The city promised safer corners after a child died. Instead, it padded numbers, counting old sites and weak fixes. Signs went up, but cars still block sight lines. Advocates demand real barriers, not empty promises. Corners stay deadly. The city stalls.

This report covers the Adams administration's 2024 pledge to 'add daylighting to 1,000 locations,' a promise made after a fatal crash killed a 7-year-old. The Department of Transportation (DOT) claimed progress, but counted multiple corners per intersection and included sites predating the mayor's vow. The article states: 'the city is overstating its progress while installing ineffective measures to keep corners clear.' Council members and advocates, including Philip Miatkowski of Transportation Alternatives and Emily Chingay of Open Plans, criticized the city for relying on unenforced 'No Standing' signs instead of physical barriers. Experts argue only infrastructure like curb extensions or flex posts can protect sight lines. Community boards and local politicians call for universal daylighting at every intersection. The gap between promises and action leaves vulnerable road users exposed. Advocates urge the city to stop 'fudging the numbers' and install real protections.

• ‘Cutting Corners’: City Juices Stats for Intersection Safety Upgrades, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-25

Alex Morano calls out City Hall for failing to daylight intersections. He cites a child’s death and demands state action. The mayor’s promises fall short. Exemptions leave pedestrians exposed. Morano urges lawmakers to enforce daylighting everywhere. Lives hang in the balance.

On October 25, 2024, Alex Morano published an opinion piece demanding an end to New York City’s exemption from state daylighting law. The article, titled 'It’s Past Time to Daylight Every Corner in New York City,' criticizes Mayor Adams’s pledge to daylight 1,000 intersections per year as inadequate and misleading. Morano references the death of Kamari Hughes as a tragic example of the city’s failure. He writes, 'New York City should no longer be an exception when it comes to intersection safety.' Morano urges state lawmakers to enforce daylighting standards citywide, arguing that the current exemption leaves pedestrians at risk. He calls for universal daylighting, citing benefits like stormwater mitigation and safer community spaces. The piece is a direct challenge to City Hall’s slow pace and lack of legal accountability.

• Opinion: It’s Past Time to Daylight Every Corner in New York City, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-25

A Toyota SUV traveling south on Manhattan Avenue struck a 13-year-old girl in the head with its left front bumper. She died on the pavement, her life ended in an instant beneath the autumn sun.

According to the police report, a 13-year-old girl was killed when a southbound Toyota SUV struck her on Manhattan Avenue near Cathedral Parkway. The report states the SUV's left front bumper hit the girl's head as she crossed the street. The incident occurred at 13:49, and the girl died at the scene. The police narrative specifies she 'stepped into the street without a signal.' The contributing factor listed in the report is 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' The data does not cite any driver-specific errors or violations, but the impact location and vehicle movement are clearly documented. The report notes the girl was crossing at an intersection but not in a crosswalk or with a signal, and lists her action as 'Crossing, No Signal, or Crosswalk.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766233, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A pickup driver fleeing police killed a cyclist in Astoria. The truck had 80 camera tickets. Police chased anyway. Residents and advocates demand a ban on chases. The city let its reckless driver safety program expire. No one stopped the carnage.

On October 23, 2024, a cyclist was killed by a hit-and-run driver fleeing NYPD in Astoria. The incident follows a rise in police chases since Mayor Adams took office. The black Dodge Ram involved had 80 camera-issued speeding or red-light tickets since mid-2022, but the owner never faced a mandated safety course because the city’s program expired and was not renewed. Residents and advocates, including Chong Bretillon and Elizabeth Adams, condemned the NYPD’s pursuit tactics. Bretillon demanded accountability from the 114th Precinct, calling the chase 'completely unacceptable.' Adams stated, 'It’s time for the city to ban police chases in writing and in practice.' Calls for a ban on police chases and renewal of the DOT safety course program have intensified as the death toll mounts.

• Cyclist Killed By Driver Fleeing Cops in Another High-Speed Chase, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-23

A Dodge pickup hit a 36-year-old woman riding her bike on 34th Avenue near 37th Street. Her body was thrown. The bike was crushed. A parked BMW was scarred. She wore a helmet. She died there, under the streetlights.

