Broken Bodies, Broken Promises: Demand Action on NYC’s Deadly Streets

A sedan hit two elderly pedestrians in Brooklyn. Both were crossing with the signal. The car turned left and failed to yield. One man suffered a bruised leg. One woman hurt her arm. The driver moved too fast. The street stayed dangerous.

Two pedestrians, aged 87 and 85, were struck by a sedan while crossing Court Street at Livingston Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, both pedestrians were crossing with the signal at the intersection when the sedan, making a left turn, failed to yield and hit them. The 87-year-old man suffered a contusion to his knee and lower leg, while the 85-year-old woman sustained injuries to her arm and hand. Both were conscious after the crash. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The driver, a 26-year-old man, was operating a 2011 Honda sedan registered in Pennsylvania. No helmet or signal use by the pedestrians was cited as a factor. The crash highlights the persistent danger for those on foot in New York City intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4819096, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Court Street bleeds from double parking and swerving cars. Cyclists and walkers dodge danger daily. DOT will cut a lane, add a protected bike path, and shrink space for reckless driving. Fewer lanes, fewer crashes. Safety, not speed, takes the street.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-06-06) reports the Department of Transportation will install a protected bike lane on Brooklyn’s Court Street, a corridor plagued by double parking and sideswipe crashes. DOT’s Chris Brunson said, “The narrower street width for vehicles will de-incentivize double parking on the corridor.” The redesign removes a travel lane, adds a protected bike lane, and aims to curb driver behavior that leads to crashes. Between 2022 and 2024, 165 crashes on this mile-long stretch caused one death and injured 15 cyclists and 23 pedestrians. Most pedestrian injuries happened while crossing with the light, showing drivers failed to yield. The plan targets excess road capacity and prioritizes vulnerable users on a Vision Zero Priority Corridor.

• DOT Plans Protected Bike Lane Court Street, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-06

A cyclist and a moped collided on Bergen Street in Brooklyn. The crash left the cyclist bruised and hurt in the upper arm. Police cited driver inattention. The street saw blood and confusion. The system failed to protect the vulnerable.

A crash involving a bike and a moped occurred at 342 Bergen Street in Brooklyn. One cyclist, a 33-year-old man, suffered a contusion and upper arm injury. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was listed as a contributing factor in the collision. The cyclist was conscious after the crash. No helmet or signaling issues were cited as contributing factors. The moped sustained damage to its center back end, while the bike showed no visible damage. The crash highlights the danger faced by cyclists when drivers lose focus, and underscores the risks that persist on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4818673, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

An SUV turned right on Nevins Street. An e-scooter rider went straight. The crash threw him off. He hit the ground hard. His leg bruised. Police cite driver inattention. The street stayed busy. The danger stayed real.

An SUV and an e-scooter collided at Nevins Street and Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn. The e-scooter rider, a 38-year-old man, was ejected and suffered a contusion to his lower leg. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was a contributing factor. The SUV was making a right turn while the e-scooter traveled straight. The SUV's right front bumper struck the e-scooter, which took the impact at its center front end. The police report lists no other contributing factors. The e-scooter rider was conscious after the crash. No injuries were reported for the SUV occupant.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4818681, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two sedans collided on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Five people inside. One passenger suffered a neck injury. Police blamed passenger distraction. Metal twisted. Whiplash followed. The road stayed dangerous.

Two sedans crashed on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Five occupants were involved. According to the police report, 'Passenger Distraction' was the contributing factor. One passenger, a 26-year-old woman, was injured with neck pain and whiplash. The other four occupants, including both drivers, were not seriously hurt. Both vehicles were traveling west and struck at the center front and back ends. The report lists no other contributing factors. The crash highlights the risk when attention lapses behind the wheel. No mention of helmet or turn signal use appears in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815988, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan struck a cyclist at Smith Street. The driver was distracted. The cyclist, a 24-year-old man, was ejected and bruised his leg. Both vehicles moved north. The crash left the cyclist hurt and the car damaged.

A crash at 175 Smith Street in Brooklyn involved a sedan and a cyclist. The cyclist, a 24-year-old man, was ejected from his bike and suffered a contusion to his lower leg. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was listed as a contributing factor. The sedan, driven by a 21-year-old woman, was entering a parked position when the collision occurred. Both vehicles were traveling north. The police report does not specify injuries to the sedan's occupants. The cyclist was the only person reported injured. The data lists no other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815165, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan hit a 15-year-old boy crossing Gold Street at Nassau. The car’s front end struck his lower leg. He was conscious, bruised, and hurt. The driver failed to yield and ignored the signal. The street stayed busy. The danger stayed real.

