Crash Count for Lower East Side
Crashes: Collisions involving cars, bikes, and pedestrians. 2,193
All Injuries: Any injury from a reported crash. 1,197
Moderate: Broken bones, concussions, and other serious injuries. 312
Serious: Life-altering injuries: amputations, paralysis, severe trauma. 20
Deaths: Lives lost to traffic violence. 9
Data from Jan 1, 2022 to Oct 29, 2025
Carnage in Lower East Side
Detailed breakdowns aren’t yet available for this year slice; totals below reflect the selected window.
Killed 9
+2
Crush Injuries 4
Lower leg/foot 3
Back 1
Neck 1
Amputation 2
Head 1
Lower leg/foot 1
Severe Bleeding 5
Head 4
Lower leg/foot 1
Severe Lacerations 4
Head 3
Lower leg/foot 1
Concussion 8
Head 8
+3
Whiplash 37
Neck 15
+10
Head 8
+3
Back 7
+2
Lower leg/foot 3
Shoulder/upper arm 1
Whole body 1
Contusion/Bruise 89
Lower leg/foot 30
+25
Lower arm/hand 19
+14
Shoulder/upper arm 12
+7
Head 11
+6
Back 5
Chest 5
Hip/upper leg 4
Face 3
Eye 1
Neck 1
Abrasion 56
Lower arm/hand 20
+15
Lower leg/foot 13
+8
Head 8
+3
Shoulder/upper arm 6
+1
Face 3
Abdomen/pelvis 2
Chest 2
Hip/upper leg 1
Whole body 1
Pain/Nausea 21
Lower leg/foot 7
+2
Lower arm/hand 3
Neck 3
Shoulder/upper arm 3
Head 2
Back 1
Chest 1
Hip/upper leg 1
Data from Jan 1, 2022 to Oct 29, 2025

Who’s Injuring and Killing Pedestrians in Lower East Side?

Preventable Speeding in Lower East Side School Zones

(since 2022)

Blood on the Crosswalks: How Many More Must Die Before They Act?

Lower East Side: Jan 1, 2022 - Jul 17, 2025

The Toll in Flesh and Blood

Eight dead. Fifteen left with injuries so severe they may never walk the same. In just over three years, the Lower East Side has seen 1,627 crashes. Cars, trucks, bikes, and mopeds—steel against skin. Pedestrians and cyclists take the brunt.

A pickup truck on Water Street crushed four people on July 4, 2024. Three women and a man, all pedestrians, died where they stood. An eleven-year-old boy survived with his face torn open. No warning. No time to run. Crash data from NYC Open Data.

A city worker, fixing a street sign at dawn, was slashed by a delivery cyclist after a near miss. “They weren’t even in the bike lane, they were parked on the corner, fixing the light or the sign or something,” a witness said. The worker bled on the sidewalk. The cyclist fled.

Heavy vehicles—trucks and buses—account for four of the eight deaths, a disproportionate share of fatalities given their smaller share of total crashes.

Leadership: Promises and Delays

Local leaders have moved, but not fast enough. Council Member Marte co-sponsored a bill to ban parking near crosswalks, aiming to clear sightlines and protect those on foot. The bill sits in committee, waiting. Council records on Legistar.

Senator Kavanagh voted yes on the Stop Super Speeders Act, a bill to force repeat dangerous drivers to install speed-limiting devices. The law targets the worst offenders, but the carnage continues while the process drags on. Bill details on Open States.

On Canal Street, Council Member Marte said, “The time is long overdue to take action in response to the dire conditions of Canal Street. He pledged his support to take action.”

Political solutions must be citywide, not local gestures. New York must lower its default speed limit across the city and require speed-limiters (intelligent speed assistance) for habitual speeders. The Stop Super Speeders Act (S4045) pushes speed-limiter tech for repeat offenders; implementing citywide lower limits plus targeted speed-limiter requirements would cut kinetic force and save lives.

