Deadly Silence on the Belt Parkway: Lives Lost, Leaders Absent

• Brooklyn boy, 11, remains in critical condition after hit-run; driver on loose, NY Daily News, Published 2025-10-14

• Police hunting for driver who hit and killed a 75-year-old woman in Brooklyn and then sped off, CBS New York, Published 2025-10-05

• Firefighters racing to emergency collide with moped driver in Brooklyn, sending him to hospital, amny, Published 2025-09-21

• Woman fatally struck by 18-wheeler truck in hit-and-run crash in Brooklyn, ABC7, Published 2025-09-19

Sep 16 - Westbound, straight ahead. A sedan driver and a motorcyclist collided on Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. The motorcyclist, 43, suffered a leg contusion and stayed conscious. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction.

According to the police report, a driver in a sedan and a 43-year-old motorcyclist were both traveling west on Belt Parkway in Brooklyn and collided while going straight. The motorcyclist suffered an injury to the knee/lower leg/foot and was conscious at the scene, with a reported contusion. Other listed occupants showed unspecified injury status. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction as a contributing factor. The record does not specify which driver was inattentive or how the crash unfolded. No other contributing factors were noted in the dataset.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4843335 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Sep 6 - On Flatbush by the Belt Parkway, a 29-year-old motorcyclist went straight when the motorcycle's back end took the hit. He stayed conscious. He suffered severe leg cuts. Police recorded 'Other Vehicular' as the contributing factor.

A crash on Flatbush Ave at the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn injured a 29-year-old motorcyclist. According to the police report, the motorcycle was "Going Straight Ahead," and the point of impact was the "Center Back End." Police recorded "Other Vehicular" as the contributing factor. The rider suffered severe lacerations to the knee, lower leg, and foot. He remained conscious and was not ejected. The report lists a second vehicle but provides no details on that driver or vehicle. Damage to the motorcycle was recorded at the center back end. The record names the rider as the driver. No other injuries are documented.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841477 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Aug 14 - Int 1347-2025 orders TLC, NYPD and DOT to use a compliance checklist and levy maximum fines on unlicensed commuter vans. Punitive enforcement may cut informal transit, push riders to cars and ride‑hail, and raise vehicle volumes that endanger pedestrians and cyclists.

Bill: Int 1347-2025. Status: Sponsorship; sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced and referred August 14, 2025. The matter: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to enforcing violations against unlicensed commuter vans." Primary sponsor Nantasha M. Williams; co-sponsors Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Mercedes Narcisse, and Chris Banks. The law orders TLC, with NYPD and DOT, to maintain a checklist and requires officers to issue maximum fines for each violation. It takes effect 120 days after enactment. A safety assessment warns this punitive approach may reduce informal transit in underserved areas, shift trips to private cars and ride‑hail, and increase traffic volumes that endanger pedestrians and cyclists; it adds policing without system-wide safety gains.

• File Int 1347-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Int 1347-2025 orders TLC, NYPD and DOT to cite unlicensed commuter vans and levy maximum fines. It will likely shrink shared rides in transit deserts. Trips will shift to private cars and ride-hail. Pedestrians and cyclists face more exposure on the street.

Int 1347-2025 is at SPONSORSHIP and sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on August 14, 2025. The matter is titled, "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to enforcing violations against unlicensed commuter vans." Primary sponsor Nantasha M. Williams introduced the bill. Co-sponsors Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Mercedes Narcisse, Chris Banks, and Farah N. Louis joined her. The bill orders TLC, with NYPD and DOT, to maintain a compliance checklist and requires officers to issue maximum penalties for every listed violation. Analysts warn punitive enforcement and steep fines will likely reduce shared transit options in transit deserts, push trips to private cars and ride-hail, and increase traffic exposure for pedestrians and cyclists, prioritizing policing over safer operations or street redesign without clear system-wide safety gains.

• File Int 1347-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 10 - Two SUV drivers crashed at Fillmore and East 32nd. The Honda overturned. A 62-year-old woman driving was hurt. Three others listed with unspecified injuries. Police recorded failure to yield.

