Deadly Silence on Flatbush Streets: Demand Action Now

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

A 20-year-old woman crossing with the signal on Clarkson Avenue suffered hip and leg injuries. She was left in shock. No driver errors or vehicle details were listed in the police report.

According to the police report, a 20-year-old female pedestrian was injured while crossing Clarkson Avenue at East 56th Street in Brooklyn at 1:50 PM. She was crossing with the signal when a vehicle struck her, causing injuries to her hip and upper leg and leaving her in shock. The report does not specify any contributing factors or driver errors. No information about the vehicle or driver is provided. The absence of listed driver actions leaves the cause unaddressed in the official record.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777396 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A bus struck the rear of an SUV on Linden Blvd in Brooklyn. The SUV driver, a 56-year-old man, suffered back injuries and whiplash. Police cite the bus driver’s failure to maintain safe distance as the cause of the crash.

According to the police report, a bus traveling westbound on Linden Blvd rear-ended a slowing or stopping SUV also heading west. The impact occurred at the center front end of the bus and the center back end of the SUV. The SUV driver, a 56-year-old male occupant, was injured with back pain and whiplash but was conscious and not ejected. The report identifies the bus driver’s error as "Following Too Closely," a failure to maintain a safe distance behind the SUV. Both drivers were licensed, and the SUV driver was properly restrained with a lap belt and harness. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved. The crash highlights the dangers of tailgating by large vehicles in Brooklyn traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4776284 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

DOT built just 5.3 miles of new bus lanes in 2024. The law demands 30. Commissioner Rodriguez called it a great job. Critics slammed the city for falling short. Riders wait. Streets stay clogged. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price.

On December 4, 2024, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez defended the agency’s bus lane record before critics. The Streets Master Plan requires 30 new miles of bus lanes each year. In 2024, DOT delivered only 5.3 miles—just 17 percent of the legal mandate. Rodriguez claimed, “We are doing a great job,” citing national comparisons and blaming delays on community board processes and local opposition, especially around the 96th Street project. State Sen. Jessica Ramos, Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, and State Sen. Zellnor Myrie condemned the city’s self-praise and legal failure. The matter title reads: ‘We Are Doing A Great Job’ … Falling Short of Bus Lane Requirement. Several projects are planned for 2025, but completion is uncertain. The city’s slow pace leaves bus riders and other vulnerable road users exposed to dangerous, congested streets.

• DOT Commish: ‘We Are Doing A Great Job’ … Falling Short of Bus Lane Requirement, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-04

Six mayoral hopefuls faced off on transit. They promised bus lanes, free buses, and fair fares. Each slammed the mayor’s record. They called for less fare enforcement, more service. Riders, not drivers, took center stage. Words flew. Streets stayed dangerous.

On December 3, 2024, six candidates for New York City mayor—Brad Lander, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, Jessica Ramos, Scott Stringer, and Jim Walden—spoke at a Riders Alliance forum. The event focused on transit policy. Candidates pledged support for bus lanes, free buses, expanded Fair Fares, and shifting gas tax funds to mass transit. Lander vowed to end subway and street homelessness for the severely mentally ill by connecting them to stable housing. Mamdani promised a world-class bus network. Myrie pushed for citywide bus lanes. Ramos called for automatic Fair Fares registration. Stringer backed more bus routes. Walden opposed fare evasion crackdowns, urging resources go to service instead. All criticized Mayor Adams’ record on bus lanes and congestion pricing. The forum highlighted a united front for safer, more accessible transit, but offered no immediate relief for vulnerable road users.

• Promises, Promises: What the Candidates Said At The Transit Forum, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-03

Mayoral hopefuls hammered Eric Adams for broken bus lane promises. At a transit forum, they called out City Hall’s slow pace. The law demands 30 miles a year. Adams delivered half. Candidates pledged pro-transit reforms. Riders wait. Streets stay dangerous.

On December 3, 2024, a mayoral candidate forum on NYC bus service and transportation policy spotlighted City Hall’s failures. The event, organized by Riders Alliance, saw candidates attack Mayor Eric Adams for not meeting the Streets Master Plan law, which mandates 30 new miles of bus lanes each year. Adams’ administration installed only 15.7 miles last fiscal year. State Sen. Jessica Ramos said, 'The current mayor promised 150 miles of bus lanes and hasn't delivered.' Comptroller Brad Lander promised a 'professional, world-class DOT commissioner.' Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani vowed to resist business interests blocking bus projects. Sen. Zellnor Myrie, mentioned at the forum, made pro-transit promises. The forum exposed how political inaction and broken promises keep streets unsafe for bus riders and pedestrians.

• Mayoral candidates hit Adams on failed promises to boost NYC's bus service, gothamist.com, Published 2024-12-03

Six mayoral hopefuls faced off on transit. They clashed over congestion pricing, bus expansion, and subway safety. Zellnor Myrie pledged to defend congestion pricing. Others called for more police, more buses, and mental health teams. Streets and subways remain battlegrounds.

