A man on a Kawasaki lost control on Cross Bay Veterans Bridge. He struck hard, helmeted, and was thrown. The bridge held him. His engine cooled in the evening air. He died alone, the road silent around him.

A 35-year-old man riding a 2019 Kawasaki motorcycle was killed on the Cross Bay Veterans Bridge near Beach 94 Street. According to the police report, the motorcyclist 'lost control, struck hard, and flew.' The report states he was helmeted and was ejected from the motorcycle, suffering fatal head injuries. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors in the crash. The rider was the sole occupant, traveling northbound, and held only a permit. The report details that the motorcycle struck with its right front bumper and sustained damage to the right front quarter panel. The narrative closes with the man dying alone on the bridge, his engine cooling beside him. No other vehicles or persons were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752137, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

Rep. Scanlon’s bill strikes at the heart of the SUV menace. It demands real safety standards for cars that kill. No more high marks for hulking machines that crush and blind. The bill forces automakers to face the blood on their bumpers.

On August 28, 2024, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) introduced the Pedestrian Protection Act in Congress. The bill, now in committee, would require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to set strict vehicle safety standards that protect pedestrians and cyclists. The measure calls for benchmarks on vehicle height, hood and bumper design, and blind zone size. It also demands that federal consumer safety ratings reflect how dangerous cars are to people outside them. Scanlon said, “Just the raw statistics make a really compelling case about the incredible, exponential rise in pedestrian and bicyclist deaths.” She acknowledged automaker resistance but insisted, “clearly, we need to do something in order to improve safety.” The bill takes aim at the deadly rise of large vehicles and the federal government’s failure to protect vulnerable road users.

• This Bill Would Finally Address Huge Cars That Kill Pedestrians, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-08-28

A 73-year-old man lost control on the New England Thruway ramp. His SUV veered, colliding with two vehicles. Metal screamed. Airbag burst. He died at the wheel, illness tightening its grip. The ramp fell silent, marked by impact and loss.

According to the police report, a 73-year-old male driver was traveling southbound on the New England Thruway entrance ramp near East Gun Hill Road at 17:15. The report states, 'A 73-year-old man slumped at the wheel. His SUV veered. Metal struck metal. Two cars hit. Airbag burst.' The crash involved two other vehicles: a 2021 Nissan SUV making a left turn and a 2021 Acura sedan going straight. The driver died at the scene, belted in, with the report listing 'Illness' as a contributing factor. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as contributing to the crash. The sequence of events underscores the systemic danger when a driver loses control due to a medical event, resulting in a multi-vehicle collision and fatality.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750604, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A motorcycle struck a sedan turning onto a ramp on Pelham Parkway. Two young riders were ejected and killed. The bike was demolished. Unsafe speed and failure to control the motorcycle caused the deadly crash. No survivors, only shattered lives.

According to the police report, at 14:50 a motorcycle traveling west on Pelham Parkway collided with a sedan making a left turn onto the southbound New England Thruway entrance ramp. The motorcycle struck the right side doors of the sedan, demolishing the bike. The report identifies 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. Both motorcycle occupants, aged 17 and 20, were ejected and killed. Neither rider wore helmets, noted after the primary driver errors. The sedan, driven by a licensed male from Florida, sustained damage to its right side doors. The police report emphasizes the motorcycle driver's excessive speed and failure to yield or control the vehicle as central to the fatal outcome.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750546, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A 24-year-old motorcyclist struck a dump truck’s rear on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Ejected, helmeted, crushed, he died on the asphalt. The truck rolled on. The crash left head trauma and silence under the sun.

A fatal collision unfolded on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway when a 24-year-old motorcyclist, traveling east, crashed into the back of a dump truck, according to the police report. The report states the motorcyclist was 'ejected' and suffered 'head trauma' and 'crush injuries.' He was wearing a helmet. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the crash. Both vehicles were moving straight ahead at the time of impact. The dump truck sustained damage to its center back end, while the motorcycle was damaged at the center front. According to the police report, the motorcyclist died at the scene. No driver errors or contributing factors are listed for the dump truck. The report details a violent, high-speed impact and its deadly aftermath.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750223, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A Dodge sedan veered head-on into a southbound pickup on Henry Hudson Parkway. Steel folded. Two men in the truck died crushed. The Dodge driver held no license. The road stayed dark. Impact and error left only silence.

