No One Walks Away: Four Dead on White Plains Road, City Still Sleeps

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 2024-06-06

Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-06-03

Two sedans crashed at East Gun Hill Road. Both drivers were men, one 23 years old, suffering shoulder and whiplash injuries. The collision involved a right turn and a straight travel, with driver inexperience and failure to yield cited by police.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 9:45 on East Gun Hill Road involving two sedans. One driver, a 23-year-old male, was injured with upper arm and shoulder injuries and complained of whiplash. The report states the first vehicle was making a right turn while the second was traveling straight ahead. The point of impact was the left front bumper on both vehicles, causing center front end damage. The police identified driver errors as contributing factors: 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' by the 23-year-old driver. Both drivers were licensed males from New York. The injured driver was restrained with a lap belt and harness and was not ejected from the vehicle. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4732798 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-05-28

Senate backs S 9718. Bill orders safe street design for all. Cyclists, walkers, and riders get new protections. Some senators vote no. The car’s grip loosens, but danger remains.

Senate bill S 9718, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on May 28 and June 3, 2024. Primary sponsor Sean Ryan, with co-sponsors Liz Krueger, Monica Martinez, Jack M. Martins, Anthony H. Palumbo, and Julia Salazar, pushed the measure. The bill mandates street designs that protect everyone, not just drivers. Most senators voted yes, but a block of no votes showed resistance. The bill’s language centers vulnerable users. It marks a shift: streets must serve people, not just cars.

• File S 9718, Open States, Published 2024-05-28

Two sedans collided in a merging chain-reaction crash on Bronx River Parkway. A front passenger suffered knee and lower leg injuries. Police cite following too closely and reaction to uninvolved vehicle as key factors in the collision.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 13:09 on Bronx River Parkway involving multiple sedans merging northbound. The collision was triggered by a driver reacting to an uninvolved vehicle, leading to a chain-reaction impact. One occupant, a 24-year-old front passenger, was injured with contusions and trauma to the knee, lower leg, and foot. The report identifies 'Following Too Closely' and 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as the primary contributing factors. The injured passenger was restrained with a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The drivers involved were licensed and operating their vehicles during merging maneuvers. Vehicle damage was centered on the front ends and rear end of the involved sedans, indicating a multi-vehicle rear-end collision sequence. No victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727530 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

An SUV making a right turn hit a female e-scooter driver on East 233 Street in the Bronx. The rider suffered a hip and upper leg injury, conscious but bruised. Police cite failure to yield right-of-way as the cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred around 12:35 a.m. on East 233 Street near Bronx Boulevard in the Bronx. A female e-scooter driver, age 29, was injured when an SUV making a right turn struck her on the left front bumper. The rider sustained a hip and upper leg contusion, classified as injury severity level 3, and remained conscious after the impact. The report explicitly lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' by the e-scooter driver as a contributing factor, alongside an unspecified secondary factor. The SUV had no occupants and was traveling westbound. The e-scooter was parked before the collision. No helmet or other safety equipment was noted, nor was it cited as a contributing factor. The collision highlights the dangers posed by driver errors in yielding right-of-way to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727596 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two sedans crashed head-on on Olinville Avenue. Both drivers blew past traffic controls. A driver and passenger suffered whiplash and arm injuries. Metal twisted. Signals ignored. Streets unforgiving.

According to the police report, two sedans collided at 21:40 on Olinville Avenue near East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx. Both drivers disregarded traffic controls, which the report lists as the main cause. The Nissan driver, a 33-year-old man, suffered neck injuries and whiplash. The Acura’s front passenger, a 25-year-old man, sustained whiplash and upper arm injuries. Both vehicles took heavy damage: the Nissan at the center front, the Acura at the left rear quarter panel. The report highlights driver error—traffic control disregard—as the central factor. No mention of victim fault or other contributing behaviors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727542 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Albany lawmakers urge a 20% cut in driving by 2050. The bill would shift funds from highways to transit, biking, and walking. Electeds from Brooklyn to Buffalo back the move. Streets could change. Fewer cars. More space for people. Lives at stake.

