force crushed the SUV’s side, injuring its occupants despite restraint use.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777394 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 5 - Council bill bars cars from blocking crosswalks. No standing or parking within 20 feet. City must install daylighting barriers at 1,000 intersections yearly. Streets clear. Sightlines open. Danger cut.

Int 1138-2024, now laid over in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced December 5, 2024. The bill states: “prohibiting standing or parking a vehicle within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.” Council Member Erik D. Bottcher leads, joined by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and over two dozen co-sponsors. The law orders the Department of Transportation to install daylighting barriers at a minimum of 1,000 intersections each year, up from 100. The city must also run outreach and education. The bill aims to keep crosswalks clear, improve visibility, and protect people on foot and bike. No more hiding behind parked cars. The committee laid the bill over on April 21, 2025.

• File Int 1138-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-12-05

Nov 27 - A driver struck three cars in Bed-Stuy. She dragged a person, hit a vehicle with a pregnant woman, then crashed into an empty car. No life-threatening injuries. Police arrested her at the scene. Charges include assault and reckless endangerment.

Gothamist reported on November 27, 2024, that a New York City Housing Authority employee was arrested after a chaotic crash in Brooklyn. According to police, the driver, Tanisha Simpson, "swiped an oncoming car," then "drove away, dragging the person several feet and hitting another car with a pregnant woman inside." She struck a third, empty car before New York City Sheriffs arrested her nearby. The pregnant woman was taken to the hospital for evaluation, but no serious injuries were reported. Simpson faces charges of reckless endangerment, assault, and leaving the scene. The incident highlights the dangers of hit-and-run behavior and the risks faced by vulnerable road users at busy intersections.

• Three-Car Brooklyn Crash Sparks Arrest, Gothamist, Published 2024-11-27

Nov 21 - Sedan made a bad left on Beverley. Struck a woman crossing with the signal. She took the hit to her knee and leg. Driver failed to yield. Streets turned dangerous in a blink.

According to the police report, a 2022 Honda sedan turned left onto Beverley Rd near Flatbush Ave and struck a 47-year-old woman crossing with the signal. The impact hit her knee, lower leg, and foot, leaving her bruised and injured. The report lists 'Turning Improperly' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as driver errors. The driver, licensed in New Jersey, was alone in the car. The pedestrian was crossing legally at the intersection. The crash shows how driver mistakes put people on foot at risk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773635 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 14 - A male pedestrian suffered facial abrasions after being struck by the center back end of a northbound tractor truck on Church Avenue in Brooklyn. The truck was traveling straight ahead. The pedestrian was conscious but injured in the roadway.

According to the police report, a male pedestrian was injured when a northbound tractor truck traveling straight ahead struck him with the center back end of the vehicle on Church Avenue, Brooklyn. The pedestrian sustained abrasions to the face and was conscious at the scene. The report lists the pedestrian's contributing factors as unspecified, with no driver errors explicitly noted. The truck driver was licensed in New York and operating a 2006 KW-TRUCK/BUS. The collision caused damage to the center back end of the truck. No helmet use or crossing signal compliance was reported as contributing factors. The focus remains on the impact from the truck's rear and the pedestrian's presence in the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4771771 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 13 - Council demands DOT show its work. The law forces public updates on every street safety project. No more hiding delays. No more silent cost overruns. Progress for bus riders, cyclists, and walkers must be tracked and posted.

Int 1105-2024 became law on May 10, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by Julie Won and co-sponsored by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others, amends the city code to require the Department of Transportation to post annual and monthly updates on all projects tied to the streets master plan. The law’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' It forces transparency on protected bike lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian signals, and upgrades. The public will see delays, costs, and status. No more secrets. The mayor returned it unsigned, but the law stands.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-11-13

Nov 13 - Council demands DOT show its work. The law forces public updates on every street safety project. No more hiding delays. No more silent cost overruns. Progress for bus riders, cyclists, and walkers must be tracked and posted.