On December 3, 2024, at a Riders Alliance forum, six Democratic mayoral candidates—Brad Lander, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, Jessica Ramos, Scott Stringer, and Jim Walden—debated New York City transit policy. The event focused on congestion pricing, set to begin January 5, and subway safety. The matter summary reads: 'NYC mayoral candidates participated in a transit-focused forum... discussing congestion pricing, subway safety, and transit upgrades.' Zellnor Myrie, representing District 20, criticized Mayor Adams for not defending congestion pricing and promised to support it regardless of federal politics. Ramos pushed for congestion pricing revenue to fund the MTA. Stringer called for bus expansion and DOT reform. Walden wanted more police and exemptions for seniors and disabled riders. Lander and Mamdani argued for housing and outreach teams over policing. The forum highlighted sharp divides on how to protect vulnerable New Yorkers on streets and subways.

• 2025 NYC mayoral candidates sound off on congestion pricing, subway safety, amny.com, Published 2024-12-03

A sedan struck a 75-year-old man on Utica Avenue, tearing his eye and leaving blood on the street. The driver was distracted. The man stayed conscious, wounded and upright, as the city’s traffic pressed on around him.

A 75-year-old man was struck by a sedan on Utica Avenue near Church Avenue in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The collision occurred outside the crosswalk at 17:24. The report states, 'A sedan struck a 75-year-old man outside the crosswalk. His eye torn, blood on the asphalt. He stayed conscious.' The police report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The sedan’s left front bumper made contact, causing severe lacerations to the pedestrian’s eye. The report does not list any pedestrian behaviors as contributing factors. The focus remains on the driver’s distraction, which led to the violent impact and left the pedestrian injured on the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4778655 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A city worker crashed into three cars in Bed-Stuy. She dragged a person, struck a car with a pregnant woman, and tried to flee. No life-threatening injuries. Police arrested her near the scene. Charges include assault and reckless endangerment.

Gothamist (2024-11-27) reports a New York City Housing Authority employee crashed into three vehicles near Gates Avenue and Marcus Garvey Boulevard in Brooklyn. Police say the driver, Tanisha Simpson, "swiped an oncoming car," dragged a person trying to get her information, and hit another car with a pregnant woman inside. She then struck a third, unoccupied vehicle before being arrested by city sheriffs nearby. The pregnant woman was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Simpson faces charges of reckless endangerment, assault, and leaving the scene. The incident highlights ongoing risks at busy intersections and underscores the consequences of fleeing after a crash.

• Driver Drags Person, Hits Pregnant Woman, Gothamist, Published 2024-11-27

A box truck struck a sedan traveling north on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn. The sedan’s female driver suffered head injuries and whiplash. Police cited traffic control disregard as the cause. Both vehicles sustained front and side damage in the midday crash.

According to the police report, a box truck traveling west on Utica Avenue collided with a northbound sedan at noon. The point of impact was the left front quarter panel of the truck and the center front end of the sedan. The sedan’s 36-year-old female driver was injured, sustaining head injuries and whiplash, and was conscious at the scene. She was restrained by a lap belt and was not ejected. The report lists "Traffic Control Disregarded" as the contributing factor, indicating a failure to obey traffic signals or signs by one or both drivers. The box truck driver’s license status and sex were not reported. The collision caused center front end damage to the sedan and left side door damage to the truck. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4776161 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A westbound SUV making a left turn collided with a box truck driving straight on Church Ave. The SUV driver, a 54-year-old woman, suffered back injuries and whiplash. Faulty traffic control devices contributed to the crash, according to the police report.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Church Ave in Brooklyn at 10:53 AM. A 2016 SUV driven by a 54-year-old woman was making a left turn when it collided with a westbound box truck traveling straight ahead. The point of impact was the right front quarter panel of the SUV and the left front bumper of the truck. The SUV driver sustained back injuries and whiplash but was conscious and not ejected. Both vehicles were damaged on their respective impact points. The report cites 'Traffic Control Device Improper/Non-Working' as a contributing factor twice, indicating systemic failure in traffic signaling. The SUV driver was also noted to have a contributing factor labeled 'Other Vehicular.' The report does not assign fault to the injured driver but highlights driver errors linked to malfunctioning traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773822 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A bus merging south on Utica Avenue struck a sedan making a right turn, impacting the sedan's right rear bumper. The sedan driver, a 34-year-old woman, suffered chest injuries and shock. Slippery pavement contributed to the crash dynamics.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 18:55 on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn. A bus traveling south was merging when it collided with a sedan making a right turn. The point of impact was the sedan's right rear bumper and the bus's left front bumper. The sedan driver, a 34-year-old female occupant, was injured with chest trauma and experienced shock. She was restrained with a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report cites 'Pavement Slippery' as a contributing factor, indicating hazardous road conditions. No explicit driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding were listed, but the merging maneuver by the bus and the right turn by the sedan under slippery conditions created the collision. No victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774242 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council weighs Adams’s City of Yes plan. Mayoral challengers back the original, urge no watering down. They want housing, not parking. Council may weaken it. The fight is over homes versus cars. Vulnerable road users watch as parking mandates hang in the balance.

