Blood in the Crosswalk: No More Excuses, No More Deaths

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

Two SUVs crashed head-on during left turns on South Conduit Avenue. One driver suffered neck injuries and whiplash. Airbags deployed. Both vehicles took heavy front-end damage. No pedestrians or cyclists involved.

According to the police report, two sport utility vehicles collided on South Conduit Avenue in Queens as both drivers attempted left turns. The impact struck the center front end of one SUV and the left front bumper of the other. A 37-year-old male driver was injured, reporting neck pain and whiplash. He was conscious, restrained by a lap belt and harness, and airbags deployed. Both drivers were licensed men, traveling south and east. The report lists unspecified contributing factors but does not cite any specific driver errors. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash caused significant front-end damage to both vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4613633 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-13

An SUV and a sedan slammed together at a Queens intersection. Both drivers suffered whiplash and full-body injuries. No one was ejected. The cause remains unclear. Metal twisted. Lives jarred.

According to the police report, a 31-year-old woman driving a 2022 Infiniti SUV northbound and a 46-year-old man driving a 2020 Nissan sedan eastbound collided at 143-84 227 Street in Queens. Both drivers were injured, suffering whiplash and trauma to their entire bodies. They remained conscious and were not ejected from their vehicles. The SUV took damage to its left front quarter panel, while the sedan's right front bumper and center front end were crushed. The police report lists all contributing factors as unspecified for both drivers. No other causes or errors are cited in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4610157 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-13

Council moves Intro 501-A forward. No more cash reward for reporting drivers blocking bike or bus lanes. The bill phases in citywide. Digital training and ID now required. Broader zones, stricter rules. Safety and accountability take center stage.

Intro 501-A, sponsored by Council Member Lincoln Restler, advanced in the City Council on March 3, 2023. The bill, now revised, drops the 25 percent bounty for citizen reporters. It requires digital training and valid New York identification. The rollout starts in Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn, expanding citywide over three years. The Department of Transportation must create a mobile app and post signage in reporting zones. The bill doubles reporting zones around schools to 2,640 feet. Restler said, 'The updated version of this bill will prioritize safety by reducing the likelihood of conflict between neighbors while continuing to empower citizen enforcement across nearly the entirety of New York City.' Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers led the committee. Advocates like Transportation Alternatives and Bike New York support the bill, citing the need for civilian enforcement to keep streets safe for vulnerable users.

• ‘Citizen Reporting’ Bill Moves Forward, But Without the Bounty, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-03-03

Council moves Intro 501 forward. No cash reward for reporting. Only trained New Yorkers can file. First, Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. Citywide in three years. Aim: stop blocked bike and bus lanes. Brooks-Powers leads. Restler pushes safety. Streets stay in focus.

Intro 501, a bill to let citizens report drivers blocking bike or bus lanes, advanced in the City Council on March 3, 2023. The Transportation Committee, chaired by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (District 31), steered the revision. The bill, sponsored by Lincoln Restler, drops the 25 percent ticket bounty but expands reporting zones and phases in citywide coverage over three years. The matter summary states: 'A long-stalled bill that would allow people to report drivers who block bike or bus lanes is about to move forward in the City Council, but without its central feature: people who make complaints will no longer receive 25 percent of the resulting ticket revenue.' Restler said, 'My top priority is expanding street safety.' The bill now requires a digital training course and valid ID for complainants. Only unoccupied cars can be reported. The Department of Transportation must create a mobile app and post signage. Advocates support the bill, citing the need for civilian enforcement to protect vulnerable road users.

• ‘Citizen Reporting’ Bill Moves Forward, But Without the Bounty, streetsblog.org, Published 2023-03-03

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 driver killed 7-year-old Dolma Naadhun at a Queens intersection. City workers made minor fixes. Council members demanded daylighting and real barriers. DOT resisted, citing flexibility. Advocates want curb extensions. The city’s slow action leaves streets deadly.

On February 24, 2023, Council Members Julie Won, Tiffany Cabán, and Selvena Brooks-Powers sent a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT) after a driver killed Dolma Naadhun. They demanded daylighting, neckdowns, speed bumps, stop signs, and reflective markings at Newtown Road intersections. The lawmakers wrote, “Nothing can bring back Dolma Naadhun, but we can prevent further loss of life so that no family must experience the loss of a loved one.” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez opposed a Council bill mandating 100 daylighted intersections per year, arguing for flexibility and physical infrastructure in daylit spaces. Advocates and experts agree: daylighting without barriers is flawed. They call for curb extensions to slow drivers and protect people. Residents remain frustrated by the city’s slow, limited response after repeated deaths and injuries.

