Brooklyn’s SD 17: Crosswalks, sirens, and the same old news

Aug 11 - Two mopeds slammed together by 4123 9th Ave in Brooklyn. Both riders thrown. Both hurt. Head and leg trauma. Sirens in the night. Streets took the hit. Flesh paid the price.

Two mopeds collided near 4123 9th Avenue in Brooklyn. Both riders were ejected and injured. One suffered head trauma; the other had crush injuries to the leg. According to the police report, both vehicles were mopeds, each with front‑end damage, with one traveling straight northeast and the other listed as “Other*.” The report lists contributing factors as “Unspecified.” No driver errors were recorded beyond that. The crash shows how small bodies lose to speed and steel, even without cars in the frame.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4834406 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Aug 6 - A 76-year-old woman died on 18 Avenue in Brooklyn after a driver disregarded traffic control and struck her in a marked crosswalk, inflicting fatal head injuries.

A 76-year-old woman was killed while crossing 18 Avenue at 86 Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the driver disregarded traffic control. Police recorded "Traffic Control Disregarded" as the contributing factor. The pedestrian was in a marked crosswalk when the impact struck her head. She suffered fatal head injuries and was pronounced dead. The report lists no other contributing factors. The vehicle is recorded as 'Standing S' and was traveling east. The report gives no further details about the driver. Police classified the victim's injury severity as fatal.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833274 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Jul 24 - A distracted driver struck on 86th Street. A young woman suffered a head injury and severe bleeding. The crash left her unconscious. Police cite driver inattention as the main cause.

A 24-year-old woman operating a motorized vehicle on 86th Street at West 7th Street in Brooklyn was severely injured. According to the police report, she suffered a head injury and severe bleeding, and was found unconscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. No other injuries were specified for the vehicle occupants. The data does not mention helmet use or signals as factors. The crash underscores the danger of distraction behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830338 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Jun 13 - Senate passes bill forcing delivery apps to insure workers and crash victims. Lawmakers tout support for the injured. But insurance comes after the hit. Speeders keep driving. Danger stays on the street. Prevention takes a back seat.

On June 13, 2025, the New York State Senate passed a bill requiring food delivery apps to provide insurance for delivery workers, pedestrians, and cyclists. The bill, sponsored by Senate Finance Chair Liz Krueger, mandates up to $50,000 per person for basic economic loss, regardless of citizenship or employment status. Assembly Member Robert Carroll authored the original Assembly version, stating, 'It is time we require delivery apps to take responsibility for keeping delivery workers and pedestrians safe.' Sen. Andrew Gounardes defended a related speed-limiting bill, but it was weakened. Safety analysts warn: 'Focusing on insurance rather than speed limits shifts responsibility away from prevention and system design, failing to reduce crash risk and potentially discouraging mode shift by not addressing the root causes of danger for pedestrians and cyclists.' Lawmakers back insurance, but leave the streets risky.

• Senate Votes to Require Delivery Apps to Provide Insurance for Workers, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-13

Jun 13 - Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-13

Jun 12 - Senate backs S 4045. Repeat speeders face forced installation of speed assistance tech. Eleven points or six camera tickets triggers action. Law targets reckless drivers. Streets may get safer for those outside the car.

Senate bill S 4045, sponsored by Andrew Gounardes and co-sponsored by over two dozen senators, passed committee votes on June 11 and June 12, 2025. The bill, titled 'Relates to requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits,' mandates these devices for drivers who rack up eleven or more points in 24 months, or six speed or red light camera tickets in a year. The measure aims to curb repeat dangerous driving. Senators including Jamaal Bailey, Jabari Brisport, and others voted yes. The bill targets drivers with a pattern of violations, seeking to cut risk for pedestrians and cyclists by limiting repeat speeding.

• File S 4045, Open States, Published 2025-06-12

May 16 - SUV slammed into cyclist on 20th Ave. Police cite alcohol and ignored traffic control. Cyclist suffered face injuries. Streets stayed silent. Metal met flesh. System failed.

A 29-year-old cyclist was struck and injured by an SUV on 20th Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the SUV driver disregarded traffic control and alcohol was involved. The cyclist suffered crush injuries to the face and was in shock. The report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No helmet use was cited as a factor. The crash highlights the danger when drivers ignore signals and operate vehicles under the influence.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4813557 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Apr 28 - A pickup tore through parked cars on 67th Street. Alcohol played a role. One driver suffered back and crush injuries. The street bore the brunt. Metal twisted. Lives shaken.

A pickup truck crashed into several parked vehicles on 67th Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, alcohol involvement was a contributing factor. One 23-year-old male driver was injured, suffering back and crush injuries. Seven other occupants, including a child, were listed with unspecified injuries. The report states, “Alcohol Involvement” as the primary cause. Multiple parked cars, including SUVs and a motorcycle, were struck. The force of the crash left metal bent and people hurt. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810764 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Apr 10 - A BMW SUV pulled from parking. A motorcycle hit its front. The rider, 47, bled from the leg. Distraction ruled the street. Steel cut through helmet. Brooklyn stood silent.