According to the police report, a Dodge pickup truck traveling straight struck a 36-year-old woman riding a bicycle on 34th Avenue near 37th Street in Queens. The report states, 'Her body was thrown. The bike lay crushed. A parked BMW scarred.' The collision resulted in the cyclist's death at the scene. The report notes the cyclist was wearing a helmet. The parked BMW sustained damage to its left front bumper. The contributing factors are listed as 'Unspecified.' The report does not cite any cyclist behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the impact and the lethal force of the pickup truck, which was moving straight ahead when it struck the cyclist.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765626, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Ford SUV, its driver unlicensed, struck an 81-year-old woman near the curb on East 59th Street. The right front bumper shattered her pelvis. She died on the pavement. The car bore no mark. The city’s danger remains unyielding.

According to the police report, a Ford SUV traveling east on East 59th Street struck an 81-year-old woman near the curb with its right front bumper. The impact shattered her pelvis, causing fatal crush injuries. The report states the victim 'died on the pavement.' The SUV showed no damage. Critically, the police report notes the driver was unlicensed at the time of the crash. No license, no right to drive, yet the vehicle continued straight ahead, ending a life. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' but the narrative centers the unlicensed driver as a key element. No mention is made of any victim behavior contributing to the crash. The system allowed a driver with no license to operate a powerful vehicle, with deadly results.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765231, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A distracted driver’s right front bumper struck a 19-year-old man walking alone on Bruckner Expressway. The impact broke his body. He died beneath the Bronx sky, silent. The system failed him. The driver’s inattention ended a life.

A 19-year-old pedestrian was killed on Bruckner Expressway when a driver, described in the police report as 'distracted,' struck him with the vehicle’s right front bumper. According to the police report, the crash occurred at 1:35 a.m. The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was engaged in 'other actions in roadway' when the collision happened. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The impact caused fatal injuries to the pedestrian’s entire body. No evidence in the police report suggests any contributing behavior by the victim prior to the crash. The driver’s failure to pay attention behind the wheel is the only cited cause, underscoring the persistent danger drivers pose to people on foot.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765230, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man on a Hover-1 e-scooter slammed into a bus on Church Avenue near Linden Boulevard. Ejected, his head struck the pavement. He died at the scene. Police cited driver distraction as a contributing factor in the deadly crash.

According to the police report, a 44-year-old man operating a Hover-1 e-scooter collided with the right side doors of a southbound bus on Church Avenue near Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn. The report states the e-scooter rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet. Upon impact, he was ejected and suffered fatal head injuries, dying at the scene. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The bus driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of the collision. The data does not cite any contributing factors related to the bus driver. The report focuses on distraction as a systemic danger, underscoring the vulnerability of those outside cars and buses on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4764879, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 37-year-old man, helmeted but unlicensed, changed lanes on Nassau Expressway. He was thrown from his moped, struck headfirst, crushed on impact. The road claimed him. No other vehicles. No second chance.

A single-vehicle crash on Nassau Expressway left a 37-year-old man dead, according to the police report. The victim, operating a 2024 Taizhou moped, was unlicensed and was changing lanes when he was ejected from the vehicle. The report states he was helmeted, but suffered fatal head and crush injuries after being thrown and striking the roadway. The police report notes, 'He was thrown, struck headfirst, helmeted. The road took him. Crushed on impact. Ejected.' No other vehicles or people were involved. The driver's unlicensed status is documented in the police report. No additional contributing factors were cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4764561, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 66-year-old man pedaled east on Commonwealth. A northbound GMC pickup hit him head-on. He flew from his bike, skull cracking on Bronx concrete. Blood pooled in the late morning sun. He died there, alone, on the street.

According to the police report, a 66-year-old man was riding his bike eastbound at the corner of Commonwealth and Westchester Avenues in the Bronx when a northbound GMC pickup truck struck him head-on. The report states, 'He flew from the bike, landed hard. His skull hit Bronx concrete. Blood on the street. He died there, alone, in the late morning sun.' The police narrative lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor, but does not cite any driver-specific errors or violations. The cyclist was ejected from his bike and suffered fatal head injuries. The report does not mention helmet use or any other cyclist behavior as a contributing factor. The deadly impact underscores the vulnerability of people on bikes when confronted by heavy vehicles in city traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4764528, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Steel swept through the crosswalk at De Kalb and Wyckoff. A van turned right, head-on into a man with the light. No screech, no skid, no mercy. The man died where he stood, body broken by the van’s front end.

