Eastchester Bleeds—Leaders Sleep

Albany lawmakers dropped Hochul’s plan to raise fines for blocking bus lanes and dodging tolls. No new transit money. No tougher penalties. Riders left waiting. Drivers keep blocking. The city’s slowest buses stay slow. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price.

On March 15, 2022, the New York State Assembly and Senate released one-house budget proposals. Both left out Governor Hochul’s measures to increase fines for blocking bus lanes, raise penalties for toll evasion and defaced plates, and boost transit funding. The matter: 'State legislators used their budget proposals to prioritize drivers blocking bus lanes and evading tolls, omitting Gov. Hochul's proposals to raise fines for blocking bus lanes and increase penalties for toll evasion and defaced license plates.' Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie defended stripping policy from the budget. Riders Alliance’s Danny Pearlstein slammed the move: 'No increase in subway or bus service for millions of riders, no enhanced enforcement in the city with the slowest buses in the country.' The Senate promised to revisit bus lane enforcement later. Advocates doubted action would follow. The legislature’s inaction leaves vulnerable road users exposed, with no relief from blocked bus lanes or reckless drivers.

• State Pols: Go Ahead, Drive In Bus Lanes and Don’t Pay Tolls — See If We’re Going to Do Anything About It, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-03-15

A 77-year-old man was injured crossing Boston Road in the Bronx. An SUV backing up struck him outside an intersection. He suffered abrasions and lower leg injuries. The driver was licensed and traveling south. No vehicle damage was reported.

According to the police report, a 77-year-old male pedestrian was injured while crossing Boston Road in the Bronx. The crash involved a 2016 SUV backing up. The pedestrian was struck outside an intersection and sustained abrasions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The driver, a licensed male from New York, was the sole occupant of the vehicle traveling south. The report lists no specific contributing factors or driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction. The vehicle showed no damage at the point of impact. The pedestrian's actions were crossing without a signal or crosswalk. No helmet or signaling factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4514283 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

Two sedans crashed on Pratt Avenue in the Bronx. One driver turned left into the path of a southbound sedan. A one-year-old passenger in the southbound vehicle was injured and went into shock. Both vehicles suffered front-end damage.

According to the police report, two sedans collided on Pratt Avenue in the Bronx. One vehicle was traveling southbound going straight ahead, while the other was making a left turn northeast. The point of impact was the right front bumper of the southbound sedan and the left front bumper of the turning sedan. A one-year-old female passenger in the southbound vehicle was injured and experienced shock. The child was restrained in a child safety seat. The report lists "View Obstructed/Limited" as a contributing factor. No other driver errors are specified. Both drivers were licensed and operating their vehicles legally. The crash caused front-end damage to both vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4510328 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A 2019 SUV traveling north and a 2012 sedan heading west crashed on Adee Avenue in the Bronx. Three female SUV occupants, ages 28 to 92, suffered face and neck injuries. Police cited driver inattention as the cause. All were conscious and restrained.

According to the police report, a 2019 Toyota SUV traveling north on Adee Avenue collided with a 2012 Nissan sedan traveling west. The SUV sustained damage to its right side doors from impact at the right front quarter panel. The sedan was damaged at the center front end. Three female occupants of the SUV, aged 28, 65, and 92, were injured with face and neck trauma and complaints of whiplash. All were conscious and restrained with lap belts and harnesses. The report lists "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as the contributing factor for both drivers. No ejections occurred. The sedan had no occupants at the time. The crash highlights the dangers of driver distraction leading to multi-vehicle collisions with serious injuries to vehicle occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4507751 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

Two sedans collided on Baychester Avenue. One driver, distracted, merged and struck another car’s rear. The merging driver suffered neck injuries. Metal twisted. Streets stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, two sedans crashed on Baychester Avenue when a driver merged inattentively and struck another sedan’s rear left bumper. The merging driver, a 24-year-old woman, suffered neck pain and whiplash. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. Impact points were the right front bumper of the merging sedan and the left rear bumper of the other. Both drivers were licensed and operating legally. No other factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4509096 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

Senate passed S 3897. More state cash flows to cities that build complete streets. Lawmakers push for safer roads. Pedestrians and cyclists get a shot at survival.

Bill S 3897 cleared the Senate committee on March 2, 2022, with a final vote on May 25, 2022. The bill, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' boosts state funding for transportation projects when cities add complete street features. Senator Kennedy sponsored the bill. Senators including Cooney, Gallivan, Kaminsky, Kaplan, Liu, and others voted yes. The measure aims to tie state money to safer street design, pushing municipalities to build roads that protect people outside cars.

• File S 3897, Open States, Published 2022-03-02

Senate passed S 5130. The bill pushes complete street design. It aims for safe access for all. Pedestrians and cyclists get a shot at safer roads. The vote was split, but the bill moved forward.

Senate bill S 5130, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on March 2 and May 16, 2022. Senator Kennedy sponsored the bill. Support came from members like Jeremy Cooney, Anna Kaplan, and John Liu. Dissent came from Patrick Gallivan and Susan Serino. The bill pushes cities to design roads for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. It marks a shift from car-first planning. The measure aims to cut risk for people outside cars. Full vote details and text are at the New York Senate website.

