Blood on 53rd: Lower the Speed, Save a Life

A RAM van, turning left at 3rd Avenue and 42nd Street, struck a 60-year-old woman. Blood streamed from her leg. The driver, distracted, kept his license. The van showed no damage. The street bore the weight of inattention.

According to the police report, a RAM van making a left turn at the corner of 3rd Avenue and 42nd Street in Brooklyn struck a 60-year-old woman who was crossing the intersection. The report states the driver was inattentive and distracted at the time of the crash. The pedestrian suffered severe bleeding to her knee, lower leg, and foot, but remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The van, a 2017 RAM, sustained no visible damage, and the driver retained his license after the incident. The pedestrian was noted as 'crossing against the signal,' but this is mentioned only after the driver’s failure. The report underscores the danger posed by driver distraction, especially during turning movements at busy intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806114, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Morning light on 4th Avenue. A sedan turns left. A cyclist, head bloodied, sits upright on the asphalt by 56th Street. Sirens echo off brick. The air holds the sharp scent of metal and sweat. Traffic slows, then moves on.

According to the police report, a sedan making a left turn collided with a cyclist traveling straight on 4th Avenue near 56th Street in Brooklyn. The crash left a 35-year-old male bicyclist with a head abrasion. The cyclist was conscious at the scene. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are detailed in the data. No mention is made of helmet use or signaling as a factor in the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806116, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Metal crumpled as two SUVs slammed together on 3rd Avenue near 36th Street. A man gripped his shoulder in pain. A woman’s head snapped back. A toddler, unrestrained, sat on a lap. Children stared, silent and shaken in the back seats.

Two sport utility vehicles collided on 3rd Avenue near 36th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, one SUV was making a left turn while the other traveled straight. The impact left a man with a shoulder injury and a woman suffering whiplash. A toddler was observed riding unbelted on a lap, and other children were present in the back seats. The report does not specify any driver errors or contributing factors. The collision resulted in injuries to vehicle occupants, including neck trauma. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805876, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Metal screeched on the Gowanus Expressway before dawn. Two people, a 29-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman, suffered pain across their bodies. Shock lingered in the air as emergency crews arrived to the battered vehicles.

Three vehicles collided on the Gowanus Expressway (BQE) in Brooklyn, injuring two occupants. According to the police report, a 29-year-old male driver and a 34-year-old female passenger were hurt, both complaining of pain and nausea after the crash. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor, indicating excessive speed played a role in the collision. The crash involved a sedan and two SUVs, with one vehicle changing lanes and others traveling straight. No helmet or signal use was cited as a factor. The impact left both injured parties in shock, underscoring the dangers of high-speed driving on city highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806100, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Night air split by metal and shouts as an SUV, turning right on 24th Street, collided with a southbound e-bike. The rider, a 20-year-old man, hit the pavement hard, clutching his bruised leg, shock written across his face.

A collision occurred at 24th Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn when a station wagon/SUV made a right turn and struck a southbound e-bike. According to the police report, the crash happened at 11:03 p.m. and resulted in the e-bike rider, a 20-year-old man, sustaining a contusion and lower leg injury. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The SUV was damaged on its right rear quarter panel, while the e-bike suffered front-end damage. The police report does not specify any helmet or signaling issues as contributing factors. The injured rider was described as being in shock at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805104, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 23-year-old woman crossing 38th Street with the signal was struck by an e-bike at night. She suffered pain and injury to her abdomen and pelvis, and was left in shock as emergency crews arrived under the harsh glare of streetlights.

According to the police report, an e-bike traveling straight ahead struck a 23-year-old pedestrian as she crossed 38th Street at 5th Avenue in Brooklyn. The pedestrian, who was crossing with the signal at the intersection, sustained injuries to her abdomen and pelvis and complained of pain and nausea. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors, indicating that the e-bike operator failed to obey traffic signals and was traveling at an unsafe speed. The pedestrian was left in shock following the impact. No mention of helmet use or turn signals was made in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805856, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A woman, 53, was hit in the face by a southbound bike on 53rd Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. She was left in shock, with abrasions and facial injuries, after the collision outside an intersection.

A collision occurred on 53rd Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn involving a southbound cyclist and a 53-year-old woman. According to the police report, the pedestrian was getting on or off a vehicle, not at an intersection, when the crash happened. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The woman suffered facial abrasions and was described as being in shock. No driver errors or helmet issues were cited in the data. The cyclist's bike showed no damage, and no other vehicles were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804794, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A cyclist’s leg scraped the pavement after a collision with an SUV on 4th Avenue near 21st Street. The air was thick with the sound of metal and shouts. The injured rider remained conscious, clutching his knee, as traffic pressed on.