A 15-year-old pedestrian was injured when a sedan struck him at the intersection of Gold Street and Nassau Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the boy was crossing with the signal when the vehicle, traveling north, hit him with its center front end. The impact caused a contusion to his knee and lower leg, but he remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The data shows the driver did not yield and ignored traffic controls. No helmet or signal use by the pedestrian is cited as a factor. The crash highlights the ongoing risk to people on foot in city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815327, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two sedans collided on Adams Street in Brooklyn. One driver failed to pay attention. A 62-year-old passenger suffered whiplash. The crash left scars on metal and bodies. Distraction and tailgating fueled the impact. The street bore witness to another preventable blow.

According to the police report, two sedans crashed on Adams Street near Prospect Street in Brooklyn. Both vehicles were traveling south. One sedan was stopped in traffic when the other, slowing or stopping, struck it from behind. Six people were involved. A 62-year-old front passenger suffered back injuries and whiplash. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. The impact damaged the right rear bumper of the stopped sedan and the right front bumper of the striking car. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash highlights the danger of distraction and tailgating on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814602, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A box truck and a bus crashed on Tillary Street in Brooklyn. One driver suffered a shoulder injury. The police report cites failure to yield. Metal twisted. Shock followed. The city’s streets took another hit.

A box truck and a bus collided on Tillary Street at Cadman Plaza East in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the crash involved both vehicles traveling east. The bus was changing lanes when it struck the box truck’s right side doors. One driver, a 30-year-old woman, was injured in the shoulder and reported whiplash and shock. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The data does not indicate any helmet or signal violations. The crash left both vehicles damaged and another mark on Brooklyn’s dangerous streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4813622, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

An SUV turned left on Court Street. The driver struck a pedestrian crossing with the signal. Three passengers inside the car were hurt. The crash left a young woman bleeding on the street. Police cited driver inattention and failure to yield.

A Ford SUV, traveling south on Court Street in Brooklyn, struck a 23-year-old woman as she crossed at the intersection with Wyckoff Street. She was crossing with the signal when the vehicle, making a left turn, hit her. According to the police report, the pedestrian suffered abrasions to her arm. Three passengers inside the SUV, aged 97, 57, and 44, also reported injuries, including neck and back pain. Police listed 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The driver was licensed and remained at the scene. The crash highlights the danger faced by pedestrians and passengers when drivers fail to pay attention and yield as required.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812814, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A cyclist was hurt on Adams Street in Brooklyn. She rode east, struck, and suffered leg injuries. The crash left her in shock. Police cited confusion as a factor. The bike’s front was damaged. No other injuries reported.

A 25-year-old female bicyclist was injured in a crash at 117 Adams Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the cyclist was traveling east when the collision occurred. She suffered injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, and was described as being in shock. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The bike sustained damage to its left front bumper. The cyclist was wearing a helmet. No other persons were reported injured. The police report does not specify involvement of other vehicles in the injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812034, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan hit a man crossing near parked cars on Court Street. The crash left the pedestrian hurt, his arm scraped. The car’s right front took the blow. Police list no clear cause. The street stayed dangerous. The system failed again.

A 23-year-old man walking on Court Street in Brooklyn was struck by a sedan while emerging from behind a parked vehicle. According to the police report, the pedestrian suffered an abrasion to his arm and was conscious at the scene. The sedan’s right front quarter panel was damaged. The driver and a rear passenger were not reported injured. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' and does not cite any specific driver error. The crash happened away from an intersection, highlighting the risks pedestrians face near parked cars. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810849, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A box truck struck a parked SUV on Clinton Street in Brooklyn. The truck passed too close. One driver suffered back injuries. Metal crumpled. The street fell silent. The crash left pain and questions behind.

A box truck collided with a parked SUV on Clinton Street near Remsen Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the crash occurred when the box truck, traveling east and making a left turn, struck the left rear quarter panel of the stationary SUV. The report lists 'Passing Too Closely' as a contributing factor. One person, a 58-year-old woman driving the SUV, sustained back injuries and reported whiplash. The truck driver, a 45-year-old man, was not injured. The impact damaged both vehicles. The police report does not mention any errors by the injured party. The crash underscores the danger of close passes and large vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810016, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A multi-wheeled vehicle slammed into a stopped cruiser on Livingston Street. One man suffered a back injury. The crash came fast, too close. Police blamed following too closely. Metal met metal. Pain followed.