Int 1105-2024 became law on May 10, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by Julie Won and co-sponsored by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others, amends the city code to require the Department of Transportation to post annual and monthly updates on all projects tied to the streets master plan. The law’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' It forces transparency on protected bike lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian signals, and upgrades. The public will see delays, costs, and status. No more secrets. The mayor returned it unsigned, but the law stands.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-11-13

Nov 11 - A 70-year-old man crossing Flatbush Avenue with the signal was struck by a westbound sedan making a left turn. The pedestrian suffered upper arm contusions but remained conscious. The sedan showed no damage, highlighting the impact's localized force.

According to the police report, a 70-year-old male pedestrian was injured at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Foster Avenue around 6:40 AM. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when a westbound BMW sedan, driven by a licensed female driver, was making a left turn and struck him with the vehicle's left front bumper. The pedestrian sustained contusions and bruises to his shoulder and upper arm but remained conscious. The police report lists the pedestrian's contributing factors as unspecified, and no driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding were explicitly cited. The sedan sustained no damage, indicating the collision's impact was limited to the pedestrian. This crash underscores the dangers posed by turning vehicles to pedestrians at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4771005 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 1 - A 65-year-old man crossing outside a crosswalk on Nostrand Avenue was struck by a southbound SUV traveling at unsafe speed. The impact caused head injuries and bruising. The driver failed to adjust speed, leading to serious pedestrian harm.

According to the police report, a 65-year-old male pedestrian was injured after being hit by a 2019 Acura SUV traveling south on Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn at 12:15 a.m. The pedestrian was crossing outside a crosswalk or signal when the collision occurred. The point of impact was the vehicle's right front bumper, causing head injuries and contusions to the pedestrian. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor attributed to the vehicle driver. The driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead but failed to reduce speed or yield to the pedestrian. No pedestrian behaviors were cited as contributing factors. The collision highlights the dangers of speeding vehicles in pedestrian areas, especially outside controlled crossings.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768377 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 30 - A 70-year-old woman was struck at a Brooklyn intersection while crossing with the signal. The sedan driver failed to yield right-of-way and was traveling at unsafe speed. The pedestrian suffered serious hip and upper leg injuries but remained conscious.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling southbound on Flatbush Avenue struck a 70-year-old female pedestrian at an intersection. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the collision occurred. The report lists the driver's failure to yield right-of-way and unsafe speed as contributing factors. The vehicle impacted the pedestrian with its center front end, causing serious injuries to the pedestrian's hip and upper leg. The pedestrian remained conscious and complained of internal injuries. The driver was operating the vehicle straight ahead at the time of impact. This crash highlights the dangers posed by driver errors such as failure to yield and speeding in areas with pedestrian crossings.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4767729 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 14 - An eastbound SUV struck the left rear bumper of a parked SUV on Church Avenue in Brooklyn. The moving vehicle's driver, a 35-year-old man, suffered contusions but remained conscious and restrained. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved.

According to the police report, at 3:15 AM on Church Avenue in Brooklyn, a 2011 SUV traveling eastbound collided with the left rear bumper of a parked 2007 SUV. The driver of the moving SUV, a 35-year-old male occupant, was injured with contusions and bruises but was conscious and wearing a lap belt and harness. The report lists no contributing factors such as failure to yield or unsafe maneuvers, and no pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The collision was a rear-end impact with damage confined to the left rear bumper of the parked vehicle and the right front bumper of the moving vehicle. The driver of the moving SUV was licensed in New York and was the sole occupant of his vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4763272 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 10 - A BMW sedan hit a 37-year-old man crossing Flatbush Avenue. The driver failed to yield. The man suffered fractured hip and leg. Shock followed. The street stayed loud. The system failed to protect him.