According to the police report, an SUV and a bicycle traveling north on 4th Avenue in Brooklyn collided near 21st Street. The cyclist, a 40-year-old man, suffered abrasions to his knee, lower leg, and foot but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both parties, providing no details on specific driver errors. The point of impact was the right front quarter panel of the SUV and the left rear quarter of the bicycle. No mention of helmet use or signaling is included in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805086, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Dawn on 5th Avenue. A Subaru SUV turns left at 36th Street. The air is cold. A young man steps into the crosswalk. Metal hits flesh. His arm is bloodied, shock in his eyes. Traffic keeps moving. Sirens echo in the distance.

A 22-year-old man was injured when a Subaru SUV, making a left turn at 5th Avenue and 36th Street in Brooklyn, struck him as he crossed the intersection. According to the police report, the driver failed to yield the right-of-way. The pedestrian suffered abrasions to his arm and was in shock at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. No damage was reported to the SUV. The data notes the pedestrian was crossing against the signal, but the only driver error cited is failure to yield. No mention is made of helmet use or turn signals.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804247, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A tractor truck slammed into the rear of a slowing sedan on the Gowanus Expressway just after midnight. The sedan’s 25-year-old front passenger suffered full-body injuries and shock. The crash left twisted metal and a shaken passenger in its wake.

According to the police report, a tractor truck traveling south on the Gowanus Expressway struck the center rear end of a southbound sedan that was slowing or stopping. The impact injured a 25-year-old male front passenger in the sedan, who suffered bodily injuries across his entire body and was described as being in shock. The report lists 'Pavement Slippery' and 'Other Vehicular' as contributing factors to the crash, indicating hazardous road conditions and driver-related errors. The truck sustained front-end damage, while the sedan was damaged at the rear. No helmet use or pedestrian crossing signals were cited as factors in this incident.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4802627, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 39-year-old bicyclist was ejected and suffered neck injuries after a collision with a sedan on 38th Street in Brooklyn. The driver disregarded traffic control and drove at unsafe speeds, causing a violent impact that left the cyclist bruised and injured.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 8:53 on 38th Street in Brooklyn involving a sedan and a bicycle. The bicyclist, a 39-year-old male, was ejected from his bike and sustained a neck contusion and bruising. The report cites the driver’s errors as 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Unsafe Speed,' highlighting critical failures in obeying traffic laws. The bicyclist’s contributing factors included 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper,' but the primary fault lies with the sedan driver. The sedan, driven by a licensed female driver traveling eastbound, struck the bicyclist at the center front end with no reported damage to the vehicle. The violent impact underscores systemic dangers posed by driver negligence in Brooklyn’s streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4801754, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A female driver suffered neck injuries in a rear-end collision on Prospect Expressway East. The sedan struck another vehicle from behind, causing whiplash. The driver was conscious and restrained by a lap belt. No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved.

According to the police report, a 43-year-old female driver operating a 2019 sedan traveling south on Prospect Expressway East was involved in a rear-end collision. The point of impact was the center back end of her vehicle. She sustained neck injuries described as whiplash and was conscious at the scene. The driver was restrained by a lap belt. The report lists the contributing factors as unspecified, with no mention of pedestrian or cyclist involvement. The collision appears to have resulted from the sedan striking another vehicle from behind, indicating a failure to maintain safe following distance or attention. No other vehicles or persons were reported injured or involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4801065, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan making a left turn struck a 28-year-old pedestrian outside an intersection in Brooklyn. The pedestrian suffered knee and lower leg bruises. The driver’s inattention caused the collision, with no vehicle damage reported.

According to the police report, a 2018 Toyota sedan traveling north in Brooklyn was making a left turn when it struck a 28-year-old male pedestrian who was not in the roadway and outside an intersection. The pedestrian sustained contusions and bruises to his knee, lower leg, and foot, with an injury severity rated as moderate. The report cites "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as the sole contributing factor to the crash. The point of impact was the sedan’s right front bumper, yet no vehicle damage was recorded. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene. The driver’s failure to maintain attention while executing the turn directly led to the collision, highlighting systemic dangers posed by distracted driving in urban environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800915, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A young cyclist, riding south on 37th Street near 3rd Avenue, was struck hard. His left leg ripped open, blood pooling on the asphalt. The bike’s front crushed. Unsafe lane changing tore through flesh and steel. He stayed conscious.

A 20-year-old male cyclist suffered severe lacerations to his left leg after a violent collision on 37th Street near 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The report details that the cyclist, heading south, was struck with enough force to crush the bike’s front and leave blood pooling on the street. The police report cites 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as the primary contributing factor in the crash. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but the report does not list helmet use as a contributing factor. The victim remained conscious at the scene. The focus remains on the danger created by unsafe lane changes, as highlighted by the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800408, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 17-year-old male bicyclist was ejected and injured on 51st Street in Brooklyn. The crash involved limited visibility, leading to a center front end impact. The rider suffered abrasions and lower arm injuries, riding without a helmet or license.