The Cost of Waiting

Every delay is another body on the pavement. The city has started daylighting intersections and lowering speed limits, but the pace is glacial. The Fifth Avenue redesign cut bike and bus lanes to keep car lanes wide. “We want a real solution to the bike and pedestrian safety issue,” said a community board leader.

The dead cannot wait.

Concrete steps the city and local leaders should implement now:

  • Install Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) and hardened curb turns at dangerous crossings.
  • Expand daylighting and daylighting enforcement near crosswalks; ban curbside parking that blocks visibility.
  • Deploy targeted enforcement and traffic-calming on corridors with high severe-injury and truck involvement.

Call your council member. Call your senator. Demand safer streets now.

Citations

Citations

Other Representatives

Grace Lee
Assembly Member Grace Lee
District 65
District Office:
Room 302, 64 Fulton St., New York, NY 10038
Legislative Office:
Room 429, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248
Christopher Marte
Council Member Christopher Marte
District 1
District Office:
65 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002
212-587-3159
Legislative Office:
250 Broadway, Suite 1815, New York, NY 10007
212-587-3159
Brian Kavanagh
State Senator Brian Kavanagh
District 27
District Office:
Room 2011, 250 Broadway, New York, NY 10007
Legislative Office:
Room 512, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12247
Other Geographies

Lower East Side Lower East Side sits in Manhattan, Precinct 7, District 1, AD 65, SD 27, Manhattan CB3.

See also
Boroughs
City Council Districts
Community Boards
State_assembly_districts
State Senate Districts

Traffic Safety Timeline for Lower East Side

6
Bicyclist Hurt Against Parked Sedan on Grand

Sep 6 - A driver in a parked sedan and a man on an e-bike collided on Grand Street at Abraham Kazan Street in Manhattan. The cyclist went down. He suffered arm and hand abrasions. The sedan’s left side doors were damaged.

A man riding an e-bike north on Grand Street collided with a parked sedan near Abraham Kazan Street in Manhattan. He was injured, with abrasions to his arm and hand. Two adults and a child were in the car; injuries for occupants were listed as unspecified. According to the police report, the sedan was parked and its left side doors were damaged. The e-bike showed no recorded damage. Police recorded contributing factors as Unspecified. The bicyclist was listed as conscious at the scene.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4840110 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
4
Opposing cyclists collide on Delancey at Essex

Sep 4 - East- and westbound cyclists collided head-on on Delancey at Essex. A 25-year-old rider was injured, shoulder bruised. The other rider’s injuries were not specified.

Two cyclists collided at Delancey Street and Essex Street in Manhattan at 8:24 a.m. A 25-year-old rider was hurt with a shoulder contusion and was listed in shock. The other rider, 30, had no specific injury recorded. According to the police report, officers recorded "Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle" and "View Obstructed/Limited" for both cyclists. Both were traveling straight, one eastbound and one westbound. Damage was recorded to the front of both bikes, indicating a head-on impact. No motor vehicles were listed in the crash.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4846261 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
3
Left Turn Crash Injures Two Cyclists on Delancey

Sep 3 - At Delancey and Suffolk, a rider turned left and collided with a westbound rider. Both went down hard. One man suffered an eye bruise. The other bled from his arm and hand. Police listed contributing factors as unspecified.

Two bicyclists crashed at Delancey Street and Suffolk Street in Manhattan. One rode west, going straight. The other made a left turn. The impact hit the center front of both bikes. Both riders were ejected and injured. The 54-year-old man suffered an eye contusion. The 27-year-old man bled from his lower arm and hand. Both were conscious at the scene. According to the police report, the crash occurred at 5:23 p.m., and contributing factors were listed as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or improper turn were recorded in the data.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4839473 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
3
E-Bike Rider Hurt at Rivington and Chrystie

Sep 3 - A Standing S driver and an e-bike rider collided at Rivington and Chrystie in Manhattan. The 32-year-old e-bike rider suffered a shoulder injury. Police recorded Traffic Control Disregarded and Aggressive Driving/Road Rage.

