May 22 - A westbound SUV and northbound sedan crashed head-on on Rockaway Freeway in Queens. The SUV driver, a 59-year-old man, suffered back injuries and whiplash. Police reported driver inattention as a key factor in the collision’s cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 16:20 on Rockaway Freeway in Queens. Two vehicles, a westbound 2019 SUV and a northbound 2005 sedan, collided front-to-front. The SUV driver, a 59-year-old male occupant, sustained back injuries and whiplash but was conscious and not ejected. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the crash. Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead prior to impact. The collision caused center front-end damage to both vehicles. No pedestrian or cyclist involvement was reported. The data highlights driver error—specifically inattention—as the primary cause, with no mention of victim fault or contributing victim behaviors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4726819 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 16 - Council moves to light up step streets. At least 25 stairways each year will get new lamps. Dark paths become visible. Pedestrians gain ground. Shadows shrink. Danger loses its cover.

Int 0875-2024 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on May 16, 2024. The bill reads: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the installation of pedestrian lighting on step streets.' Prime sponsor Joann Ariola, joined by sixteen co-sponsors, pushes for at least 25 step streets to be lit each year until all are covered. Step streets are open-air staircases linking streets at different heights. The bill aims to strip darkness from these paths, making them safer for people on foot. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File Int 0875-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-05-16

May 16 - Queens lawmakers demand more express buses before the $15 congestion toll hits. They say MTA left Queens behind. Riders in transit deserts face long, costly trips. Lawmakers call the exclusion unacceptable. They want fair service before new fees begin.

On May 16, 2024, ten Queens lawmakers, including Julia Salazar (District 18), urged the MTA to expand express bus service to Queens before the $15 Manhattan congestion toll starts. The group wrote to MTA chairman Janno Lieber, stating, "Express buses play a vital role in Queens’ public transit network and only stand to become even more pivotal in the near and distant future." They criticized the MTA for boosting express bus service in Brooklyn and Staten Island but not Queens, calling the exclusion "unacceptable." The lawmakers stressed that many southeast and northeast Queens residents lack subway access and rely on express buses to reach Midtown. They argued the 10 percent LIRR discount is no substitute for robust bus service. Salazar and her colleagues support congestion pricing but insist its success depends on expanded, equitable transit for all vulnerable riders.

• Queens lawmakers demand more MTA bus service to Manhattan before $15 congestion toll begins, nypost.com, Published 2024-05-16

May 9 - City officials defend curbside EV charging. Critics warn it locks in car dominance. Council members slam DOT for slow bus and bike lane rollouts. Advocates demand space for people, not cars. The city plans 10,000 new chargers. Streets stay dangerous.

At a May 9, 2024 City Council budget hearing, DOT Deputy Commissioner Eric Beaton argued that New York’s widespread free on-street parking justifies dedicating curb space to electric vehicle (EV) charging. Beaton testified, 'Half of our vehicles are stored on the street overnight.' The Adams administration aims to install up to 10,000 curbside chargers over the next decade. Council Transportation Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers and Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized DOT for failing to meet bus and bike lane expansion mandates. Sara Lind of Open Plans countered, 'DOT and the administration are fully capable of changing the status quo and rethinking curb parking.' Advocates warned that more EV chargers could block future sidewalk, bike lane, or outdoor dining expansions. The hearing exposed a city stuck in car-first policy, with vulnerable road users left waiting for safer streets.

• DOT Official: All Our Free Parking Justifies Keeping Curb Space for EVs, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-05-09

May 8 - An SUV struck a 26-year-old man crossing Beach 22 Street. The impact left him with hip and internal injuries. He was conscious. The crash shows the danger when drivers fail to avoid people in the road.

According to the police report, a 26-year-old male pedestrian was struck by a 2021 Nissan SUV traveling west on Beach 22 Street in Queens at 20:25. The pedestrian was crossing outside a crosswalk and suffered hip and internal injuries but remained conscious. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The SUV hit the man with its center front end while going straight ahead. The report notes no vehicle damage. The driver’s failure to avoid the pedestrian, as documented in the report, underscores the systemic risk faced by people on foot.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4723159 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 8 - Mayor Adams backs lower speed limits but calls crashes ‘accidents.’ He urges drivers to slow down, yet hedges on citywide changes. The Council and DOT hold the power. Advocates say language matters. Streets remain deadly. Action lags. Lives hang in balance.