• R.I.P. DOLMA: A Deep Dive on DOT’s Daylighting Dilemma, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-24

DOT missed safety targets. Council pressed for action. DOT balked, citing staff shortages. Council demanded more. Advocates called bills weak. Streets remain dangerous. No relief for pedestrians or cyclists. City government stalls. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

At a February 14, 2023 City Council oversight hearing, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez admitted the agency failed to meet last year’s street safety benchmarks. The hearing, led by Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, reviewed a slate of bills requiring reflective materials, school safety signs, daylighting, bollards, and more frequent fatality studies. Rodriguez said DOT supports the intent but opposes the bills, citing staffing shortages and a need for flexibility. Brooks-Powers expressed disappointment: 'It sounds, unfortunately, like DOT is not supporting any of the bills.' Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized city austerity and shrinking staff. Advocates, including Amy Cohen, said the bills 'don’t go nearly far enough.' The hearing exposed deep gaps between Council ambition, DOT capacity, and the urgent need for safer streets.

• DOT to Council: Don’t Ask Us To Do More After We Failed to What You Mandated Us To Do Last Year, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-14

City Council grilled DOT on street safety. Commissioner Rodriguez rejected new bollards, signs, and speed bumps. Advocates demanded action after 255 deaths. Council and DOT agreed only on a 5 mph limit for Open Streets. Vulnerable New Yorkers remain at risk.

On February 14, 2023, the City Council’s Transportation Committee, chaired by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (District 31), held a hearing on a slate of street safety bills. The matter, titled 'DOT chief pushes back on City Council’s latest street safety proposals,' saw Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez oppose mandatory installation of bollards, safety signs near schools, reflective curbs, and speed bumps near senior centers. Brooks-Powers opened the hearing noting, 'It sounds, unfortunately, like DOT doesn’t support any of the bills that we’re looking to discuss today.' Street safety advocates, including Priscilla Afokoba and Amy Cohen, spoke in favor of the proposals, citing the 255 people killed by motorists in the previous year. The only consensus: a resolution to urge Albany to reduce the speed limit to 5 mph on Open Streets, with Governor Hochul signaling support. The hearing highlighted deep divides between the Council and DOT on protecting pedestrians and cyclists.

• DOT chief pushes back on City Council’s latest street safety proposals, gothamist.com, Published 2023-02-14

Council pressed DOT on slow safety progress. Adams administration rejected bills for traffic calming, daylighting, and crash studies. Council vowed to push forward. DOT blamed staff cuts. Advocates demanded hard fixes. Streets stay deadly. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 14, 2023, the City Council held an oversight hearing on a package of street safety bills. Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers led the debate. The Adams administration, represented by DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, opposed the bills, arguing, 'Streets are dynamic and conditions are constantly changing. We need to be nimble.' The bills would require DOT to install traffic calming near senior centers, daylight intersections, add school safety signs, study and install bollards, and increase crash reporting. Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized the mayor’s budget cuts, saying they undermine safety goals. Brooks-Powers pledged to advance the bills, stressing the need for hard infrastructure, especially in Black and Brown neighborhoods. DOT admitted it is behind on bus and bike lane targets. No formal safety analyst assessment was provided, but advocates insist better design saves lives.

• DOT honchos grilled on street safety progress as Adams admin announces opposition to Council bills, amny.com, Published 2023-02-14

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

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

A 39-year-old front passenger suffered fractured pelvis injuries when an unlicensed driver made a right turn and crashed into a parked sedan on 177-34 145 Avenue. The impact damaged the front of the turning vehicle and the rear of the parked car.

According to the police report, a male driver without a valid license made a right turn while traveling east and collided with a parked sedan on 177-34 145 Avenue in Queens. The collision struck the center front end of the turning vehicle and the left rear bumper of the parked car. The front passenger in the turning vehicle, a 39-year-old man wearing a lap belt and harness, sustained fractured and dislocated injuries to his abdomen and pelvis. The report lists no specific contributing factors beyond the driver’s unlicensed status. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The driver’s failure to hold a valid license was a critical factor in this crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4603967 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-13

City Council grilled the Adams administration on street carnage. The hearing exposed failures: missed targets for protected bike lanes, bus lanes, and safety investments. Council members called for real infrastructure, not just enforcement. Advocates demanded accountability and action for vulnerable New Yorkers.