According to the police report, at 2:25 a.m. on Henry Hudson Parkway, a Dodge sedan veered and struck a southbound pickup truck head-on. The report states, "Steel folded. Two men inside the truck, ages 38 and 40, died crushed." The contributing factor cited is "Passing or Lane Usage Improper." The Dodge driver was unlicensed at the time of the crash, as documented in the vehicle data. The collision resulted in fatal crush injuries to both the driver and front passenger of the pickup. The police report makes no mention of any contributing actions by the victims. The report highlights the unlicensed status of the Dodge driver and improper lane usage as key factors in this deadly crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750210, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A northbound Kia SUV hit a 44-year-old woman head-on on Laurelton Parkway. Her skull broke. She died alone, far from any crosswalk. The SUV’s front end crumpled. The road stayed still. No driver errors were specified in the report.

A 44-year-old woman walking in the roadway on Laurelton Parkway was struck head-on by a northbound Kia SUV, according to the police report. The impact broke her skull and she died at the scene, far from any crosswalk. The report states, 'A northbound Kia SUV struck her head-on. Her skull broke. She died there, alone, far from any crosswalk. The SUV’s front crumpled.' The vehicle sustained damage to its center front end. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian. No specific driver errors, such as failure to yield or distraction, are cited in the data. The focus remains on the fatal impact and the absence of explicit driver accountability in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750204, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A 21-year-old moped passenger died on 73rd Avenue, thrown from the seat, head striking asphalt. No helmet. Speed too high. Evening light fading. The crash left the street silent, the body still, the danger plain.

A deadly collision unfolded at the corner of 73rd Avenue and 184th Street in Queens. According to the police report, a moped traveling east struck the center front end of an SUV heading north. The 21-year-old male passenger on the moped was ejected, suffering fatal head injuries. The report states, 'Speed too high,' and lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the primary contributing factor. The narrative describes the rider flying off the moped and striking his head on the pavement, with no helmet present. The crash occurred as daylight faded, underscoring the risks when speed overrides control. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor, focusing instead on the excessive speed that led to the fatal impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750201, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A box truck barreled through Flushing Avenue, disregarding traffic control. A 29-year-old motorcyclist struck its front, was crushed, thrown, and died on the street. His helmet offered no shield against the violence of steel and neglect.

A deadly collision unfolded on Flushing Avenue near Scott Avenue in Brooklyn when a 1987 BMW motorcycle collided with the front quarter of a box truck, according to the police report. The 29-year-old motorcycle rider, who was wearing a helmet, was crushed and partially ejected from his bike. He died at the scene from severe injuries to his entire body. The police report cites 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, drawing attention to the failure of at least one driver to obey traffic signals or signs. Both vehicles were reported as going straight ahead at the time of impact. The truck's left front quarter panel was struck, and the motorcycle overturned. The report makes no mention of any victim error or behavior contributing to the crash. The violence of the impact and the disregard for traffic control proved fatal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4749926, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A pickup, barreling too fast, slammed its front bumper into a 56-year-old man standing off the street at Horace Harding Expressway and Kissena Boulevard. His head struck hard. He died there, crushed, never stepping into the roadway.

According to the police report, a 56-year-old man was standing near the intersection of Horace Harding Expressway and Kissena Boulevard, not in the roadway, when a pickup truck traveling at unsafe speed struck him with its left front bumper. The report states the impact caused fatal head and crush injuries, killing the man at the scene. The contributing factor listed is 'Unsafe Speed.' No contributing factors are attributed to the pedestrian. The police report makes clear the pedestrian was not in the street at the time of the crash. The pickup, registered in Arizona and driven by a licensed New York driver, was identified as the striking vehicle. The report centers driver speed as the primary cause, underscoring the lethal risk posed by vehicles moving too fast, even to those not in the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4749411, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A truck driver turned into three teens on an e-bike at Ditmas and Coney Island Avenue. Sixteen-year-old Juraed Umedjon died. Two others were hurt. No charges. The street is a known danger zone. Promised safety fixes remain unbuilt. Blood on the asphalt.