A Standing S driver and an e-bike rider collided at Rivington St and Chrystie St in Manhattan at 2:50 p.m. The e-bike rider, a 32-year-old man, suffered a shoulder injury and remained conscious. According to the police report, the vehicles were listed as “E-Bike” and “Standing S,” with the Standing S driver traveling south and going straight and the e-bike rider traveling north and slowing or stopping. Police recorded “Traffic Control Disregarded” as a contributing factor. Police also recorded “Aggressive Driving/Road Rage.” The record lists the bicyclist as injured; no other injuries were documented.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4839467 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
31
Man fatally struck by train at Harlem subway station

19
E-bike rider hurt on Delancey

Aug 19 - A westbound e-bike rider went down on Delancey near Clinton. She hit the pavement. Head injury. Semiconscious. Minor bleeding. Manhattan night. No other vehicle damage listed. System built for speed, not mercy.

A 32-year-old woman riding an e-bike west on Delancey Street at Clinton Street was injured and ejected, sustaining a head injury and minor bleeding. According to the police report, the bicyclist was “Semiconscious” and listed as “Injured.” The vehicle showed no damage and was going straight ahead. The report lists contributing factors as “Unspecified,” offering no driver errors despite a crash that left a vulnerable rider hurt on a high-speed corridor. Safety equipment is recorded as “None,” but it is noted only after the lack of identified driver faults in the report.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836581 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
14
Rivera Faults Late Greenways Plan and Weak Protections

Aug 14 - Greater Greenways plan released. It maps gaps and names corridors. No deadlines. No new funding. No firm design standards. Greenways can include paint-only lanes. That risks weak protection and delays safety gains for walkers and riders.

Plan number: none. Status: released Aug. 14, 2025. Committee: none. The matter is described as "intended to connect gaps across NYC's bike and pedestrian paths." A 2022 law by Council Member Carlina Rivera requires DOT and Parks to publish and annually update the plan; this release arrived over eight months late. The plan names early action corridors and budgets $7.25 million in federal funds to produce corridor plans by 2028, but construction timelines are missing. Mayor Eric Adams has promoted greenways without clear deadlines. Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa said the plan assesses "strengths and weaknesses." Safety note: the plan could improve coordination and routes, but lacks funding, deadlines and firm design standards; defining greenways to include paint-only lanes risks weak protection and delayed safety gains.


4
Cyclist Struck In Washington Heights Hit-And-Run

Aug 4 - A white Mercedes hit a cyclist at 181st and Cabrini. The driver fled. Officers checked the victim, then left. The intersection is known for reckless driving. The cyclist survived with minor injuries.

CBS New York (2025-08-04) reports a hit-and-run at West 181st Street and Cabrini Boulevard. Surveillance shows a white Mercedes making a U-turn, striking a 29-year-old female cyclist. The driver abandoned the car and fled on foot. Officers on scene checked the victim, then left. Residents say, "No one stops at these stop signs. We see people go through these red lights all the time." The intersection has a record of reckless driving, worsened by increased bike traffic from the George Washington Bridge. The crash highlights ongoing dangers and gaps in street design and enforcement.


3
Unlicensed SUV Driver Injures Rivington Pedestrian

Aug 3 - Driver in an SUV turned left at Rivington and Bowery and hit a 28-year-old woman. Police recorded failure to yield by the driver and inattention. Unlicensed driver. Florida plates. She had an arm abrasion.

A driver in an SUV made a left turn at Rivington Street and Bowery in Manhattan and hit a 28-year-old woman in the intersection. She suffered an abrasion to her arm and was conscious. According to the police report, the driver failed to yield right-of-way and was inattentive. Police recorded Failure to Yield Right-of-Way and Driver Inattention/Distraction. The driver was unlicensed. The vehicle was registered in Florida. The collision involved the vehicle’s center front end. The crash was logged in the 5th Precinct.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832591 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
3
Cyclist Hospitalized After Hit-And-Run Uptown

Aug 3 - A driver struck a cyclist at West 181st and Cabrini. The driver fled. The cyclist went to the hospital. The street stayed open. The danger stayed real.

