Westchester Square: Kids Bleed, Politicians Stall

A Chevy pickup turned left on Seddon Street. A woman, 47, crossing at the intersection, was crushed beneath its wheels. The driver failed to yield. She died under the streetlamp, her life ended by a moment’s inattention.

According to the police report, a Chevy pickup truck was making a left turn at the corner of Seddon Street and St Raymond Avenue in the Bronx when it struck a 47-year-old woman crossing the intersection. The report states the driver 'did not yield,' and lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The pedestrian was crushed beneath the vehicle and died at the scene. The incident occurred at 23:41. The police report does not cite any pedestrian behaviors as contributing factors. The deadly impact and fatal outcome were directly linked to driver actions and the systemic danger posed by turning vehicles failing to yield to people in the crosswalk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4776866 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A car turned wrong on Fuller Street. It struck a 17-year-old boy. He suffered facial abrasions. Night fell heavy. Driver error caused the crash. The street stayed dangerous for those on foot.

According to the police report, a vehicle traveling north near 2419 Fuller Street in the Bronx made an improper right turn at 21:38. The car struck a 17-year-old male pedestrian. He was conscious at the scene and suffered abrasions to his face. The report lists 'Turning Improperly' as the sole contributing factor. No pedestrian actions or faults are cited. The driver’s improper maneuver led directly to the injury. This crash shows the danger of careless turns on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4772532 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A distracted SUV driver made a left turn and struck a female pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk in the Bronx. The impact caused abrasions and lower leg injuries. The pedestrian was conscious and injured but not ejected from the scene.

According to the police report, at 9:37 AM in the Bronx near Commerce Avenue, a 2016 SUV traveling northwest was making a left turn when the driver, distracted and inattentive, struck a female pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk. The pedestrian suffered abrasions and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The vehicle's point of impact was the right front bumper, and despite the collision, the SUV sustained no damage. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene and not ejected. No other contributing factors related to the pedestrian were noted. The incident highlights the dangers posed by driver distraction during turning maneuvers in areas with pedestrian activity.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4770168 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

State DOT backs off highway plan. Now weighs bike and pedestrian path. Bronx officials and advocates push back against more lanes, more overpasses. Public left out. Final decision coming. Streets remain dangerous. Lives hang in the balance.

On November 5, 2024, the New York State Department of Transportation announced it is reconsidering its plan for a four-lane bypass road next to the Cross-Bronx Expressway. The agency now weighs three options: the original bypass, a bike-pedestrian path, or a two-lane road with a two-way bike lane. This shift follows a September letter from Bronx elected officials, including Assembly Member Karines Reyes, urging DOT to drop the bypass. The official matter summary states, 'DOT is now presenting three options as part of a $900-million project to rebuild five elevated sections of the expressway.' Environmental advocates remain opposed to more lanes and overpasses, wary of obscuring Starlight Park and the Bronx River. Daniel Ranells of the Bronx River Alliance said, 'We like east-west connections that make things safer for people who are walking and biking,' but called for better public involvement. DOT will release a draft environmental assessment and hold hearings this winter, with a final decision due in spring 2025.

• State Now Considering Car-Free Connector Next To Cross-Bronx Expwy Instead of Covert Highway, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-11-05

An e-scooter rider suffered full-body bruises after a collision on East Tremont Avenue. The driver’s inattention caused the crash. The rider remained conscious but injured, highlighting dangers from distracted driving in Bronx streets late at night.

According to the police report, a 40-year-old male e-scooter driver was injured in a crash on East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx at 12:45 a.m. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the collision. The e-scooter driver, who was not ejected and wore no safety equipment, sustained contusions and bruises to his entire body but remained conscious. The vehicle’s point of impact was the left side doors, and the e-scooter showed no damage. The report does not specify other contributing factors or victim behaviors. This incident underscores the systemic danger posed by distracted driving, which directly led to the injury of a vulnerable road user traveling straight ahead.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766292 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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

A sedan crashed into a parked diesel truck on the Cross Bronx Expressway. Metal tore. A woman in the back seat suffered a bleeding head. She stayed conscious. The ride home ended in shattered glass and silence.

A violent collision unfolded on the Cross Bronx Expressway near 2333 when, according to the police report, a sedan 'slammed into a parked diesel truck.' The report describes the aftermath: 'Metal screamed. In the back seat, a 48-year-old woman bled from the head. She stayed awake.' The injured woman, a right rear passenger, suffered severe lacerations to her head but remained conscious. According to the police report, the sedan was 'going straight ahead' before striking the stationary truck, which was parked at the time of impact. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' but the sequence of events makes clear that the moving sedan collided with a non-moving vehicle. No victim actions are cited as contributing factors. The focus remains on the sedan's impact with a parked vehicle, leaving a passenger wounded amid twisted steel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758347 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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 2024-09-10

A 13-year-old girl was struck by a northbound SUV on Eastchester Road while crossing against the signal. She suffered severe leg injuries and was semiconscious at the scene. The vehicle impacted her on the left side, causing fractures and dislocations.

According to the police report, a 13-year-old female pedestrian was injured at the intersection of Eastchester Road and Waters Place in the Bronx at 16:27. The pedestrian was crossing against the signal when a northbound 2023 Chrysler SUV struck her on the left side doors. The driver, a licensed male from New York, was traveling straight ahead. The victim sustained fractures, distortions, and dislocations to her knee, lower leg, and foot, and was semiconscious at the scene. The report identifies the pedestrian's action of crossing against the signal as a factor but does not list any contributing driver errors explicitly. The impact caused significant vehicle damage to the left side doors, highlighting the severity of the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4754457 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A moped collided with a taxi making a U-turn on Westchester Avenue. The unlicensed rider, helmetless, was ejected, suffering a severe head injury. Police cite driver inattention and unsafe speed as key factors in the violent crash.