On August 20, 2024, a 16-year-old cyclist, Juraed Umedjon, was killed and two others injured when a truck driver struck them at Ditmas Avenue and Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn. The driver was not charged. The intersection sits in a Vision Zero priority zone, yet remains deadly. Transportation Alternatives called the crash 'entirely preventable,' blasting Mayor Adams for slow progress and broken promises. 'If Mayor Adams wants to save lives, he only has to build the streets and intersections that our city needs and our children deserve,' said co-interim director Elizabeth Adams. Despite a 2022 mayoral pledge and DOT promises, no real safety improvements have been made. Activists demand protected bike lanes and street redesign. The toll mounts: twelve children killed in traffic this year, more than almost any year in the last decade.

• Slaughter of the Innocents: Another Teen Cyclist Killed by Truck Driver on Dangerous Brooklyn Street, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-08-20

A taxi turned at West 42nd and Sixth. A motorcycle rider, 24, flew helmetless into the night. His head struck, his heart stopped. The street’s noise faded to silence. Traffic control was disregarded. One life ended in the city’s glare.

According to the police report, a fatal collision occurred at the corner of West 42nd Street and Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan at 22:42. A taxi, described as a 2022 Toyota, was making a right turn when it collided with a motorcycle traveling straight ahead. The report states 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. The 24-year-old motorcycle rider was ejected and killed, suffering fatal head injuries. The police report notes the rider was not wearing a helmet, but this is listed after the driver errors. The taxi’s right front quarter panel struck the motorcycle, which was demolished in the crash. The report details a sequence where driver actions—specifically, failure to obey traffic controls and improper turning—led to the deadly impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4749412, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A box truck turned right on Ditmas Avenue, crushing a 16-year-old riding a Hurley e-bike beneath its front. His chest collapsed. He was thrown and died at the scene. The truck rolled on, untouched. The street swallowed another life.

According to the police report, a box truck was making a right turn on Ditmas Avenue near Coney Island Avenue when it struck a 16-year-old riding a Hurley e-bike. The report states the teen was crushed beneath the truck’s right front quarter panel, suffering fatal chest injuries. The victim was ejected and died at the scene. The truck sustained no damage and continued on, according to the narrative. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' and does not cite any driver error, but the sequence of events centers on the truck’s right turn and the resulting impact. The report notes the e-bike rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet, but these details are listed only after the fatal collision caused by the truck’s maneuver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4749410, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

An 82-year-old man crossed Quincy Street with the signal. An SUV turned, struck his head, left him bleeding and still. The man died at the scene. The SUV showed no damage. The street swallowed another life.

According to the police report, an 82-year-old pedestrian was crossing Quincy Street at Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn, using the crosswalk and obeying the signal. As he crossed, a station wagon/SUV making a left turn struck him with its right front bumper, causing a fatal head injury. The report notes the man was left unconscious and bleeding, and he did not survive. The SUV sustained no visible damage. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' but the narrative details that the pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the turning vehicle hit him. The collision underscores the lethal risk posed to pedestrians by turning vehicles, even when victims follow traffic signals.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4749067, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A 40-year-old man, unlicensed and helmetless, sped south on Central Road. The motorcycle crashed. He was thrown, crushed, and died in the street. The evening air held only silence and the echo of reckless speed.

A fatal crash occurred on Central Road near 10th in Manhattan, involving a single 1998 Harley motorcycle. According to the police report, the motorcycle was traveling south at 'Unsafe Speed.' The rider, a 40-year-old man, was unlicensed and wore no helmet. The report states he was 'thrown from the bike,' suffering 'crush injuries' to his entire body and dying at the scene. The vehicle was described as 'demolished.' The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the primary contributing factor. The rider’s lack of a license and helmet is noted in the report, but the focus remains on the excessive speed cited by police as the cause of the crash. No other vehicles or persons were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4748244, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A Jeep struck a northbound moped on Bushwick Avenue. The 65-year-old rider was thrown headfirst to the pavement. Blood pooled. The SUV’s front end crumpled. The man died in the street. The driver was unlicensed, according to police.