CBS New York (2025-08-03) reports a bicyclist was hospitalized after a hit-and-run at West 181st Street and Cabrini Boulevard in Washington Heights. The crash happened just after noon. The driver left the scene, leaving the cyclist injured. The article states, "A bicyclist was hospitalized after being injured in a hit and run." No details on the driver or vehicle were released. The incident highlights ongoing risks for cyclists and the persistent issue of drivers fleeing crash scenes in New York City.


30
Unlicensed Driver Hits E-Biker, Flees Scene

Jul 30 - A Nissan struck a 65-year-old e-biker on Second Ave. The rider fell, hit his head, and lay critical as the red light blinked. The unlicensed driver fled. Police arrested him two hours later.

West Side Spirit (2025-07-30) reports a 21-year-old unlicensed driver hit a 65-year-old e-biker on Second Ave. near 14th St., leaving the rider with serious head trauma. The driver fled, but police arrested him two hours later, charging him with "leaving the scene of an accident that caused serious injury and driving without a license." The crash shut down Second Ave. between 14th and 15th Streets. NYPD's Collision Investigation Squad continues to investigate. The article highlights the dangers posed by unlicensed drivers and the consequences of fleeing crash scenes.


29
Woman Loses Legs In Subway Attack

Jul 29 - A man shoved his girlfriend onto subway tracks at Fulton Street. The train crushed her legs. She survived, but lost both limbs. He fled, but police caught him. The court sentenced him to 18 years.

Gothamist (2025-07-29) reports a Brooklyn man received 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to pushing his girlfriend onto the tracks at Manhattan's Fulton Street Station on March 9, 2024. Prosecutors said Christian Valdez threw her as a train entered, causing injuries that led to both legs being amputated. District Attorney Alvin Bragg called it a 'life-threatening act of domestic violence in our transit system.' Valdez fled but was arrested hours later. The case highlights the vulnerability of transit riders and the severe consequences of violence in public spaces.


27
Wrong-Way Crash Kills Groom-To-Be

Jul 27 - A teen drove drunk, wrong-way, head-on into a car. Two men died. The driver fled. The city failed to stop him. A wedding became a funeral.

According to the New York Post (2025-07-27), a 17-year-old allegedly drank at a Midtown club, then drove the wrong way on the Henry Hudson Parkway. He crashed head-on into Kirk Walker and Rob McLaurin, killing both. The teen, Jimmy Connors, fled, leaving his injured passenger. The article states, “Walker, 38, was one day from his wedding when he and McLaurin were killed.” An off-duty NYPD officer pursued Connors but did not call 911. The lawsuit names the driver, club, NYPD, and city, raising questions about underage drinking enforcement and police response. Connors faces charges including second-degree murder.


25
Driver Inattention on Williamsburg Bridge Injures Two

Jul 25 - Two westbound drivers collided on the Williamsburg Bridge inner roadway. The taxi driver hit the back of the SUV. Police recorded driver inattention. Neck and head injuries. Sirens on steel. Daylight crash.

An SUV and a taxi collided on the Williamsburg Bridge inner roadway at 2:53 p.m. Both were traveling west, going straight. The taxi driver hit the center back of the SUV; the taxi’s center front took the blow. A 36-year-old woman driving the SUV suffered neck injuries and whiplash. The 52-year-old taxi driver suffered a head injury. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' contributed to the crash. No other contributing factors were listed. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. Both drivers were licensed in New York. The report places the crash on the inner roadway and lists damage consistent with a rear-end impact.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830764 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
24
Child Pedestrian Hurt Boarding Vehicle on Chrystie

Jul 24 - A car struck an eight-year-old girl as she boarded a vehicle on Chrystie Street. She suffered facial abrasions. The crash left her conscious but injured. Police list no driver errors.