A BMW SUV pulled out from parking near 1770 West 6th Street in Brooklyn. A motorcycle struck its front. The 47-year-old rider suffered severe leg lacerations. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' contributed to the crash. The rider wore a helmet, but it could not prevent injury. The SUV driver was not reported injured. The crash left the street quiet, marked by blood and steel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4805636 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Mar 12 - A GMC SUV struck a moped turning on 80th Street near 20th Avenue. The rider, helmeted, was hurled to the pavement, bleeding and torn, left conscious under the harsh streetlight. Metal, flesh, and asphalt collided in Brooklyn’s night.

According to the police report, a GMC SUV collided with a moped at 80th Street near 20th Avenue in Brooklyn at 21:50. The moped rider, age 52, was ejected and suffered severe lacerations across the body but remained conscious at the scene. The narrative states, 'A GMC SUV struck a turning moped. The rider, 52, was thrown hard to the pavement. He lay conscious, helmeted, bleeding, torn across the body beneath the cold white glare of the streetlight.' Both vehicles were making left turns at the time of the crash. The police report lists 'Other Vehicular' and 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as contributing factors, highlighting driver error as a key cause. The moped rider was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary focus remains on the unsafe actions that led to the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798376 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Mar 4 - A pickup truck turned right at 72nd Street and 21st Avenue, striking a 64-year-old woman in the crosswalk. She lay unconscious, head split, limbs crushed. The driver, distracted, failed to yield. Blood pooled on Brooklyn pavement.

According to the police report, a pickup truck made a right turn at the corner of 72nd Street and 21st Avenue in Brooklyn and struck a 64-year-old woman who was crossing with the signal. The report states she suffered severe head trauma and crush injuries to her limbs, and was found unconscious on the pavement. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The driver, licensed in New York, was operating a Pennsylvania-registered pickup and was reportedly looking elsewhere at the moment of impact. The pedestrian was crossing at the intersection with the signal, as noted in the report. The collision underscores the lethal consequences when drivers fail to yield and pay attention at crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4796531 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Jan 26 - A cargo van turned left on Cropsey Avenue. It struck Mayya Gil, 95, and her aide. Gil died. The aide survived. No charges for the driver. Another senior lost to city traffic. The street remains dangerous for the old and frail.

Gothamist (2025-01-26) reports that Mayya Gil, 95, was killed while crossing Cropsey Avenue in Brooklyn with her home health aide. According to the NYPD, 'a man driving a cargo van struck both of them while making a left turn.' Gil died from her injuries; her aide was hospitalized. Police did not arrest or charge the driver. The article notes that Gil was the second elderly pedestrian killed in Brooklyn this year, and cites Transportation Alternatives: '46 senior pedestrians were killed in car crashes across the city last year.' The crash highlights the ongoing risk seniors face on city streets, especially at intersections where turning vehicles endanger those crossing on foot.

• Elderly Woman Killed Crossing Cropsey Avenue, Gothamist, Published 2025-01-26

Jan 24 - A Ford SUV swung left at Cropsey and 24th. Its bumper struck a 95-year-old woman’s head. She fell, blood pooling on cold pavement. She died in the street, winter sky above, another life ended by steel and speed.

At the intersection of Cropsey Avenue and 24th Avenue, a Ford SUV making a left turn struck a 95-year-old woman, according to the police report. The vehicle’s left front bumper hit the woman’s head, causing her to fall and suffer severe bleeding. She died at the scene. The police report notes the SUV was making a left turn when the impact occurred, and describes the pedestrian as being at the intersection. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are explicitly cited, but the narrative details the SUV’s movement and the fatal contact. The victim’s actions are described only as 'Other Actions in Roadway,' with no indication of contributing behavior. The focus remains on the lethal outcome of a turning vehicle meeting a vulnerable pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4788054 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Jan 13 - A 70-year-old woman crossed 7th Avenue with the signal. A northbound Toyota turned left, its bumper striking her head. She fell, motionless, and died in the cold midday sun. The driver failed to yield. The street swallowed another life.

According to the police report, a 70-year-old woman was crossing 7th Avenue at 44th Street in Brooklyn with the pedestrian signal when a northbound Toyota sedan made a left turn. The vehicle's left front bumper struck her head, causing her to fall and suffer fatal injuries. The report states the driver failed to yield the right-of-way, listing 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the primary contributing factor. The pedestrian was described as 'unconscious' at the scene and died there. The police report explicitly notes the pedestrian was 'crossing with signal,' making clear she had the legal right to be in the crosswalk. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of driver inattention and failure to yield during turning movements at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4785620 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Dec 9 - A Chevy SUV struck a 47-year-old man riding an e-bike on 6th Avenue near 62nd Street. His face hit the pavement. Blood pooled. He stayed conscious, broken and bleeding, as dusk settled over Brooklyn’s streets.