According to the police report, a Jeep SUV traveling west on Bushwick Avenue near Putnam Avenue collided with a northbound moped. The impact was severe: 'A Jeep slammed into a northbound moped. The 65-year-old rider flew from the seat, struck the pavement headfirst. Blood pooled in the street. The SUV’s front end folded. He died there.' The moped rider, a 65-year-old man, was killed instantly, suffering fatal head injuries after being ejected from his vehicle. The police report notes the SUV driver was unlicensed, with a license from Georgia that was not valid in New York. No driver errors beyond 'unspecified' are listed, but the unlicensed status is a critical systemic failure. Helmet use is mentioned only to note its absence, after the primary driver error. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when unlicensed drivers operate vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4748017, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

Three SUVs slowed in westbound traffic. Steel folded. A 41-year-old man in the right rear seat took the blow. His head struck hard. He never woke. Aggressive driving left a passenger dead on the Long Island Expressway.

According to the police report, three SUVs were traveling westbound on the Long Island Expressway and slowed in traffic. The narrative states, 'Three SUVs slowed in westbound traffic. A 41-year-old man sat in the right rear seat. Steel crumpled. His head struck. He never woke.' The report lists 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as a contributing factor. The 41-year-old male passenger, seated in the right rear, suffered fatal head injuries and was rendered unconscious, with the report noting 'Crush Injuries.' The vehicles involved—a Honda sedan, a Jeep SUV, and a Toyota SUV—sustained damage consistent with a rear-end collision. The data highlights aggressive driving as the primary driver error, with no victim behavior cited as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when driver aggression meets heavy traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4747971, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

DOT will turn the First Avenue tunnel into a protected express bike lane. Cyclists get a jersey barrier. Cars lose a speeding lane. Intersections get safety upgrades. Local officials back the plan. The city moves fast. Danger shifts. Riders win space.

On August 14, 2024, the Department of Transportation announced a permanent express bike lane for the First Avenue tunnel. The project, not tied to a council bill but a DOT action, will install a jersey-barrier-protected lane, realign the uptown cycling path, and add intersection safety measures. The DOT aims to finish before the next UN General Assembly in September. Hayes Lord, DOT bike program director, said, "We saw this as a chance to actually make an express lane through the tunnel." Jason Froimowitz, CB6 Transportation Committee chair, called the tunnel "opportune for conflicts" and praised the bypass. Residents like Mariam Rauf described frequent close calls with cars. The plan removes a car lane, giving cyclists protected space and reducing high-speed danger. Local support is strong. Some want similar routes citywide.

• ‘Express Bike Lane’ Coming Soon to First Ave. Tunnel, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-08-14

A 2007 Yamaha motorcycle tore down Commerce Avenue, Bronx, turning left at unsafe speed. The unlicensed rider and his 13-year-old passenger, both helmetless, were ejected and struck the pavement headfirst. Both died instantly in the darkness.

According to the police report, a 2007 Yamaha motorcycle was traveling at unsafe speed on Commerce Avenue near Newbold Avenue in the Bronx. The motorcycle, operated by a 21-year-old unlicensed rider, attempted a left turn and lost control. The report states both the rider and his 13-year-old passenger were ejected from the motorcycle, striking the pavement headfirst. Both individuals suffered fatal head injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. Neither the rider nor the passenger was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report. The crash occurred in the early morning darkness, underscoring the lethal consequences of high speed and improper turning on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4747427, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18

A young man on a motorcycle struck an SUV’s side on Saint Anns Avenue. The light was ignored. He flew from his bike, his head hitting pavement. He died where he landed. Systemic disregard for traffic control proved fatal.

According to the police report, a 21-year-old man riding a motorcycle northbound on Saint Anns Avenue collided with the right side doors of an SUV traveling east on East 156th Street. The report states that 'the light was ignored' and lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, underscoring a critical driver error. The motorcyclist, described as unlicensed and not wearing a helmet, was ejected from his bike and suffered fatal head injuries upon impact with the pavement. The police report also notes 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The crash resulted in the death of the motorcycle rider at the scene. The data highlights the deadly consequences of ignoring traffic signals and failing to observe safe speeds, with systemic danger compounded by the lack of licensing and safety equipment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4747426, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-18