According to the police report, a 17-year-old male bicyclist was injured in a crash on 51st Street near 7th Avenue in Brooklyn at 1:55 PM. The bicyclist was ejected from his bike and sustained abrasions and injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand. The report cites 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a contributing factor, indicating that limited visibility played a role in the crash. The bicyclist was operating the vehicle without a license, as noted by the 'Unlicensed' status of the driver. The point of impact was the center front end of the bike, which also sustained damage. No victim behaviors such as helmet use or crossing signals were listed as contributing factors. The crash highlights the dangers posed by limited sight lines and unlicensed operation on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4802210, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 78-year-old male driver suffered full-body injuries in a Belt Parkway crash. The SUV’s right front bumper struck an unknown object or vehicle. Police cite 'Other Vehicular' factors twice, highlighting driver error in a high-speed impact.

According to the police report, a 78-year-old male driver operating a 2024 Nissan SUV on Belt Parkway at 8:14 AM was injured in a collision. The vehicle was traveling east, going straight ahead, when the right front bumper struck an object or another vehicle. The driver sustained injuries to his entire body but was conscious and restrained by a lap belt. The report lists 'Other Vehicular' as the contributing factor twice, indicating driver-related errors or conditions involving other vehicles. The point of impact was the right front quarter panel, resulting in damage to that area. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved, and no victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors. The crash underscores systemic dangers on Belt Parkway involving vehicle interactions and driver errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4799801, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Two sedans collided head-on on the Gowanus Expressway at 4 a.m. Unsafe speed caused the crash. A 29-year-old female front passenger suffered chest injuries and shock. Both vehicles sustained front-end damage in the westbound lanes.

According to the police report, two sedans traveling westbound on the Gowanus Expressway collided head-on at 4:00 a.m. The point of impact was the center front end of both vehicles. The report cites unsafe speed as the contributing factor to the crash, indicating driver error. One vehicle, a 2019 Mercedes with two occupants, included a 29-year-old female front passenger who was injured with chest trauma and shock, complaining of pain and nausea. Both drivers were licensed in New York and were going straight ahead prior to the collision. Vehicle damage was concentrated at the center front ends, confirming the head-on nature of the impact. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4799387, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A tractor truck struck a sedan from behind on the Gowanus Expressway. Both sedan occupants suffered moderate injuries including chest contusions and whiplash. Police cited following too closely and unsafe speed as contributing factors in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on the Gowanus Expressway around 12:30 AM. A 2024 tractor truck traveling east collided with the rear center of a 2016 sedan also traveling east. The sedan had two occupants: a 24-year-old male driver and a 27-year-old female front passenger. Both were injured with moderate severity—chest contusions for the driver and whiplash for the passenger. Both occupants were conscious and restrained with lap belts and harnesses. The report identifies the tractor truck driver’s errors as 'Following Too Closely' and 'Unsafe Speed,' which contributed to the rear-end collision. The sedan driver was also noted for 'Following Too Closely.' No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. The impact damaged the center front end of the truck and the center back end of the sedan.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798605, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 24-year-old bicyclist was ejected and injured in Brooklyn when a sedan entering a parked position collided with him. The impact to the bicyclist’s chest caused shock and pain. Driver distraction and bicyclist confusion contributed to the crash.

According to the police report, a 24-year-old male bicyclist wearing a helmet was riding northbound on 43rd Street in Brooklyn when a 2015 Toyota sedan, also traveling north, was entering a parked position. The sedan’s right front quarter panel struck the bicyclist’s left front bumper, ejecting him and causing chest injuries and shock. The bicyclist complained of pain and nausea. The report cites driver inattention or distraction as a contributing factor, alongside bicyclist confusion or error. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle legally. The collision highlights the dangers posed by distracted driving and the challenges bicyclists face when vehicles maneuver into parking spots.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800046, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

An e-bike rider collided with a parked BMW on 61st Street in Brooklyn. The 57-year-old bicyclist was ejected, suffering internal injuries to the abdomen and pelvis. Police cited improper lane usage as a contributing factor in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 12:37 PM on 61st Street in Brooklyn. A 57-year-old male bicyclist riding an e-bike traveling north struck the left rear quarter panel of a parked 2016 BMW sedan. The bicyclist was ejected from the vehicle and sustained internal injuries to the abdomen and pelvis, resulting in unconsciousness. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a driver error contributing to the collision. The BMW was stationary before impact. The bicyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. The report also notes 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' but does not specify this as a contributing factor to the injury. The focus remains on the improper lane use by the e-bike rider leading to the crash with the parked vehicle.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798546, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15