Steel Wins, Kids Lose—Lower the Limit Now

Senate backs S 6802. Albany gets school speed cameras. One no vote. Cameras aim to slow drivers near kids. Program ends 2028. Lawmakers move to shield children from reckless speed.

Senate bill S 6802, introduced by Neil D. Breslin, establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in Albany. The bill passed committee on May 30, 2023, with only one senator, Andrew J. Lanza, voting no. The official summary reads: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of Albany; repeals authorization of program December 31, 2028.' Breslin led sponsorship. Seventeen senators voted yes. The program targets driver speed near schools, aiming to protect children and other vulnerable road users. The law sunsets at the end of 2028.

• File S 6802, Open States, Published 2023-05-30

A Mercedes SUV rolled driverless on East 234th Street. The machine pinned its only occupant, a 51-year-old woman. She died, conscious, trapped beneath the weight. Metal pressed down. The street stood still. Another life lost to runaway steel.

A 2009 Mercedes SUV rolled driverless near East 234th Street and Vireo Avenue in the Bronx. The vehicle crushed its only occupant, a 51-year-old woman, who died at the scene. According to the police report, 'A 2009 Mercedes SUV rolled driverless. It crushed its only occupant, a 51-year-old woman. She wore no belt. She died conscious, pinned beneath the weight she once controlled.' The contributing factor listed was 'Driverless/Runaway Vehicle.' No other injuries were reported. The data does not mention helmet or signal use as a factor. The crash shows the deadly risk when a vehicle moves uncontrolled.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4632264 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

A 50-year-old woman driving a sedan suffered shoulder and upper arm injuries after an SUV passed too closely on Furman Avenue in the Bronx. The SUV struck the sedan’s right side doors. The driver was conscious and wearing a lap belt and harness.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Furman Avenue in the Bronx when an SUV traveling south passed too closely to a sedan that was starting from parking. The SUV struck the sedan’s right side doors, causing damage to both vehicles. The sedan driver, a 50-year-old woman, was injured with shoulder and upper arm trauma and complained of whiplash. She was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists "Passing Too Closely" as a contributing factor. No other driver errors or victim actions are noted. The SUV driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4631104 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-05-16

A sedan struck a pick-up truck stopped in traffic on Camp Street in the Bronx. The sedan driver, a 45-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg injuries and whiplash. The crash was caused by following too closely. Both vehicles damaged at rear center.

According to the police report, a 2021 sedan traveling west on Camp Street rear-ended a pick-up truck also stopped in traffic. The sedan driver, a 45-year-old man, was injured with knee, lower leg, and foot trauma and complained of whiplash. The collision caused center back-end damage to both vehicles. The report lists "Following Too Closely" as the contributing factor. No other driver errors or victim factors were noted. The sedan driver was not ejected and was in shock. Both drivers held valid licenses. The crash highlights the dangers of tailgating in slow or stopped traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4634622 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

Two years after legalization, New York has no test for cannabis-impaired driving. Lawmakers set a high bar for prosecution. Training lags. Speaker Carl Heastie warns against overreach. Meanwhile, vulnerable road users face rising risk from unchecked stoned drivers.

On April 24, 2023, an editorial criticized New York’s lack of a reliable standard for cannabis-impaired driving. The piece, referencing Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (District 83), states: 'With no reliable standard, pot-impaired drivers a growing road hazard.' Lawmakers created a 'substantially impaired' threshold for DUI-cannabis, making lesser impairment only a traffic infraction. Drug recognition expert training has not kept pace with the rise in stoned drivers. Speaker Heastie cautioned against legislative 'overreach,' but the editorial argues leaders have failed to act. No committee or bill number is cited; this is a public statement, not legislation. The absence of clear enforcement standards leaves pedestrians, cyclists, and passengers exposed to drivers whose impairment goes unchecked.

• With no reliable standard, pot-impaired drivers a growing road hazard, nypost.com, Published 2023-04-24

Mayor Adams threw his weight behind a pilot for free city buses. Ten lines, two per borough, could go fareless. The move targets working-class riders. The plan faces budget gridlock in Albany. Riders wait. The city’s slow buses stay slow.

On April 19, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams endorsed a pilot program to make ten New York City bus lines free. The proposal, championed by Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani and supported by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, is tangled in state budget negotiations. The Assembly and Senate included the pilot in their responses to Governor Hochul’s executive budget, but the governor’s plan left it out. The pilot would select two routes per borough, one serving a low-income area and one a commercial corridor. 'I strongly support the thought of having ten buses being free. The lines in the city I think will make a major impact,' Adams said. Mamdani called free buses 'a huge win for working-class NYers.' The plan’s fate remains uncertain as Albany’s budget talks drag on. Advocates note the mayor’s slow progress on promised bus lanes, leaving riders with sluggish service even as fare relief is debated.

• Mayor Adams endorses pilot program for free buses in NYC, amny.com, Published 2023-04-19

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams sidestepped backing Sammy’s Law, which would let New York City set its own speed limits. As cyclist deaths mount, other council members press for action. Adams cites other priorities. Vulnerable road users remain exposed. Streets stay deadly.

On April 12, 2023, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams declined to support Sammy’s Law, a state bill allowing New York City to control its speed limits. The bill, named for Sammy Cohen Eckstein, killed by a reckless driver in 2013, has stalled in Albany despite mounting pressure. Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez introduced a resolution urging passage, co-sponsored by Shahana Hanif and Lincoln Restler. Adams, however, said, 'We’re going to let the state do what the state does in response to Sammy’s Law,' and focused on other budget priorities. Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, chair of the Transportation Committee, called for pairing lower speed limits with street redesigns in neglected neighborhoods. As children and cyclists die in record numbers, the council’s inaction leaves vulnerable New Yorkers at risk. The law would not lower limits automatically, but grant the city authority to act.