• File S 5130, Open States, Published 2022-03-02

A 25-year-old woman was struck while crossing Needham Avenue with the signal. The sedan driver failed to yield and was distracted. The pedestrian suffered knee and lower leg injuries and was in shock at the scene.

According to the police report, a 25-year-old female pedestrian was injured at the intersection of Needham Avenue and Edson Avenue in the Bronx. She was crossing with the signal when a northbound sedan struck her at the center front end. The pedestrian sustained injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, and experienced shock. The report lists the driver's failure to yield right-of-way and driver inattention or distraction as contributing factors. The sedan was driven by a licensed female driver from New York. The impact caused damage to the vehicle's center front end. No other factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4502893 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A man stood off the road. A vehicle hit him. His hip shattered. He lay in the street, pain twisting his gut. Death crept in. The Bronx pavement stayed silent.

A 56-year-old man was struck by a vehicle near 3550 Conner Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, the man was not in the roadway when the vehicle hit him. His hip shattered. He lay in the street, showing signs of apparent death. The report does not list any driver errors or contributing factors. No information is provided about the vehicle or driver. The police narrative describes the man’s pain and the silent aftermath on the pavement.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4501114 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A 13-year-old boy was hit by an SUV on Baychester Avenue in the Bronx. The vehicle was traveling south at unsafe speed. The boy suffered a shoulder and upper arm contusion. The crash happened outside an intersection with no evasive action noted.

According to the police report, a station wagon/SUV traveling south on Baychester Avenue struck a 13-year-old male pedestrian who was in the roadway but not at an intersection. The pedestrian sustained a contusion and injury to his shoulder and upper arm. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor for the driver. The point of impact was the vehicle's right front quarter panel. No other driver errors or victim factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted. The pedestrian was injured but not ejected. The crash highlights the dangers posed by speeding vehicles to young pedestrians outside crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4503310 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A 51-year-old woman was injured backing out on Laconia Avenue in the Bronx. The SUV driver failed to watch behind, striking the pedestrian emerging from behind a parked car. The woman suffered bruises and hip injuries but remained conscious.

According to the police report, a 51-year-old female pedestrian was injured when an SUV backed unsafely on Laconia Avenue in the Bronx. The pedestrian was emerging from behind a parked vehicle when the collision occurred. The report lists driver errors as "Backing Unsafely" and "Driver Inattention/Distraction." The pedestrian sustained contusions and upper leg injuries but was conscious at the scene. The SUV showed no damage, indicating a low-speed impact. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle alone. No other contributing factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4501645 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A sedan struck another vehicle stopped in traffic on Baychester Avenue. The driver, a 29-year-old man, suffered back injuries and shock. Police cited following too closely and driver inattention as causes. Both vehicles sustained rear-end damage.

According to the police report, a 29-year-old male driver in a sedan was injured when his vehicle rear-ended another sedan stopped in traffic on Baychester Avenue in the Bronx. The driver suffered back injuries and was wearing a lap belt and harness. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The collision caused center rear-end damage to the stopped vehicle and front-end damage to the striking sedan. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The driver was not ejected but experienced shock and complained of pain. The crash involved multiple vehicles stopped in traffic, with the striking sedan failing to maintain a safe distance.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4499220 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A BMW SUV traveling south hit a parked Acura SUV on Eastchester Road in the Bronx. The BMW driver, a 66-year-old woman, suffered neck injuries and whiplash. The crash involved improper lane usage. No one was ejected. Damage focused on left panels.

According to the police report, a 66-year-old female driver of a 2014 BMW SUV traveling south on Eastchester Road collided with a parked 2013 Acura SUV. The BMW struck the Acura’s center back end with its left front quarter panel. The driver was injured, sustaining neck pain and whiplash, and was conscious at the scene. The report lists "Passing or Lane Usage Improper" as a contributing factor for the BMW driver. The Acura was unoccupied at the time. Both vehicles are classified as SUVs. The BMW driver was wearing a lap belt and was not ejected. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4494298 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A 28-year-old woman driving an SUV in the Bronx suffered facial injuries after a collision. The vehicle’s front center was damaged. Police reported alcohol involvement and driver distraction as factors. The driver remained conscious and was not ejected.

According to the police report, a 28-year-old female driver in a 2018 SUV was injured in a crash on East 224 Street in the Bronx. The vehicle sustained damage to the center front end. The driver suffered facial contusions and bruises but was conscious and not ejected. The report lists alcohol involvement and driver inattention or distraction as contributing factors. The driver was alone in the vehicle, which was traveling west and going straight ahead before the collision. No other vehicles or pedestrians were reported injured or involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4493866 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14

A van struck a sedan from behind on the New England Thruway in the Bronx. Three men inside the sedan suffered neck injuries and whiplash. The driver of the sedan was following too closely. All occupants remained conscious and were not ejected.

According to the police report, a van traveling south on the New England Thruway collided with the left rear bumper of a parked sedan. The sedan carried three male occupants: a 32-year-old driver and two rear passengers aged 71 and 76. All three sustained neck injuries described as whiplash but remained conscious and were not ejected. The report lists "Following Too Closely" as a contributing factor attributed to the sedan driver. The van driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of impact. Damage was noted on the left rear bumper of the sedan and the right front quarter panel of the van. No other contributing factors or victim errors were recorded.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4491489 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-14