Two SUV drivers collided at Fillmore Avenue and East 32nd Street in Brooklyn. The driver of a westbound 2011 Honda went straight. A northeastbound 2024 Mitsubishi driver made a left turn. The Honda overturned. A 62-year-old woman driving the Honda was injured with abrasions across her body. Three others were listed with unspecified injuries. According to the police report, the crash involved a westbound Honda and a northeastbound Mitsubishi making a left turn, and police recorded “Failure to Yield Right-of-Way” as the contributing factor. No other contributing factors were recorded.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833933 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Aug 5 - A driver in a sedan overturned on Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. The 22-year-old driver was ejected and killed. Three male passengers were injured; one passenger was also ejected. Police recorded unsafe speed and driver inattention.

A driver in a sedan was traveling west on the Belt Parkway when the vehicle overturned. The 22-year-old driver was ejected and killed. Three male passengers were injured; police said one passenger was also ejected. According to the police report, the crash killed the 22-year-old driver and injured three male passengers, ages 18, 20, and 22. Police list 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The report notes that some occupants wore no safety equipment, mentioned after the cited driver errors. The car was registered in New Jersey and suffered an overturn.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833034 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Aug 3 - A man crossed Broadway. A driver hit him. The driver sped off. The man died on the street. Police hunt for the vehicle, possibly a garbage truck. The city’s roads claim another life.

NY Daily News (2025-08-03) reports a 47-year-old pedestrian was killed crossing Broadway at Suydam St. in Brooklyn. The driver, possibly operating a garbage truck, left the scene. Police said, "A driver struck and killed a 47-year-old pedestrian... then left the scene." The victim died before help arrived. The driver’s failure to remain highlights ongoing dangers for those on foot and the persistent issue of hit-and-runs in New York City.

• Driver Flees After Brooklyn Pedestrian Death, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-03

Jul 25 - Thin string, nearly invisible, sliced at necks and faces. Cyclists struck crossing Marine Parkway Bridge. Injuries mount. No answers. Danger lingers. System fails to clear the path.

Gothamist (2025-07-25) reports multiple cyclists injured by string stretched across the Marine Parkway Bridge walkway. Victims described sudden pain and red marks. One cyclist landed in intensive care in June. The NYPD said no criminality was suspected and has not identified the source. The MTA forbids cycling on the path, but most riders do not dismount due to the narrow walkway. The article quotes Angel Montalvo: "I felt pain, but I didn't know what it was." The recurring hazard exposes gaps in bridge safety and enforcement, leaving vulnerable users at risk.

• Cyclists Injured By Hidden String On Bridge, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-25

Jul 24 - Two dead on Third Avenue. A hit-and-run. Leaders call for change. The city promised a fix. The street stays deadly. Demands grow. Blood stains the corridor. Action lags.

CBS New York (2025-07-24) reports Brooklyn leaders urge the city to redesign Third Avenue after a fatal hit-and-run killed two. The article states, "Traffic safety leaders are calling on New York City to keep its promise to redesign Brooklyn's Third Avenue corridor." The crash highlights ongoing danger and unmet city commitments. Driver fled the scene. Advocates press for swift redesign to prevent more deaths.

• Brooklyn Leaders Demand Third Avenue Redesign, CBS New York, Published 2025-07-24

Jul 18 - A drunk driver killed a man in East Flatbush. Another driver struck a 95-year-old woman in Bensonhurst. Both drivers stayed. Both now face charges. The city counts sixty pedestrians dead this year.

NY Daily News (2025-07-18) reports two Brooklyn drivers face charges after fatal crashes. Winston Reid, accused of drunk driving, struck a man in an East Flatbush crosswalk. Police charged him with vehicular manslaughter. In a separate January crash, Timothe Andre hit Mayya Gil, 95, and her aide in Bensonhurst. Gil died from her injuries. After a six-month probe, Andre was charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care. The article notes, 'As of Thursday, 60 pedestrians had been killed by vehicles across the city this year.' Both drivers remained at the scene. The cases highlight ongoing risks for city pedestrians and the legal consequences for driver negligence.