An eight-year-old girl was injured while getting on or off a vehicle, not a school bus, on Chrystie Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, she suffered abrasions to her face and remained conscious after the crash. No driver errors or contributing factors are listed in the report. The incident involved an unspecified vehicle type. No other injuries were reported.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830578 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
24
Toyota Sienna Hits Elderly Pedestrian at Grand St

Jul 24 - A Toyota Sienna struck a 70-year-old man crossing Grand Street. The crash left him with crushed legs. The driver was unhurt. The street stayed busy. The city moved on.

A 2017 Toyota Sienna, driven by a 65-year-old man, struck a 70-year-old pedestrian at the intersection of Grand Street in Manhattan. The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to his lower legs. According to the police report, the pedestrian was crossing against the signal. The driver was not injured. The report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No vehicle damage was noted. The crash highlights the danger faced by pedestrians at city intersections.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830262 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
24
Firefighter Killed, Dozens Hurt In Crashes

Jul 24 - A firefighter died on FDR Drive. The driver fled. At Port Authority, a bus crash left over two dozen hurt. No arrests. The city’s streets remain brutal for those on foot and in transit.

Patch reported on July 24, 2025, that an FDNY firefighter was killed in a hit-and-run on FDR Drive. The driver left the scene. No arrests have been made. The article also notes, 'More Than 2 Dozen Injured In Bus Crash At Port Authority Bus Terminal.' Both incidents highlight ongoing dangers for vulnerable road users and point to gaps in enforcement and street safety. Investigations continue, but the city’s traffic violence persists.


22
Bicyclist Thrown, Arm Broken on Bridge Road

Jul 22 - A moped struck a cyclist head-on on the Williamsburg Bridge Outer Roadway. The cyclist flew from his bike, arm fractured. Failure to yield and improper turn listed. Steel met flesh. The system failed.

A moped and a bicycle collided head-on on the Williamsburg Bridge Outer Roadway. The 33-year-old male cyclist was ejected and suffered a fractured arm. According to the police report, 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Turning Improperly' were contributing factors. The moped, traveling west and passing, struck the cyclist heading east. The crash left the cyclist conscious but injured. No helmet use or signaling was listed as a factor. The report highlights driver errors, not victim actions.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830260 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
22
Stolen Car Kills Two In Chinatown

Jul 22 - A stolen Malibu sped off the Manhattan Bridge. It struck and killed a pedestrian and a cyclist. The driver tried to flee. Eyewitnesses stopped her. Broken bodies, broken laws, broken city.

According to NY Daily News (2025-07-22), Autumn Donna Ascension Romero crashed a stolen rental car at Bowery and Canal, killing May Kwok and Kevin Cruickshank. Prosecutors say Romero admitted to drinking before driving and tried to flee the scene with her passenger. An open tequila bottle and loaded pistols were found in the car. The article quotes, 'They then tried to flee the scene followed by multiple eyewitnesses who told them to stop.' Romero faces murder and vehicular homicide charges. The crash highlights dangers from impaired driving, stolen vehicles, and failures in preventing reckless use of rentals.


21
Chinatown Crash Kills Cyclist, Pedestrian

Jul 21 - A speeding car tore through Chinatown. It struck a cyclist and a woman on a bench. Both died at the scene. The driver faces murder charges. The car was a long-overdue rental. Debris scattered. Lives ended in seconds.

Gothamist (2025-07-21) reports a driver faces murder and manslaughter charges after a deadly Chinatown crash. The car, a weeks-overdue rental, sped off the Manhattan Bridge and struck a cyclist and a pedestrian, killing both. Police found two 9mm pistols in the trunk. The article states, "the car was traveling westbound off the Manhattan Bridge at a high rate of speed" and "struck Cruickshank, Kwok and an unoccupied NYPD vehicle." The passenger faces charges for unauthorized use and weapons possession. The crash highlights risks from unreturned rentals and high-speed driving in dense city streets.