On January 27, 2023, the City Council’s Transportation Committee held an oversight hearing on street safety and Vision Zero implementation. The hearing, led by Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers, questioned whether Mayor Adams is honoring his pledge to end road violence. The matter focused on the administration’s failure to meet Council-mandated benchmarks in the NYC Streets Plan, especially protected bike lanes and bus lanes. Brooks-Powers stated, 'No New Yorker should have to fear for their life while crossing or using our streets.' She stressed that enforcement alone is not enough, demanding equitable infrastructure in neglected neighborhoods. Advocacy leaders like Elizabeth Adams and Sara Lind echoed the call for physical changes and accountability. The hearing marked a rare moment of scrutiny, with advocates welcoming the Council’s push for real safety measures for all road users.

• Council Wants Answers from Adams Administration on Road Violence Epidemic, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-27

Councilmember Brooks-Powers calls a hearing on hidden license plates. Drivers hide plates to dodge cameras. City Hall claims enforcement, but plates stay covered. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price. The city’s promise rings hollow. Action, not words, saves lives.

On January 25, 2023, Council Transportation Committee Chair Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (District 31) announced a forthcoming NYC Council hearing on obscured license plates and enforcement. The hearing, date not yet set, follows mounting evidence that drivers—including law enforcement—deface or cover plates to evade speed and toll cameras. The matter, described as a public safety issue, exposes a gap in city enforcement. Brooks-Powers’s action responds to calls for accountability, as highlighted in the article: 'there will be a hearing on obscured plates.' Despite City Hall’s claim that 'obscuring and defacing license plates is against the law' and that enforcement is increasing, the streets tell a different story. Unreadable plates let reckless drivers escape detection. Vulnerable road users—pedestrians, cyclists, passengers—face greater risk. The city’s failure to act leaves them exposed.

• The End of ‘Criminal Mischief’? A Reflection on Three Months of Field Work, streetsblog.org, Published 2023-01-25

Council eyes crackdown on drivers hiding plates. Lawmakers plan a hearing. Defaced plates dodge cameras, shield reckless drivers. City Hall claims action, but enforcement lags. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price. The system protects the powerful, not the people.

On January 25, 2023, Council Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers announced an upcoming hearing on enforcement against obscured license plates. The hearing, not yet scheduled, follows months of reporting by Gersh Kuntzman, who documented widespread plate defacement by drivers—including law enforcement and public officials—to evade speed and toll cameras. The article quotes Brooks-Powers: 'there will be a hearing on obscured plates.' Kuntzman urges expansion of Council Member Lincoln Restler’s Intro 501, which would let the public report illegal plates via 311. City Hall claims it is 'strengthening enforcement,' but Kuntzman’s reporting shows little follow-through. The lack of action lets reckless drivers escape accountability, undermining automated enforcement and endangering vulnerable road users. The system’s failure leaves pedestrians and cyclists exposed while drivers hide in plain sight.

• The End of ‘Criminal Mischief’? A Reflection on Three Months of Field Work, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-25

Advocates call on Mayor Adams to back open streets, curb car use, and fund transit. They urge permanent outdoor dining, end to parking mandates, and more space for people. The message is clear: put safety and public space before cars.

On January 25, 2023, advocates released a statement ahead of Mayor Adams’s State of the City address. The statement, titled 'What the Livable Streets Movement Wants from Thursday’s State of the City Address,' urges the city to prioritize open streets, permanent outdoor dining, and public transit. The group calls for eliminating parking mandates and expanding Summer Streets to Brooklyn and Queens. They demand automated curb enforcement and a reduction in the city’s vehicle fleet. Borough Presidents Antonio Reynoso and Donovan Richards support the Summer Streets expansion. The statement insists, 'Leadership should be celebrating [public transit] and investing in it above all else.' The advocates reject half-measures and marketing campaigns. They want policies that move people out of cars and reclaim streets for vulnerable road users.

• What the Livable Streets Movement Wants from Thursday’s State of the City Address, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-25

A 60-year-old woman was hit by an SUV making a left turn on 147 Avenue in Queens. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal. She suffered bruises and injuries to her knee and lower leg. The driver was distracted at the time.

According to the police report, a 60-year-old female pedestrian was injured while crossing at an intersection on 147 Avenue in Queens. The driver of a 2009 GMC SUV was making a left turn when the collision occurred. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The pedestrian suffered contusions and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot. The vehicle sustained no damage. The driver was licensed and traveling southwest. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4600249 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-13

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 2023-01-24