Bill A4120/S1981 aims to cut vehicle miles traveled in New York by 20% by 2050. On May 15, 2024, more than a dozen local officials sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, urging passage before session’s end in June. The letter, organized by Local Progress, states: 'This means projects that expanded cycling infrastructure, pedestrian walkways, and public transit were prioritized over outdated highway expansions and lane widening.' State Senator Andrew Gounardes sponsors the bill. Alex Marion, Syracuse city auditor, signed on, saying, 'If we can reduce the vehicle miles traveled, we can look at the space of streets differently.' The bill would force planners to consider car miles in every project, shifting focus from car movement to safer, people-first streets. The policy could help undo decades of harm from highways that split communities and reinforce segregation.

• New York Pols Back Gounardes’s Bill to Cut Driving by 20%, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-05-15

State leaders urge passage of A4120/S1981 to slash driving by one-fifth. The bill aims to shift funding from highways to transit, cycling, and walking. Advocates say fewer cars mean fewer deaths. The clock ticks toward the session’s end.

Bill A4120/S1981, now before the New York State Legislature, seeks a 20% reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 2050. The measure is championed by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and backed by a coalition of local officials. On May 15, 2024, a letter to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins called for swift passage before the session ends in June. The letter states, 'The state Legislature should pass the law before the end of this session in June, which could pivot transportation funding toward more beneficial uses like mass transit and biking and walking infrastructure.' Stewart-Cousins is mentioned as a key recipient. The bill would force agencies to prioritize projects for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders over highway expansion. Advocates argue this shift will save lives, cut pollution, and undo harms from car-centric planning.

• New York Pols Back Gounardes's Bill to Cut Driving by 20%, streetsblog.org, Published 2024-05-15

A U-turning SUV struck a parked sedan in the Bronx. Two people in another SUV suffered head and body injuries. Police cited failure to yield and bad lane markings. The street became a crash site.

According to the police report, a crash occurred at 13:30 near East 222 Street in the Bronx. An SUV making a U-turn hit a parked sedan, damaging the sedan's left side. Two occupants in a second SUV, a 65-year-old male driver and a 64-year-old female front passenger, were injured. The driver suffered head injuries and whiplash; the passenger sustained whiplash and injuries to her entire body. Both were conscious and wore lap belts and harnesses. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Lane Marking Improper/Inadequate' as contributing factors. The crash and injuries resulted from driver error and poor lane markings. No victim actions contributed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4722103 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two SUVs collided in the Bronx. The trailing SUV slammed the lead vehicle’s rear. The lead driver suffered back injuries and whiplash. Police cite following too closely as the cause.

According to the police report, two SUVs traveled westbound on East 216 Street in the Bronx when the trailing vehicle struck the center rear of the lead SUV. The lead driver, a 32-year-old woman, was injured with back trauma and whiplash. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' as the sole contributing factor. Both drivers were licensed and headed straight at the time of impact. Damage was concentrated at the center front of the trailing SUV and the center rear of the lead SUV. No other contributing factors or victim actions were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4722057 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Albany passed Sammy’s Law. The city can now set lower speed limits. Lawmakers carved out wide roads, leaving many deadly corridors untouched. Advocates fought for years. Families of crash victims cheered. The fight for safer streets is not over.

Sammy’s Law, passed on April 22, 2024, as part of New York’s $273-billion state budget, grants New York City the authority to set its own speed limits on most roads. The bill, long blocked by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, finally moved forward under Governor Kathy Hochul’s push. The measure, described as 'a significant legislative achievement,' excludes roads outside Manhattan with three or more travel lanes in one direction—a concession to car-centric lawmakers. The law requires community board notification and comment, but their input is only advisory. Families of road violence victims and street safety advocates celebrated the win. Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, Transportation Chair, conditioned her support on street redesigns in underserved neighborhoods. The law’s carve-out leaves many of the city’s deadliest roads unchanged, withholding proven safety benefits from major thoroughfares.

• Behind the Scenes: How Gov. Hochul Got ‘Sammy’s Law’ Over the Finish Line, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-22

Council orders swift removal of abandoned and unplated cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. Police target vehicles with missing or fake plates. Fewer hazards for those on foot and bike.

Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on April 18, 2024. The bill states: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation.' Sponsored by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (primary) and co-sponsored by over a dozen council members, it forces the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours and empowers NYPD to tow cars with missing or obscured plates or stickers. The law aims to clear street hazards fast, reducing risks for pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-18

A sedan rear-ended another on East 228 Street. The trailing driver suffered abdominal injuries. Police cited following too closely and ignoring traffic controls. Impact was hard. System failed to protect.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on East 228 Street in the Bronx at 19:44. The rear sedan struck the right front quarter panel of the lead vehicle. The trailing driver, a 47-year-old man, suffered abdominal and pelvic injuries. Police listed 'Following Too Closely' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The report also notes 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight. The injured driver's airbag deployed. No victim actions contributed, per the report. The crash highlights driver error and systemic risk.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4718266 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A pickup turned left across East 222nd. A moped slammed in. A young passenger flew off, struck the street, blood pooling from his head. Sirens cut through the Bronx night. Failure to yield left a man broken and bleeding.

According to the police report, a pickup truck was making a left turn at East 222nd Street and Laconia Avenue when a westbound moped, traveling straight, collided with the truck. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The moped’s unlicensed rider continued straight, and the impact ejected a 22-year-old male passenger from the moped. The passenger struck the street and suffered a severe head injury, described as 'severe bleeding,' and was found conscious at the scene. The police report notes the passenger was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned after the primary driver error. The crash underscores the danger when drivers fail to yield, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4717158 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate passes S 2714. Bill pushes complete street design. Aim: safer roads for all. Pedestrians, cyclists, and riders get space. Car dominance challenged. Lawmakers move to cut street carnage.

Senate bill S 2714, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' advanced through committee and passed several Senate votes, most recently on March 27, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy with support from Jake Ashby, Jamaal Bailey, and others, the bill mandates street designs that protect everyone—not just drivers. The measure saw strong support but faced opposition from some senators. By requiring complete street principles, S 2714 aims to reduce danger for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. The bill marks a shift away from car-first planning, forcing cities to build streets for people, not just traffic.

• File S 2714, Open States, Published 2024-03-27

A 44-year-old man pushing a car was struck by an SUV making an improper U-turn on White Plains Road in the Bronx. The pedestrian suffered lower leg injuries and bruising. The driver failed to execute the turn safely, causing the collision.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 22:56 on White Plains Road in the Bronx. A 44-year-old male pedestrian was injured while pushing a car outside an intersection. The vehicle involved was a 2018 Honda SUV traveling north, making an improper U-turn. The report cites 'Turning Improperly' as the contributing factor to the crash. The point of impact was the left front bumper of the SUV. The pedestrian sustained contusions and injuries to the knee, lower leg, and foot but remained conscious. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle alone. No vehicle damage was reported. The collision highlights driver error in executing a U-turn, directly causing harm to a vulnerable pedestrian engaged in roadside activity.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4713208 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

An 85-year-old man was struck at an intersection in the Bronx by a southbound sedan. The pedestrian suffered severe whole-body injuries and was found unconscious. The driver’s inattention caused the collision, with no vehicle damage reported.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 14:41 on East 223 Street in the Bronx. An 85-year-old male pedestrian was injured after being struck by a southbound BMW sedan. The pedestrian was located at the intersection, described as performing 'Other Actions in Roadway.' The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the crash. The pedestrian was unconscious with injuries to the entire body, classified as severity level 3. The sedan had no visible damage and was traveling straight ahead at the time of impact, striking the pedestrian with its center front end. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle legally. No victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4712223 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate passes S 6808. The bill creates first responder safety zones. It sets speed limits in these zones. Lawmakers act after crashes and close calls. The vote is strong. The danger is real. The streets demand change.

Senate bill S 6808, titled 'Relates to establishing first responder safety zones and setting speed limits in such safety zones,' moved through committee and passed multiple Senate votes between May 2023 and March 2024. Primary sponsor John Mannion led the push, joined by Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Iwen Chu, and Pamela Helming. The bill aims to carve out protected zones for first responders and lower speed limits in those areas. The measure passed with broad support, reflecting urgency after repeated crashes near emergency scenes. The bill’s text and votes show lawmakers responding to the deadly toll of reckless driving near first responders. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, passengers, and responders—stand in harm’s way. The bill targets that risk.

• File S 6808, Open States, Published 2024-03-20