• Brooklyn Drivers Charged In Deadly Crashes, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-18

Jul 15 - A judge stopped city crews from tearing out Bedford Ave’s only protected bike lane. The lane, shielded by parked cars, now waits for a court fight. Cyclists and advocates hold their ground.

NY Daily News reported on July 15, 2025, that an appellate judge blocked New York City from removing the protected Bedford Ave bike lane in Williamsburg. The city planned to move cyclists next to car traffic, but the court granted an emergency restraining order after advocates appealed. Ben Furnas of Transportation Alternatives called the lane a 'critical safety project.' City Hall insists the reconfiguration is legal and claims the appeal delays 'easing the safety concerns plaguing Williamsburg parents.' The protected lane, installed in October 2024, separates cyclists from moving vehicles. The ruling highlights ongoing policy battles over street design and cyclist safety.

• Judge Halts Bedford Ave Bike Lane Removal, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-15

Jul 12 - A BMW sped through a Brooklyn red light at dawn. Two men crossing 3rd Avenue fell. Both died on the street. The driver fled. Police caught him. Charges followed. The toll of cars grows.

Gothamist (2025-07-12) reports a Staten Island man "blew through a red light and killed two pedestrians" at 3rd Avenue and 52nd Street, Brooklyn. Police say the driver, 23, struck Kex Un Chen, 80, and Faqiu Lin, 59, then fled. Both victims died at the scene. The suspect faces manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges. NYPD data shows 98 citywide traffic deaths this year, nearly half pedestrians. The crash highlights the lethal risk at intersections and the deadly impact of ignoring signals.

• Red Light Run Kills Two Pedestrians, Gothamist, Published 2025-07-12

Jul 11 - A driver struck two men in Sunset Park. Both died. The driver fled. Police investigate. The street holds the silence. Lives ended. The car kept going.

CBS New York (July 11, 2025) reports two men were killed by a hit-and-run driver in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Police say the driver 'took off' after striking the pedestrians. The article notes an 'active investigation' but gives no details on arrests or charges. The crash highlights the lethal risk to pedestrians and the ongoing problem of drivers fleeing crash scenes. No mention of street design or enforcement changes.

• Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Two Pedestrians, CBS New York, Published 2025-07-11

Jul 10 - A moped struck a 90-year-old man in Brooklyn. The driver fled. The man died at the hospital. Security video captured the impact. The street claimed another life.

CBS New York (2025-07-10) reports a 90-year-old man died after a moped hit-and-run in Brooklyn. Security footage 'shows the moment the man was struck.' The driver left the scene. The victim died at the hospital. The incident highlights the lethal risk for pedestrians and the ongoing danger of drivers who flee. No policy changes or arrests were reported.

• Elderly Man Killed In Brooklyn Hit-Run, CBS New York, Published 2025-07-10

Jul 9 - Two vehicles collided on Flatbush Avenue. A sedan struck the back of an SUV. Three people hurt. Impact was hard. Police list no clear cause. Streets remain dangerous for all.

A sedan and an SUV crashed on Flatbush Avenue near Hendrickson Place in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the sedan hit the back of the SUV. Three people were injured: a 73-year-old male driver with back pain, a 70-year-old female passenger with a neck contusion, and another occupant with unspecified injuries. Police list all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are recorded in the report. The crash left both vehicles damaged at their center ends. The report notes one passenger wore a lap belt, while another driver had no safety equipment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826825 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Jul 9 - A Brooklyn judge cleared the way for Adams to tear out Bedford Avenue’s protected bike lane. City data showed crashes fell with protection. Now, cyclists and pedestrians face exposed pavement and risk.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-07-09) reports Judge Carolyn Walker-Diallo ruled Mayor Adams can remove three blocks of Bedford Avenue’s protected bike lane without advance notice. The city’s own Department of Transportation found the protected lane cut crashes and injuries by 47 percent, but the judge called the change 'only a modification.' She wrote, 'Modification of the bike lane is not a major transportation project.' Critics, including Council Member Lincoln Restler, say the removal endangers vulnerable road users and bypasses public input. The decision highlights gaps in notification laws and the risk of reverting to unprotected lanes on a Vision Zero priority corridor.

• Judge Allows Bedford Bike Lane Removal, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-09