• Speaker Adams Still Won’t Come Out in Support of Sammy’s Law, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-04-12

A 65-year-old male bicyclist suffered a head contusion on Baychester Avenue in the Bronx. The rider was conscious but injured. The crash involved no vehicle damage. Illness and illegal drugs were cited as contributing factors by police.

According to the police report, a 65-year-old male bicyclist traveling north on Baychester Avenue was injured, sustaining a head contusion. The report lists illness and illegal drug use as contributing factors to the crash. There was no damage to the bicycle, and the rider was not ejected. The bicyclist was conscious at the time of the report. No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved. The police did not cite any driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The injury was serious enough to be classified as level 3 severity. Safety equipment was not used by the bicyclist, but this was not listed as a contributing factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4623723 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie blocks a bill to expand bus and bike lane camera enforcement. Riders lose. Cars win. The Assembly stalls, ignoring data and advocates. Bus stops stay clogged. Vulnerable road users face more danger. The city waits.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and the state Assembly opposed a bill to expand bus-mounted and on-street enforcement cameras targeting drivers who block bus stops, no stopping zones, and bike lanes. The bill, supported by Governor Hochul and the state Senate, aimed to improve bus speeds and reliability. The Assembly declined to expand the program, citing a preference to keep policy out of the budget process. Heastie's spokesman, Mike Whyland, said, 'We generally did not include policy in our proposal.' Transit advocates and MTA officials argued that expanded enforcement would benefit riders and make buses more attractive. Danny Pearlstein of Riders Alliance criticized the Assembly, saying, 'If the state budget ignores the financial impact of slow buses on riders and our families... the people's house will have failed actual people.' The bill remains stalled, leaving bus riders and vulnerable road users exposed.

• Why Won’t Carl Heastie Back Expanded Camera Enforcement to Take On Bus Stop Blockers?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-24

Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-03-21

A 53-year-old woman crashed her SUV into two parked vehicles on Barnes Avenue. She suffered internal injuries. Police cite driver inexperience and failure to yield. No other injuries reported.

According to the police report, a 53-year-old woman driving east on Barnes Avenue in the Bronx struck two parked SUVs. The driver suffered internal injuries to her abdomen and pelvis. Police list driver inexperience and failure to yield right-of-way as contributing factors. The moving SUV hit the center back ends of the parked vehicles. No pedestrians or other occupants were hurt. The report does not mention helmet use or signaling issues.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4612967 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

SUV hit sedan’s side as it pulled from parking on East 241 Street. Young driver hurt. Police cite improper lane use. System failed to protect vulnerable road user.

According to the police report, a 2021 Honda SUV traveling west on East 241 Street struck a Ford sedan as it started from a parking spot. The SUV hit the sedan’s right side doors. The sedan’s 22-year-old male driver suffered neck injuries and whiplash. He was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists “Passing or Lane Usage Improper” as a contributing factor, indicating driver error by the SUV operator. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4613951 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

Senate passes S 4647. Bill hikes penalties for endangering highway workers. It funds more enforcement. It pushes work zone safety awareness. Lawmakers move to protect workers from reckless drivers.

Senate bill S 4647, titled "Increases penalties for endangerment of a highway worker, promotes work zone safety awareness, and establishes a fund for additional work zone safety enforcement," advanced through committee on April 15, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy, with Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Mario Mattera, Robert Rolison, and James Skoufis as co-sponsors, the bill passed multiple Senate votes. The measure targets drivers who endanger highway workers, boosts safety awareness, and funds enforcement. The bill aims to curb driver recklessness in work zones, where danger is high and impact is deadly.

• File S 4647, Open States, Published 2023-02-28

A 19-year-old woman was hit by a northbound sedan on Bronx Boulevard. She suffered a concussion and arm injuries. The driver was speeding. Multiple parked vehicles show damage from the crash. The pedestrian was conscious but injured.

According to the police report, a 19-year-old female pedestrian was injured after being struck by a northbound sedan on Bronx Boulevard in the Bronx. The pedestrian suffered a concussion and injuries to her elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report lists "Unsafe Speed" as a contributing factor, indicating the driver was speeding at the time of the crash. The sedan sustained front-end damage, and several parked vehicles nearby also showed damage, suggesting a chaotic impact scene. The pedestrian was conscious after the collision. No other driver errors or victim factors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4608781 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

A 9-year-old girl was hit by an SUV while crossing East 241 Street in the Bronx. The vehicle struck her center front end. She suffered abrasions and injuries to her elbow and lower arm. The driver was licensed and traveling west.

According to the police report, a 9-year-old female pedestrian was injured crossing East 241 Street in the Bronx when a 2022 Nissan SUV struck her with its center front end. The girl sustained abrasions and injuries to her elbow, lower arm, and hand. The driver, a licensed female from New York, was traveling straight ahead westbound at the time of impact. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was crossing without a signal or crosswalk. No helmet or signaling issues were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4606735 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-09

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13

Assembly and Senate passed A 602. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. Streets shaped by budgets, not safety.

Bill A 602, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects,' passed committee votes in the Assembly on January 24, 2023, and in the Senate on February 13, 2023. Sponsored by Patricia Fahy, the bill addresses how much the state pays for federally assisted projects and for municipal projects with complete street designs. The measure saw broad support, with near-unanimous yes votes in both chambers. The bill's focus is on funding, not on direct safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, or other vulnerable road users. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 602, Open States, Published 2023-02-13