On November 21, 2024, the City Council debated Mayor Adams’s City of Yes zoning proposal, which aims to boost housing and scrap mandatory parking citywide. The Council may weaken the plan by creating a three-tiered system, risking fewer new homes. Mayoral challengers Zellnor Myrie, Brad Lander, Scott Stringer, Jessica Ramos, and Zohran Mamdani—all Democrats—strongly support the original plan. Myrie urges, 'resist efforts to revise the proposal in any way that would yield fewer homes.' Lander calls for ending exclusionary zoning and prioritizing housing over parking. Stringer calls the plan a 'small step.' Mamdani opposes changes that reduce housing or water down parking elimination. Ramos would vote yes but wants to protect neighborhood character. The Council’s decision will shape the city’s streets, homes, and the future for those outside cars.

• What Do the Mayoral Candidates Think Of ‘City of Yes’?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-21

A sedan and pick-up truck collided on Kings Hwy in Brooklyn. The female sedan driver and a child passenger suffered moderate injuries. Both vehicles were traveling north when impact occurred. Driver errors remain unspecified in the police report.

According to the police report, a collision occurred at 7:40 AM on Kings Hwy in Brooklyn involving a 2020 Kia sedan and a 2015 Ford pick-up truck, both traveling north. The sedan's left front bumper struck the pick-up truck's right rear bumper. The sedan driver, a 31-year-old female, was injured in the back with injury severity level 3 and was wearing a lap belt. A 7-year-old male child passenger in the sedan was also injured in the hip-upper leg area with injury severity level 3 and was secured in a child restraint. Both occupants experienced shock but were not ejected. The report lists contributing factors as unspecified for both occupants and does not identify driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The collision resulted in vehicle damage to the left front bumper of the sedan and right rear bumper of the pick-up truck.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773094 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

An e-bike rider was ejected and suffered a severe arm fracture after a crash on Utica Ave. The driver disregarded traffic controls, causing the collision. The rider remained conscious despite the injury, highlighting the dangers of ignored traffic signals.

According to the police report, a 31-year-old male e-bike rider traveling south on Utica Ave was involved in a crash at 12:42 a.m. The report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the contributing factor, indicating a driver error in failing to obey traffic signals or signs. The rider was ejected from the e-bike and sustained a fracture and dislocation to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The rider was conscious after the crash but suffered serious injuries classified as severity level 3. The collision involved the left rear bumper of the e-bike, which was damaged. No other contributing factors related to the rider's behavior or safety equipment were noted in the report. This incident underscores the systemic danger posed by drivers ignoring traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4772514 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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

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

Two sedans crashed at Beverley Road and Utica Avenue in Brooklyn. The driver of one vehicle suffered neck injuries and shock. Police cited unsafe speed and traffic control disregard as contributing factors. Both vehicles sustained front and side damage.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 12:28 a.m. on Beverley Road near Utica Avenue in Brooklyn. Two sedans collided: a 2019 Honda traveling east and a 2007 Lexus traveling south. The point of impact was the center front end of the Honda and the right side doors of the Lexus. The Honda driver, a 45-year-old male occupant, was injured with neck trauma and experienced shock. He was wearing a lap belt and was not ejected. The report identifies 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the primary contributing factors for the crash. The Lexus driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead. The police report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors. This collision highlights driver errors involving speed and failure to obey traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4769170 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A left-turning sedan struck a straight-moving car on Remsen Avenue. The crash slammed the Tesla’s side. A rear passenger took the blow. She suffered a shoulder injury. Driver inattention fueled the impact.

According to the police report, a 2012 Lexus sedan making a left turn collided with a 2023 Tesla sedan traveling straight on Remsen Avenue in Brooklyn. The Lexus hit the Tesla’s left side doors. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. A 34-year-old woman riding in the Tesla’s rear seat was injured, suffering a shoulder and upper arm injury and shock. She was not ejected and wore no safety equipment. The crash highlights the harm caused by driver distraction and its toll on passengers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768678 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan turns left at midnight, steel collides with flesh. A young moped rider is thrown, bleeding, onto Utica Avenue. The car’s bumper bends. The street holds the violence. The night stays silent, the wound remains.

At the corner of Utica Avenue and Tilden Avenue in Brooklyn, a sedan making a left turn collided with a northbound moped, according to the police report. The crash occurred at midnight. The moped rider, a 25-year-old man, was ejected and landed on the street with severe lacerations, described as 'flesh torn' and 'bleeding' in the narrative. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor, underscoring the sedan driver's error in the collision. The moped rider was conscious at the scene. The report also notes the rider was not wearing a helmet, but this detail appears after the primary driver error. The sedan’s right front bumper was damaged. The violence of the impact and the injury to the vulnerable road user are clear in the official account.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766731 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04