On May 8, 2024, Mayor Eric Adams publicly supported lowering speed limits after the passage of 'Sammy’s Law,' which allows New York City to reduce limits to 20 mph on most roads. The law, passed in the state budget, excludes wide, multi-lane roads in the outer boroughs. Adams said, 'I do believe as New Yorkers we need to slow down,' but repeatedly referred to preventable crashes as 'accidents,' a term advocates reject for removing driver responsibility. The City Council must legislate any citywide speed limit change, while the Department of Transportation (DOT) can adjust limits on specific streets after community input. Council Transportation Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers and Speaker Adrienne Adams pledged to 'collaborate and negotiate' with City Hall. Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi stressed the need for street redesign and legal reform, noting, 'This is not a problem that goes away on its own.' Despite new authority, the Adams administration has lagged on safe street infrastructure. The city faces its deadliest start to a year in the Vision Zero era, with 60 killed in the first quarter.

• Adams Backs Lower Speed Limits, Calls Crashes ‘Accidents’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-05-08

May 4 - A car hit a 30-year-old man crossing Beach Channel Drive at McBride Street. The right front bumper struck his face. He was left incoherent, bleeding. No driver errors listed. No vehicle damage reported.

According to the police report, a 30-year-old male pedestrian was struck by a vehicle’s right front bumper while crossing Beach Channel Drive at McBride Street in Queens. The man suffered facial abrasions and was incoherent at the scene. The report states he was crossing without a signal or crosswalk. No driver errors or contributing factors were documented. The vehicle showed no damage. The police report does not cite any violations or driver actions as contributing factors in this crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4722564 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 2 - An 88-year-old man suffered a head abrasion after a collision with a bicycle on the Queens boardwalk. The pedestrian was not in the roadway and remained conscious. The crash occurred near Beach 29 Street, revealing risks beyond vehicle traffic lanes.

According to the police report, an 88-year-old male pedestrian was injured in a collision with a bicycle traveling west on the boardwalk near Beach 29 Street in Queens. The pedestrian was located off the roadway, described as 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Not at Intersection,' and sustained a head abrasion with injury severity rated at 3. The pedestrian remained conscious after the impact. The report does not list any contributing factors related to driver error or pedestrian behavior, only noting 'Unspecified' factors. The point of impact and vehicle damage are categorized as 'Other,' indicating the collision occurred outside typical street or roadway settings. No failure to yield or other driver errors were explicitly cited in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4726830 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 28 - A sedan traveling south struck a westbound moped on Beach 32 Street in Queens. The moped driver, a 32-year-old woman, was ejected and suffered a fractured hip and upper leg injuries. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way as the cause.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Beach 32 Street in Queens at 3:15 PM. A sedan traveling south collided with a moped traveling west. The point of impact was the left front bumper of the sedan and the left front bumper of the moped. The moped driver, a 32-year-old female, was ejected from her vehicle and sustained a fractured and dislocated hip and upper leg injury, classified as injury severity level 3. The driver of the sedan was licensed and traveling straight ahead. The police report identifies "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" as the contributing factor to the crash. The moped driver was unlicensed. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4720687 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 27 - A sedan struck an e-scooter from behind while both made left turns on Beach 22 Street. The e-scooter driver, a 30-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg injuries. Police cite following too closely and driver distraction as causes.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 11:58 on Beach 22 Street when a sedan and an e-scooter, both traveling west and making left turns, collided front to front. The e-scooter driver, a 30-year-old male, was injured with contusions and bruises to his knee and lower leg. The report identifies the sedan driver’s errors as "Following Too Closely" and "Driver Inattention/Distraction." No damage was reported to either vehicle. The e-scooter driver was conscious and not ejected. The police report does not list any victim behaviors contributing to the crash. The collision highlights risks from driver inattention and tailgating during turning maneuvers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4720686 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 22 - Albany passed Sammy’s Law. The city can now set lower speed limits. Lawmakers carved out wide roads, leaving many deadly corridors untouched. Advocates fought for years. Families of crash victims cheered. The fight for safer streets is not over.

