Blood on the Asphalt: NYC Streets Still Killing

Chelsea-Hudson Yards: Jan 1, 2022 - Aug 5, 2025

The Toll in Plain Sight

In Chelsea-Hudson Yards, the violence is relentless. Six people killed. Fifteen left with serious injuries. Eight hundred eleven injured since 2022. The numbers do not flinch. They do not care if you are young or old. They do not care if you are careful.

Just last week, a 65-year-old e-bike rider was struck on Second Avenue. The driver fled, drove onto the sidewalk, and later told police he ran because he did not have a license. The cyclist was left with a broken skull. The driver now faces charges for leaving the scene and driving unlicensed. He told police he fled initially because he did not have a license.

On 8th Avenue and West 25th, an 86-year-old woman was killed crossing with the signal. The driver was unlicensed. The crash report lists “failure to yield” and “driver inattention.” There are no second chances at the curb.

Who Pays the Price

SUVs and cars did the most harm. They killed one, seriously injured three, and left over 150 hurt. Trucks and buses injured dozens more. Bikes and mopeds added to the toll, but the weight of death rides on four wheels or more.

The stories repeat. A cyclist crushed by a taxi. A pedestrian struck by a sedan. A box truck rips into a cab. The sidewalk is not safe. The crosswalk is not safe. The bike lane is not safe.

What Leaders Have Done—and Not Done

Some leaders have moved. State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal voted yes on a bill to force repeat speeders to install speed limiters. He backed it in committee. Assembly Member Tony Simone co-sponsored bills to expand camera enforcement and hold vehicle owners liable. Council Member Erik Bottcher sponsored a bill to ban parking near crosswalks.

But the pace is slow. The carnage is not. Every week brings new blood to the street.

The Words of the Street

A resident said, “No one stops at these stop signs. We see people go through these red lights all the time.” Another called for action: “I really want there to be speed humps because it’s just terrifying.”

Act Now—Or Count the Dead

Call your council member. Call your assembly member. Demand a 20 mph speed limit. Demand speed limiters for repeat offenders. Demand streets that do not kill.

The city will not change unless you force it. The dead cannot speak. You must.