A 59-year-old man was killed at the intersection of De Kalb Avenue and Wyckoff Avenue in Brooklyn when a van making a right turn struck him head-on. According to the police report, the pedestrian was 'crossing with signal' in the crosswalk when the van, registered in Michigan and operated by a licensed New York driver, failed to yield the right-of-way. The report states, 'A van turned right. A man, 59, walked with the light. Steel struck him head-on.' The impact was so severe that the victim suffered injuries to his entire body and died at the scene. The police report notes there were 'no skid marks' and 'no damage to the van.' The contributing factor listed is 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The pedestrian’s lawful crossing is mentioned only after the driver’s error, underscoring the systemic danger posed by vehicles failing to yield at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4764527, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Dodge SUV plowed straight into the rear of a parked diesel truck on the New England Thruway. The front end crumpled. The airbag burst. The 40-year-old driver died alone behind the wheel, the force of impact fatal.

A deadly crash unfolded on the New England Thruway when a Dodge SUV, heading south, collided directly with the back end of a parked diesel tractor truck, according to the police report. The narrative states, 'A Dodge SUV slammed into the back of a parked diesel truck. The front folded. The airbag burst. The 40-year-old driver took the hit full on. He died alone behind the wheel.' The SUV's center front end struck the truck's center rear, causing fatal injuries to the driver, who was the sole occupant. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors or unsafe actions by the parked truck are cited in the report. The force of the crash and the stationary position of the truck highlight the lethal consequences of high-speed impacts with large, immobile vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4765541, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

The Adams administration gutted a safety plan for Ashland Place. Cyclists now face chaos and injury on a block left out of the protected bike lane network. Crashes rose after the compromise. Activists demand the city finish the job before winter sets in.

No bill number exists for this matter; it is an advocacy campaign sparked by the Adams administration’s 2023 decision to water down the Department of Transportation’s Ashland Place safety project. The city left the southernmost block, between Hanson Place and Lafayette Avenue, without a protected bike lane. As activists from Transportation Alternatives wrote, this block 'does not work for anyone on the street and is the missing link in an otherwise protected bike lane.' Council members are not named, but the campaign targets Mayor Adams and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. Residents supported the full plan, but the city caved to real estate and institutional pressure, keeping two-way car traffic and exposing cyclists to danger. Crash data shows injuries persist. Activists urge the city to close the gap before the painting season ends.

• The Mayor’s Ashland Pl. Compromise Remains a Safety Menace, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-16

A 31-year-old man stood in the dark on Cross Island Parkway. Two SUVs hit him, one after another. His body broke beneath the steel. No intersection. No chance. The night swallowed him whole.

A 31-year-old man was killed on Cross Island Parkway late at night after being struck by two SUVs in succession, according to the police report. The narrative states, 'A 31-year-old man stood in the roadway. Two SUVs struck him, one after the other. His body broke beneath the steel. No intersection. No chance.' The crash occurred away from any intersection, with the pedestrian listed as 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Not at Intersection' and engaged in 'Other Actions in Roadway.' The first SUV, a 2023 Nissan, was 'Changing Lanes' before its right front bumper struck the man. The second SUV, a 2018 Jaguar, was described as 'Parked' with impact to its center back end. The police report lists both driver contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The report does not attribute any contributing factors to the pedestrian's behavior. The sequence and violence of the impacts underscore the vulnerability of people on foot in high-speed corridors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4763849, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A BMW motorcycle collided with the left side of a Toyota SUV at East 106th Street and 3rd Avenue. The rider and passenger were thrown, suffered fatal head trauma and crush injuries. The impact silenced the street, ending two lives instantly.

According to the police report, at 4:43 a.m., a BMW motorcycle traveling north struck the left side doors of a Toyota SUV heading west at East 106th Street and 3rd Avenue. The motorcycle rider, 30, and his passenger, 35, were ejected and died from head trauma and crush wounds despite wearing helmets. The report explicitly cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor for the motorcycle driver, indicating a critical driver error. The SUV driver had no contributing factors listed. The violent impact and fatal injuries highlight the deadly consequences of driver negligence at this intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4763117, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Two men died inside a crumpled sedan after a head-on collision with an SUV on Park Avenue. Neither wore seat belts. The crash, marked by metal screams and shattered heads, left the street silent beneath green traffic lights.