According to the police report, a Chevy SUV collided with a 47-year-old man operating an e-bike on 6th Avenue near 62nd Street in Brooklyn. The report states, 'A Chevy SUV struck a 47-year-old man on an e-bike. His face hit first. Blood pooled on the pavement.' The victim suffered severe facial bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. Both vehicles were reported as 'going straight ahead' before the crash. The SUV's point of impact was the right front bumper, while the e-bike was struck on its left side. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified,' providing no detail on the exact driver error, but the narrative centers the violence of the impact and the vulnerability of the e-bike rider. Helmet use is noted only to state 'No helmet.' The report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when a heavy vehicle meets a vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777923 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Dec 3 - A driver hit a 47-year-old woman as she crossed Quentin Road with the signal. Her back was crushed. She lay conscious on the pavement while the traffic light blinked above, red then green. The street offered no protection. The car did not yield.

According to the police report, a 47-year-old woman was crossing at the intersection of Quentin Road and West 6th Street in Brooklyn when a vehicle struck her. The report states she was 'crossing with the signal.' The impact crushed her back, leaving her conscious but injured on the pavement as the traffic light cycled overhead. The police report does not list any contributing factors from the driver, but the narrative makes clear the driver failed to yield to a pedestrian who had the right of way. There is no mention of any pedestrian error or unsafe behavior; the victim was following the signal at the time of the crash. The incident underscores the persistent danger faced by people walking in city crosswalks, even when obeying traffic signals.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777168 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Nov 27 - A 21-year-old on a moped crashed headfirst into a parked SUV on 20th Avenue. Blood pooled on the street. The young man, helmetless, stayed conscious but gasped through pain. Unsafe speed drove the impact. The city’s pavement bore witness.

A violent collision unfolded on 20th Avenue near 66th Street in Brooklyn at 22:17, according to the police report. A 21-year-old moped driver, not wearing a helmet, struck the rear of a parked SUV. The police report states the moped 'slammed into the back of a parked SUV,' with the rider’s head taking the brunt of the impact and 'blood spilled on the pavement.' The rider suffered severe head lacerations but remained conscious at the scene. The official contributing factor listed is 'Unsafe Speed,' underscoring that excessive speed led directly to the crash. The report also notes the absence of safety equipment on the rider, but only after citing speed as the primary cause. The SUV was unoccupied and parked at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775512 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Nov 15 - A box truck rolled west on 60th Street. A 30-year-old man lay broken in its wake, head shattered, life ended. No skid marks. No damage to the truck. Only silence and the weight of steel on flesh.

According to the police report, a box truck traveling westbound on 60th Street near 4th Avenue in Brooklyn struck and killed a 30-year-old man. The pedestrian was found in the roadway with fatal head trauma and crush injuries. The report notes, 'No skid marks. No damage to the truck.' The police narrative describes the aftermath: 'Only silence where a life had been.' The vehicle, a 2020 INTL-TRUCK/BUS registered in Indiana, showed no visible damage. The driver was licensed in Pennsylvania. The report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian. The police report does not cite any pedestrian actions as contributing to the crash. The absence of skid marks and damage underscores the brutal efficiency of the impact. The systemic danger remains: a human body, no match for a truck rolling through city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4771639 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Aug 12 - A 28-year-old man crashed his motorcycle into a car’s left side near 65th Street and 15th Avenue. Blood pooled from his hip and leg. He remained conscious as the engine cooled. The street fell silent, holding the weight of impact.

According to the police report, a 28-year-old man was riding his motorcycle eastbound near 65th Street and 15th Avenue in Brooklyn when he collided with the left side doors of a car. The report states the motorcyclist suffered severe bleeding from his hip and leg but remained conscious at the scene. The narrative describes, 'Blood poured from his hip and leg. He stayed awake. The engine cooled. The street held its breath.' The point of impact and vehicle damage were both recorded as the car’s left side doors. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' and does not cite any specific driver errors. The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but no victim behavior is listed as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the violence of impact and the vulnerability of those outside cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4747489 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17

Jun 26 - A man crossed 19th Avenue with the light. A Honda hit him. His leg tore open. Blood pooled on the street. He stayed conscious, pain sharp and bright. The car showed no mark. The street bore the wound.

According to the police report, a man was crossing 19th Avenue at the intersection, moving with the signal, when a Honda struck him. The impact tore open his leg, causing severe bleeding. The report states the pedestrian remained conscious at the scene. The police narrative notes, 'A Honda hit him. His leg tore open. Blood spread on the street. He stayed awake. The car bore no mark.' The vehicle, a Honda car or SUV, showed no visible damage. The report does not list any contributing factors for the driver, but it explicitly states the pedestrian was 'crossing with signal.' The collision left the pedestrian with significant injuries to his lower leg and foot. The focus remains on the driver’s actions and the systemic danger present at the intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4736270 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-17