Sammy’s Law, passed on April 22, 2024, as part of New York’s $273-billion state budget, grants New York City the authority to set its own speed limits on most roads. The bill, long blocked by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, finally moved forward under Governor Kathy Hochul’s push. The measure, described as 'a significant legislative achievement,' excludes roads outside Manhattan with three or more travel lanes in one direction—a concession to car-centric lawmakers. The law requires community board notification and comment, but their input is only advisory. Families of road violence victims and street safety advocates celebrated the win. Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, Transportation Chair, conditioned her support on street redesigns in underserved neighborhoods. The law’s carve-out leaves many of the city’s deadliest roads unchanged, withholding proven safety benefits from major thoroughfares.

• Behind the Scenes: How Gov. Hochul Got ‘Sammy’s Law’ Over the Finish Line, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-22

Apr 18 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned and unplated cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. Police target vehicles with missing or fake plates. Fewer hazards for those on foot and bike.

Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on April 18, 2024. The bill states: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code... in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation.' Sponsored by Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (primary) and co-sponsored by over a dozen council members, it forces the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours and empowers NYPD to tow cars with missing or obscured plates or stickers. The law aims to clear street hazards fast, reducing risks for pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-18

Apr 11 - Council orders DOT to reveal bike and micromobility numbers. Streets and bridges get counted. Riders’ paths mapped. City must show where safety fails and where it works. Data goes public. No more hiding the truth.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and became law September 14, 2024, as Local Law 88. The law’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Schulman, Hudson, Restler, and others. The law forces DOT to publish monthly and annual data on bike and micromobility use, plus crash and safety project details. The city must show where riders go, where danger lurks, and what it does to fix it. The mayor returned the bill unsigned, but it stands.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-04-11

Apr 6 - A 60-year-old man was hit and bruised by a backing sedan near Beach 19 Street. He was not in the roadway. Multiple sedans collided. The man stayed conscious. Cars moved, people got hurt.

According to the police report, a crash occurred at 17:20 near Beach 19 Street in Queens. A 60-year-old pedestrian, not in the roadway, was struck and injured. The incident involved a sedan backing into two parked sedans. The pedestrian suffered contusions to his knee, lower leg, and foot, but remained conscious. The report lists 'Other Vehicular' as the contributing factor, pointing to driver errors in vehicle movement. No pedestrian fault is noted. The crash shows the risk posed by vehicle maneuvers even when pedestrians are outside the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4715379 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 6 - Councilman Robert Holden blasts NYC’s congestion pricing plan. He warns the Upper West Side is turning into a commuter parking lot. Critics say the $15 toll will push traffic and pollution into outer neighborhoods. Residents and officials voice anger and frustration.

""In our effort to reduce congestion in the central business district, we’re going to allow increased congestion in our neighborhoods, in our communities?"" -- Khaleel Anderson

On April 6, 2024, Councilman Robert F. Holden (District 30) criticized New York City’s congestion pricing plan, which will charge drivers $15 to enter below 60th Street. The matter, titled 'NYC’s Upper West Side already becoming commuter parking lot for congestion-pricing evaders,' highlights growing concern that the plan will shift traffic and pollution to neighborhoods like the Upper West Side, Kew Gardens, Staten Island, and Brooklyn. Holden said, 'You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out: if you are going to charge people $15 to go below 60th, those people will look for alternatives.' Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, a supporter, admitted, 'It’s going to get worse once there’s a charge at 60th Street—no doubt about it.' Councilwoman Lynn Shulman backs a residential permit parking pilot to address spillover. Community leaders say residents were not consulted. No formal safety analysis for vulnerable road users was provided.

• NYC’s Upper West Side already becoming commuter parking lot for congestion-pricing evaders, nypost.com, Published 2024-04-06

Apr 4 - A sedan struck a parked SUV on Grassmere Terrace. The sedan driver, a 39-year-old woman, was hurt and in shock. Police cited driver inattention and failure to yield as causes. Impact hit the sedan’s left front bumper.