According to the police report, near 2511 Westchester Avenue in the Bronx, a moped traveling northbound struck a taxi making a U-turn southbound. The point of impact was the taxi's left front bumper and the moped's center front end. The 21-year-old moped rider, unlicensed and not wearing a helmet, was ejected and sustained a severe head injury with significant bleeding. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors to the crash. The taxi driver was licensed and operating the vehicle during the turn. The moped rider's unlicensed status and lack of helmet are noted but secondary to the primary driver errors. This collision underscores the dangers posed by distracted driving and unsafe speeds, especially to vulnerable road users in the Bronx.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752940 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two sedans collided on Westchester Avenue in the Bronx. Both drivers suffered moderate injuries, including head and shoulder trauma. The crash involved a left turn and disregard of traffic control. Airbags deployed; no ejections reported.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Westchester Avenue in the Bronx at 17:41. Two male drivers, ages 57 and 50, were injured in a collision involving two sedans traveling northbound. One vehicle was going straight ahead while the other was making a left turn. The point of impact was the left front bumper of one sedan and the center front end of the other. The report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, indicating driver error. Both drivers were conscious and sustained moderate injuries: one suffered a head abrasion, the other a shoulder contusion. Airbags deployed in both vehicles, and neither occupant was ejected. The data highlights driver failure to obey traffic signals as the primary cause, with no contributing victim behaviors noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751075 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

City law now forces DOT to reveal where bikes and scooters go. Streets and bridges, protected or not. Data goes public. Riders’ movement, danger, and safety projects laid bare. No more hiding the facts.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and passed on August 15, 2024. The law orders the Department of Transportation to post current bicycle and micromobility ridership data online, updated monthly or at least yearly. The matter summary reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Restler, Hudson, Schulman, and others. The law demands transparency on where riders travel and what DOT does to keep them safe. This opens the books on bike movement and exposes gaps in protection.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-08-15

City law now forces DOT to reveal where bikes and scooters go. Streets and bridges, protected or not. Data goes public. Riders’ movement, danger, and safety projects laid bare. No more hiding the facts.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and passed on August 15, 2024. The law orders the Department of Transportation to post current bicycle and micromobility ridership data online, updated monthly or at least yearly. The matter summary reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Restler, Hudson, Schulman, and others. The law demands transparency on where riders travel and what DOT does to keep them safe. This opens the books on bike movement and exposes gaps in protection.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-08-15

A 2007 Yamaha motorcycle tore down Commerce Avenue, Bronx, turning left at unsafe speed. The unlicensed rider and his 13-year-old passenger, both helmetless, were ejected and struck the pavement headfirst. Both died instantly in the darkness.

According to the police report, a 2007 Yamaha motorcycle was traveling at unsafe speed on Commerce Avenue near Newbold Avenue in the Bronx. The motorcycle, operated by a 21-year-old unlicensed rider, attempted a left turn and lost control. The report states both the rider and his 13-year-old passenger were ejected from the motorcycle, striking the pavement headfirst. Both individuals suffered fatal head injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. Neither the rider nor the passenger was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report. The crash occurred in the early morning darkness, underscoring the lethal consequences of high speed and improper turning on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4747427 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Lawmakers back speed cameras near Kingston schools. Cameras catch drivers who speed. The bill passed both chambers. It sunsets in 2029. Children and families walk safer, but the fix is temporary.

Senate Bill S 8607, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Kingston,' passed the Senate on June 6, 2024, and the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The bill, sponsored by Senator Michelle Hinchey, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2029. The measure saw broad support in both chambers, but some lawmakers voted no. The bill aims to protect children and families on foot near schools, but its impact will end unless renewed. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8607, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Assembly passes A 7652. Schenectady gets school speed cameras. Law aims to slow drivers near kids. Cameras expire in 2028. Vote split. Streets may get safer for children on foot.

Bill A 7652, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' passed the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The measure, sponsored by Assemblymembers Phil Steck and Angelo Santabarbara, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2028. The Assembly vote saw strong support but also opposition. Steck and Santabarbara led the push. The bill's text is blunt: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady.' No formal safety analyst note was provided, but speed cameras have a record of reducing driver speed and protecting children walking to school.

• File A 7652, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Assembly passes A 7652. Schenectady gets school speed cameras. Law aims to slow drivers near kids. Cameras expire in 2028. Vote split. Streets may get safer for children on foot.

Bill A 7652, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady,' passed the Assembly on June 7, 2024. The measure, sponsored by Assemblymembers Phil Steck and Angelo Santabarbara, creates a camera program to catch speeding drivers near schools. The program ends December 31, 2028. The Assembly vote saw strong support but also opposition. Steck and Santabarbara led the push. The bill's text is blunt: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Schenectady.' No formal safety analyst note was provided, but speed cameras have a record of reducing driver speed and protecting children walking to school.

• File A 7652, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07

Senate backs S 9752. Mt. Vernon gets green light for up to 20 school speed zones. Law aims to slow cars near kids. Most senators vote yes. A few say no. Streets may change. Danger remains for the young.

Senate Bill S 9752, sponsored by Jamaal Bailey, authorizes Mt. Vernon to launch a school speed zone demonstration program, with up to twenty zones allowed. The bill passed the Senate on June 7, 2024, during a committee vote. The matter title reads: 'Authorizes the city of Mt. Vernon to establish a school speed zone demonstration program; authorizes installation in no more than twenty school speed zones in such city.' Bailey and a majority of senators voted yes, while a handful opposed. The bill targets speeding near schools, a known threat to children and other vulnerable road users. No formal safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 9752, Open States, Published 2024-06-07