According to the police report, a 2018 BMW sedan traveling north on Flatbush Avenue struck a 37-year-old male pedestrian at the intersection with Avenue H in Brooklyn. The pedestrian was crossing against the signal when the crash occurred. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor by the driver. The impact hit the pedestrian at the left front bumper of the car. The victim suffered a fractured and dislocated upper leg and hip, with injury severity level 3 and shock. The driver was licensed and continued straight ahead. The police report identifies the driver’s failure to yield as the cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4762483 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 5 - A sedan traveling west on Foster Avenue passed too closely to a pedestrian working in the roadway at an intersection. The pedestrian, a 48-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg abrasions. The vehicle showed no damage despite the impact.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 14:02 on Foster Avenue in Brooklyn. A sedan, traveling straight ahead westbound, struck a 48-year-old male pedestrian who was working in the roadway at an intersection. The report identifies 'Passing Too Closely' as the contributing factor twice, indicating driver error in maintaining unsafe proximity to the pedestrian. The pedestrian sustained abrasions to his knee, lower leg, and foot, classified as injury severity level 3, and remained conscious after the collision. The vehicle's point of impact was the left front bumper, yet it sustained no damage. There is no mention of any pedestrian contributing factors or safety equipment. This incident highlights the dangers posed by drivers failing to maintain safe distances from vulnerable road users in work zones.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4761659 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 5 - A 65-year-old woman was injured crossing Parkside Avenue outside a crosswalk. The sedan, traveling east, struck her on the left rear quarter panel. She suffered contusions and hip-upper leg injuries, remaining conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling east on Parkside Avenue struck a 65-year-old female pedestrian who was crossing outside a crosswalk. The point of impact was the vehicle's left rear quarter panel, causing contusions and injuries to the pedestrian's hip and upper leg. The pedestrian was conscious and reported bruising. The driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of the collision. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not assign fault to the pedestrian. The collision occurred away from an intersection, highlighting risks posed by vehicles to pedestrians crossing mid-block. Driver errors such as failure to yield or inattention may be implied by the impact location, but the report does not specify these explicitly.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4761137 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 3 - A 13-year-old boy suffered abrasions and full-body injuries after a sedan traveling east on Foster Avenue hit him at an intersection. The pedestrian was crossing against the signal when the vehicle struck his right side, causing significant harm.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling east on Foster Avenue in Brooklyn struck a 13-year-old pedestrian at an intersection near Nostrand Avenue at 7:43 AM. The vehicle impacted the pedestrian on its right side doors, causing abrasions and injuries to the entire body. The pedestrian was crossing against the signal, as noted in the report. The driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead. No specific driver errors such as failure to yield were cited, but the pedestrian's action of crossing against the signal was recorded as a contributing factor. The report does not indicate any other contributing factors or victim safety equipment. The collision resulted in injury severity level 3, with the pedestrian conscious after the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4760631 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 2 - Two men suffered neck injuries in a rear-end crash between SUVs in Brooklyn. Both were conscious and wearing lap belts. The impact damaged the front of one SUV and the rear of the other. Injuries included whiplash to driver and front passenger.

According to the police report, at 8:25 PM in Brooklyn, two sport utility vehicles traveling south collided. The vehicle with Pennsylvania plates struck the rear center of the New York-registered SUV. The driver and front passenger of the rear vehicle, both men aged 54 and 38, were injured with neck trauma described as whiplash. Both occupants were conscious and restrained by lap belts. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction, only unspecified factors. The collision caused center front end damage to the striking vehicle and center back end damage to the struck vehicle. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4760595 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 29 - Two men on an e-bike suffered knee and lower leg injuries after a collision on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. The e-bike struck another vehicle head-on. Both victims remained conscious but sustained bruises and contusions to their legs and feet.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 1:20 AM on Bedford Avenue near Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn. The e-bike, traveling north and going straight ahead, collided with another vehicle at the left front bumper and center front end. The two injured were the e-bike driver, a 25-year-old man, and a 30-year-old male passenger. Both sustained knee, lower leg, and foot injuries classified as severity level 3, with contusions and bruises. The report lists no driver errors or contributing factors for either party, and no safety equipment was used by the driver. The collision point and vehicle damage indicate a direct impact between the e-bike's left front bumper and the other vehicle's center front end. The victims were not ejected and remained conscious throughout.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4759406 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 26 - Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians now cross anywhere, any time. No summons. Law strips drivers of excuses. Streets shift. Power tilts to people on foot.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, rewrites New York’s pedestrian rules. The bill, heard by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, passed on September 26, 2024, and became law on October 26, 2024. Its title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way.” Sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán and co-sponsored by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, and Restler, the law lets pedestrians cross streets anywhere, even against signals. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks. The Department of Transportation must educate all street users on new rights and responsibilities. The law removes a tool police used to target walkers. It shifts blame from people on foot to the system and those behind the wheel.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26