Brownsville Bleeds—Leaders Stall. Demand Safe Streets Now.

Jun 11 - 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.

• Brooklyn Parents Demand Safer School Streets, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-11

Jun 11 - 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.

• File S 7678, Open States, Published 2025-06-11

Jun 11 - 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.

• File S 7785, Open States, Published 2025-06-11

Jun 10 - Senate backs S 8117. Oneida County gets school speed zone cameras. Law sunsets in 2030. Lawmakers act. Streets near schools may slow. Children walk safer. Drivers face new eyes.

Senate bill S 8117, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the county of Oneida,' passed committee votes on May 27 and June 10, 2025. The bill, sponsored by Senator Joseph A. Griffo (District 53), sets up speed cameras near schools in Oneida County. The program ends December 31, 2030. The Senate voted yes, with only two no votes and several excused. The measure aims to slow drivers near schools and protect children. No safety analyst note was provided. The bill now moves forward in the legislative process.

• File S 8117, Open States, Published 2025-06-10

Jun 10 - Senate backs S 8117. Oneida County gets school speed zone cameras. Law sunsets in 2030. Lawmakers act. Streets near schools may slow. Children walk safer. Drivers face new eyes.

Senate bill S 8117, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the county of Oneida,' passed committee votes on May 27 and June 10, 2025. The bill, sponsored by Senator Joseph A. Griffo (District 53), sets up speed cameras near schools in Oneida County. The program ends December 31, 2030. The Senate voted yes, with only two no votes and several excused. The measure aims to slow drivers near schools and protect children. No safety analyst note was provided. The bill now moves forward in the legislative process.

• File S 8117, Open States, Published 2025-06-10

Jun 9 - Senate passes S 915. Bill demands safe roads for all. Complete street design at its core. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get a fighting chance. Vote split, but the message is clear: streets must serve people, not just cars.

Senate Bill S 915, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee on June 9, 2025. The bill, sponsored by Sean Ryan (District 61) with co-sponsors Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Samra Brouk, Leroy Comrie, Patricia Fahy, Pete Harckham, Robert Jackson, Liz Krueger, and Christopher Ryan, pushes for roads built for everyone. The Senate voted, with most in favor and a block opposed. The bill's language is blunt: roads must be safe for all, not just drivers. No safety analyst note was provided, but the intent is clear—prioritize vulnerable road users in every street plan.

• File S 915, Open States, Published 2025-06-09

Jun 9 - Senate passes S 915. Bill demands safe roads for all. Complete street design at its core. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get a fighting chance. Vote split, but the message is clear: streets must serve people, not just cars.

Senate Bill S 915, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee on June 9, 2025. The bill, sponsored by Sean Ryan (District 61) with co-sponsors Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Samra Brouk, Leroy Comrie, Patricia Fahy, Pete Harckham, Robert Jackson, Liz Krueger, and Christopher Ryan, pushes for roads built for everyone. The Senate voted, with most in favor and a block opposed. The bill's language is blunt: roads must be safe for all, not just drivers. No safety analyst note was provided, but the intent is clear—prioritize vulnerable road users in every street plan.

• File S 915, Open States, Published 2025-06-09

Jun 6 - Two sedans slammed together at Powell Street and Liberty Avenue. Metal crushed. Three men hurt. One driver left unconscious. Police cite traffic control ignored and unlicensed driving.

According to the police report, two sedans collided at Powell Street and Liberty Avenue in Brooklyn. Three men were injured. One driver, age 35, was found unconscious with crush injuries. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. One driver was unlicensed at the time of the crash. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash left one vehicle demolished. The police report does not mention helmet or signal use as factors. The crash highlights the danger when drivers ignore traffic controls and drive without a license.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4818427 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

May 31 - Three drivers and a child hurt when sedans crash at unsafe speed in Brooklyn. Metal twists. Shock grips survivors. Streets scar. No room for error.

Two sedans crashed on East New York Avenue in Brooklyn. Three drivers and a four-year-old passenger were injured. According to the police report, 'Unsafe Speed' was a contributing factor. The crash left all involved in shock. No other contributing factors were listed. The data shows the child was in a restraint. The force of the impact injured all but spared two registrants. The street bore the mark of speed unchecked.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817815 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

May 27 - Senate backs S 8117. Oneida County gets school speed zone cameras. Law sunsets in 2030. Lawmakers act. Streets near schools may slow. Children walk safer. Drivers face new eyes.

Senate bill S 8117, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the county of Oneida,' passed committee votes on May 27 and June 10, 2025. The bill, sponsored by Senator Joseph A. Griffo (District 53), sets up speed cameras near schools in Oneida County. The program ends December 31, 2030. The Senate voted yes, with only two no votes and several excused. The measure aims to slow drivers near schools and protect children. No safety analyst note was provided. The bill now moves forward in the legislative process.

• File S 8117, Open States, Published 2025-05-27

May 26 - A driver struck Tiffany Cifuni after a fender-bender in Bedford-Stuyvesant. She was pregnant. The driver dragged her down a one-way street, crashed again, then fled. Cifuni’s family mourns. The street holds the mark of violence and loss.