According to the police report, a crash occurred at 19:23 on Grassmere Terrace in Queens. A 39-year-old female sedan driver was injured and experienced shock after her sedan struck a parked SUV. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The SUV was parked before impact and sustained damage to its right front bumper and quarter panel. The sedan was hit on its left front bumper while going straight. The driver wore a lap belt and harness. No contributing factors related to victim behavior were listed. The report highlights driver inattention and failure to yield as primary causes.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4717302 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 4 - Queens fights over a rail line. The mayor backs a park. Advocates demand transit. Poor residents lose out. Elected officials split. The city risks locking out thousands from jobs and care. The debate rages. No one asks the people.

This op-ed, published April 4, 2024, covers the battle over the unused Rockaway Beach Branch rail line in southeastern Queens. The city, led by Mayor Adams, pushes a park-only project, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Rick Horan, QueensLink’s executive director, argues the plan blocks a vital north-south rail corridor, denying disadvantaged communities access to jobs, education, and healthcare. The op-ed states: 'It is simply irresponsible to build a park on a viable transit right-of-way in the biggest city in America.' State Senators James Sanders, Jr. and Joe Addabbo, Assembly Member Stacey Amato, and Council Members Selvena Brooks-Powers, JoAnn Ariola, and Bob Holden support studies and funding for the rails-and-trails QueensLink alternative. The mayor’s plan faces criticism for ignoring public input and environmental justice. No safety impact assessment for vulnerable road users was provided.

• Op-Ed: Keeping Poor Residents in Transit Deserts is Getting Expensive, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-04

Apr 4 - Queens fights over a rail line. The mayor backs a park. Advocates demand transit. Poor residents lose out. Elected officials split. The city risks locking out thousands from jobs and care. The debate rages. No one asks the people.

This op-ed, published April 4, 2024, covers the battle over the unused Rockaway Beach Branch rail line in southeastern Queens. The city, led by Mayor Adams, pushes a park-only project, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Rick Horan, QueensLink’s executive director, argues the plan blocks a vital north-south rail corridor, denying disadvantaged communities access to jobs, education, and healthcare. The op-ed states: 'It is simply irresponsible to build a park on a viable transit right-of-way in the biggest city in America.' State Senators James Sanders, Jr. and Joe Addabbo, Assembly Member Stacey Amato, and Council Members Selvena Brooks-Powers, JoAnn Ariola, and Bob Holden support studies and funding for the rails-and-trails QueensLink alternative. The mayor’s plan faces criticism for ignoring public input and environmental justice. No safety impact assessment for vulnerable road users was provided.

• Op-Ed: Keeping Poor Residents in Transit Deserts is Getting Expensive, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-04-04

Mar 29 - A Ford sedan crashed head-on into a parked SUV on Dickens Street. The unlicensed driver, distracted by something outside, crushed both legs. Alone in the night, he was left conscious and injured. The street stayed silent after the impact.

According to the police report, a Ford sedan traveling south on Dickens Street near Beatrice Court struck a parked SUV head-on. The sedan's sole occupant, a 34-year-old unlicensed male driver, suffered severe crush injuries to both legs and was found conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Outside Car Distraction' as a contributing factor, indicating the driver was distracted by something outside the vehicle before the crash. The sedan's driver did not possess a valid license at the time of the collision. The SUV was parked and unoccupied, with no injuries reported to others. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the danger posed by driver distraction and unlicensed operation.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4714550 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 27 - Senate passes S 2714. Bill pushes complete street design. Aim: safer roads for all. Pedestrians, cyclists, and riders get space. Car dominance challenged. Lawmakers move to cut street carnage.

Senate bill S 2714, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' advanced through committee and passed several Senate votes, most recently on March 27, 2024. Sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy with support from Jake Ashby, Jamaal Bailey, and others, the bill mandates street designs that protect everyone—not just drivers. The measure saw strong support but faced opposition from some senators. By requiring complete street principles, S 2714 aims to reduce danger for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. The bill marks a shift away from car-first planning, forcing cities to build streets for people, not just traffic.

• File S 2714, Open States, Published 2024-03-27