According to the police report, a violent head-on collision occurred on Park Avenue near Claremont Parkway in the Bronx, involving a sedan and an SUV. Two men, ages 24 and 32, were passengers in the sedan and suffered fatal head injuries. Both were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. The vehicles collided front-to-front while traveling straight ahead. The report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor in the death of the 32-year-old passenger, indicating driver failure to obey traffic signals or signs. The narrative describes the aftermath: 'Metal screamed. Lights stayed green. Their heads took the blow. The street went quiet.' No other driver errors or victim behaviors are listed as contributing factors. The crash highlights the deadly impact of driver disregard for traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4763624, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan tore down Cross Island Parkway, speed unchecked. The car flipped, metal shrieked, six inside. A seventeen-year-old boy, unbelted, was thrown from the wreck. His body shattered. Sirens wailed through the night, marking another life ended by reckless velocity.

According to the police report, a 2014 Nissan sedan traveling southbound on Cross Island Parkway with six occupants crashed after the driver lost control at unsafe speed. The report states, 'A 2014 Nissan, six inside, hit speed and flipped.' The vehicle overturned, and a 17-year-old male passenger seated in the left rear was ejected from the car. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the primary contributing factor. The teen suffered fatal injuries to his entire body and was pronounced dead at the scene. The narrative details, 'A 17-year-old boy in the back, no belt, thrown clear. Whole body broken.' No other contributing factors are cited for the victim. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers exceed safe speeds, especially with multiple passengers in the vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4762856, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A hit-and-run driver killed Felix Mendez on Bedford Avenue. He crossed with the light. The city delayed a safety redesign for years. Hours after the crash, DOT narrowed the road and added a bike lane. Delay cost a life. Activists blame city inaction.

On October 11, 2024, a hit-and-run driver fatally struck Felix Mendez, 49, as he crossed Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. The incident occurred just hours before the Department of Transportation (DOT) implemented a long-stalled safety redesign. The redesign narrowed the roadway to one lane and added a protected bike lane—a 'road diet' proven to improve safety. Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives condemned the city's delay, stating, 'delaying projects has a real cost.' The matter highlights the deadly impact of bureaucratic inaction. Between January and early October, there were 86 reported crashes on this mile-long stretch, injuring cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists, and killing one pedestrian. The city faces a pedestrian death crisis, with fatalities rising. DOT claims the redesign will make the street safer, but for Mendez, the fix came too late.

• Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Pedestrian on Bedford Av. Hours Before Long-Stalled Safety Redesign Begins, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-11

Manhattan’s Community Board 6 told DOT to open the Queensboro Bridge’s south path to pedestrians now. Cyclists and walkers are crammed into one narrow lane. Drivers get nine. DOT delays keep danger high. The board says: stop stalling, put safety first.

On October 11, 2024, Manhattan Community Board 6 passed a resolution demanding the Department of Transportation open the Queensboro Bridge’s south outer roadway to pedestrians without delay. The board’s Transportation Committee, led by Vice Chair Barak Friedman and Chair Jason Froimowitz, called the current setup 'really dangerous' and 'horrible for pedestrians and cyclists.' The resolution states opening the path 'must take priority over the convenience of drivers.' DOT has delayed the project repeatedly, citing unrelated upper deck construction. Former Mayor de Blasio promised a fix in 2021, but the Adams administration has not delivered. Cyclists and pedestrians remain forced to share a cramped, unsafe lane while motorists enjoy up to nine. Advocates and board members say the city’s excuses put lives at risk. DOT declined to comment.

• Manhattanites To DOT: Open Queensboro Bridge Pedestrian Path ‘Without Delay’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-10-11

A man, 49, crossed Bedford at Lafayette before dawn. A northbound car hit him head-on. His head struck hard. He died there, beneath cold streetlights. No name, no reason. Just silence and broken glass in the dark.

A 49-year-old man was killed at the corner of Bedford Avenue and Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 3:07 a.m., when a northbound car struck the pedestrian head-on as he crossed the intersection. The report states the victim suffered a fatal head injury and died at the scene. The narrative describes, 'A man, 49, crossing alone before dawn. A northbound car crushed him head-on. His head struck. He died there, beneath cold streetlights.' The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian, offering no further detail on the cause. The vehicle's point of impact was the center front end, consistent with a direct collision. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the lethal impact of the vehicle and the unresolved danger at this Brooklyn intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4762323, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15