NY Daily News reported on May 26, 2025, that Tiffany Cifuni, 32, was killed after a Chevy Trax rear-ended her on Van Buren St. in Brooklyn. Cifuni exited her vehicle to confront the driver, who then ran her over and dragged her down the street. The driver fled, crashing into two more vehicles before abandoning the car. The article quotes Cifuni’s husband: “I lost my whole family tonight.” Surveillance footage captured the confrontation and the fatal impact. The incident highlights the lethal risk of driver aggression and the dangers of hit-and-run crashes. The driver’s decision to flee and drive the wrong way down a one-way street escalated the harm, underscoring systemic failures in street safety and enforcement.

• Pregnant Woman Killed In Brooklyn Hit-Run, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-26

May 25 - A maroon Chevy struck a car from behind in Brooklyn. The woman inside stepped out. The driver ran her over and dragged her. She died in the street. The driver fled. Police search for answers.

CBS New York reported on May 25, 2025, that a woman was killed in Brooklyn after a maroon Chevy rear-ended her car. According to police, 'when she got out to approach the vehicle she was run over and dragged.' The driver did not remain at the scene. The incident highlights the lethal risk posed by drivers who flee after collisions. The NYPD is searching for the suspect. The case underscores ongoing dangers for vulnerable road users and the urgent need for stronger enforcement and street design to prevent such deaths.

• Woman Run Down After Brooklyn Crash, CBS New York, Published 2025-05-25

May 22 - A box truck hit a stopped sedan on Pitkin Avenue in Brooklyn. One passenger suffered a shoulder injury. The crash left others shaken but not seriously hurt. Police listed no clear cause. The street saw metal, pain, and confusion.

According to the police report, a box truck traveling east on Pitkin Avenue struck the right rear bumper of a sedan that was stopped in traffic. The impact injured a 60-year-old female passenger in the sedan, who suffered a shoulder and upper arm injury and reported whiplash. Other occupants, including both drivers and a 59-year-old male passenger, were listed as having unspecified injuries or no significant harm. The police report did not specify any contributing factors or driver errors in this crash. No mention was made of helmet use or turn signals as factors. The crash underscores the danger when large vehicles collide with stopped traffic, leaving vulnerable passengers at risk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814732 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

May 20 - 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.

• File S 4045, Open States, Published 2025-05-20

May 15 - A Mercedes turned left onto Rutland Road. The car struck Maurette Lafleur, 68, in the crosswalk. Medics rushed her to the hospital. She died. The driver stayed. No charges. The street stayed open. The danger stayed.

NY Daily News reported on May 15, 2025, that Maurette Lafleur, 68, was killed while crossing Rutland Road at E. 94th St. in East Flatbush. The article states, "Maurette Lafleur was in the crosswalk...when the driver of the 2025 Mercedes-Benz slammed into her." Police said the 64-year-old driver was turning left from E. 95th St. onto Rutland Road when the crash occurred. Lafleur was transported to Kings County Hospital but could not be saved. The driver remained at the scene and faced no immediate charges. The incident highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians in marked crosswalks and raises questions about intersection safety and left-turn protocols.

• Mercedes Driver Kills Woman In Crosswalk, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-15

May 13 - Senate bill S 533 seeks to kill congestion pricing and order a forensic audit of the MTA. The committee vote failed. Streets stay clogged. Danger for walkers and riders lingers.

Senate bill S 533, introduced on May 13, 2025, in committee, aimed to repeal congestion pricing and require an independent audit of the MTA. The bill summary reads: 'Repeals congestion pricing (Part A); directs the metropolitan transportation authority to contract with a certified public accounting firm for the provision of an independent, comprehensive, forensic audit of the authority (Part B).' Primary sponsor Jack M. Martins led the push, joined by George Borrello, Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, and others. The committee voted it down. No safety analyst reviewed the bill’s impact on vulnerable road users. The fight over street safety and traffic chaos continues.

• File S 533, Open States, Published 2025-05-13

May 13 - 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.

• File S 6815, Open States, Published 2025-05-13

May 13 - 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.

• File S 7678, Open States, Published 2025-05-13

May 13 - Senate passes S 346. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. Pushes work zone safety. Sets up new enforcement fund. Lawmakers move to shield workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 346 cleared committee on May 13, 2025. The bill, titled 'Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker; promotes work zone safety awareness; establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement,' aims to crack down on drivers who threaten highway workers. Senator Jeremy Cooney led as primary sponsor, joined by Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, Christopher Ryan, and James Skoufis. The committee voted yes. The bill targets reckless driving in work zones, boosting penalties and funding enforcement. It marks a step to protect those most exposed to traffic danger.

• File S 346, Open States, Published 2025-05-13

May 12 - An SUV hit a cyclist on Pitkin Avenue. The rider, 37, bled from the arm and went into shock. Police cite vehicular factors. The street saw blood and silence.

A 37-year-old cyclist was injured when an SUV collided with his bike on Pitkin Avenue at Legion Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the cyclist suffered minor bleeding and shock, with injury to the upper arm. The report lists 'Other Vehicular' as the contributing factor. No driver errors like speeding or failure to yield were specified. The cyclist was not using safety equipment, but the police report does not cite this as a contributing factor. The crash highlights the danger faced by cyclists on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812716 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04