A crash on Livingston Street in Brooklyn involved a multi-wheeled vehicle and a CAN AM Spyder cruiser. According to the police report, the multi-wheeled vehicle struck the cruiser, which was stopped in traffic. One male driver, age 47, suffered a back injury and abrasions. The report lists 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor. Both vehicles were traveling south. The cruiser sustained damage to its center back end. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The police report makes clear: following too closely led to this collision. No other contributing factors were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809326, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Morning light on Nassau Street. An SUV barrels south, colliding with a westbound cyclist. Metal meets flesh. The cyclist, a 20-year-old woman, is left conscious but hurt, her knee and foot scraped raw. Sirens echo off Gold Street’s walls.

According to the police report, an SUV traveling south on Nassau Street collided with a 20-year-old female bicyclist heading west near Gold Street in Brooklyn. The cyclist suffered abrasions to her knee and foot and was reported conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors, both attributed to driver error. The SUV sustained no damage, while the bicycle was damaged at the center front end. Helmet use was noted for the cyclist, but it was not cited as a contributing factor in the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807636, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Night air split by metal on Atlantic Avenue. A Honda SUV turns left at Nevins. A moped, rider helmeted, goes straight. Impact throws the 31-year-old to the pavement. Sirens wail. His leg bruised, the SUV’s right side dented under streetlights.

According to the police report, a Honda SUV turned left from Atlantic Avenue onto Nevins Street and collided with a moped traveling straight. The moped driver, a 31-year-old man, was thrown to the ground and suffered a bruised leg. The report lists 'Turning Improperly' as a contributing factor in the crash. The SUV sustained damage to its right side doors. The moped rider was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but helmet use was not listed as a contributing factor. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805583, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Night air split by metal on Flatbush Avenue. A sedan and motorcycle collide near Fulton Street. The motorcycle driver, thrown from his bike, suffers a fractured leg. Sirens echo as he lies conscious, pain sharp in the streetlight’s glare.

A collision involving a sedan and a motorcycle occurred on Flatbush Avenue near Fulton Street in Brooklyn at 11:35 p.m. According to the police report, both vehicles were traveling south when the crash happened. The motorcycle driver, a 36-year-old man, was ejected from his vehicle and sustained a fractured lower leg. The report states 'Passing Too Closely' as a contributing factor for both vehicles. The motorcycle driver was unlicensed at the time of the crash. Helmet use is noted in the report, but listed after the driver errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804674, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan turning right at Hoyt Street and Schermerhorn Street struck a 26-year-old man crossing with the signal. The impact left him conscious but suffering a head injury and concussion. Sirens echoed as first responders arrived on the scene.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling east made a right turn at the intersection of Hoyt Street and Schermerhorn Street and struck a 26-year-old male pedestrian who was crossing with the signal. The pedestrian sustained a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor on the part of the driver. No other contributing factors, such as helmet use or signaling, are mentioned in the report. The vehicle showed no damage, and no injuries to the driver were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804567, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A parked SUV’s door bursts into a cyclist’s path on Atlantic Avenue. Metal edge rips flesh. Blood pools on the street. The young man’s arm is torn open. The driver stands unharmed. Distraction behind the door. Streets remain unforgiving.

A 26-year-old man riding his bike westbound on Atlantic Avenue collided with the door of a parked SUV, according to the police report. The report states the SUV driver, age seventy-one, opened the door into the cyclist’s path, causing a violent impact: 'Steel meets flesh. Blood on the street. The young man’s arm split open.' The cyclist suffered severe lacerations to his arm and was conscious at the scene. The SUV driver was not injured. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The data does not list any cyclist actions as contributing factors. The collision underscores the persistent danger posed by inattentive drivers and the lethal consequences of a moment’s distraction behind the wheel or door.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804626, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Steel struck a four-year-old crossing Court Street. The car turned left, bumper smashing his knee. The child stayed awake, pain sharp and sudden. The driver did not yield. Flesh gave way to metal. A boy lay broken at the curb.

A four-year-old boy was struck and injured at the intersection of Court Street and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 16:58 when a car making a left turn failed to yield the right-of-way. The police report states, 'A car turned left. A four-year-old boy crossed with the signal. The bumper struck his leg. His knee crushed.' The child, described as conscious, suffered crush injuries to his knee and lower leg. The report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor, with 'Passenger Distraction' also noted. The boy was crossing with the signal at the intersection. The driver’s failure to yield led directly to the collision, leaving the child injured on the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4803267, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14