Blood on the Asphalt: Deadly Streets, Empty Promises

A bus hit a 15-year-old girl as she crossed St. Nicholas Avenue with the signal. Blood marked the crosswalk. The bus kept moving. The girl stayed conscious, head bleeding, as the street bore silent witness to the violence of traffic.

According to the police report, a bus traveling north on St. Nicholas Avenue struck a 15-year-old girl in the crosswalk at Stanhope Street. The report states the pedestrian was 'crossing with signal' when the collision occurred. The girl suffered severe lacerations to her head but remained conscious at the scene. The narrative notes, 'Blood pooled on white paint,' underscoring the violence of the impact. The bus did not stop and was described as 'unmarked.' Police list the contributing factors as 'unspecified,' but the report makes clear the pedestrian was in the intersection, acting lawfully, with the signal in her favor. No driver errors are explicitly cited in the data, but the facts highlight the systemic dangers faced by pedestrians even when following traffic rules.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4775142, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 2002 Suzuki motorcycle crashed hard at 1 a.m. on Jackie Robinson Parkway. The driver, 36, thrown and bleeding from the head. The passenger, 52, left with a torn leg. Helmets on. Both hit the ground. The road stayed quiet.

According to the police report, a 2002 Suzuki motorcycle crashed at 1 a.m. on Jackie Robinson Parkway. The report states, 'A 2002 Suzuki slammed headlong. The man, 36, thrown and bleeding from the head. The woman, 52, leg torn open.' Both occupants were ejected from the motorcycle and suffered severe lacerations—one to the head, the other to the lower leg. The report notes both wore helmets. The vehicle's point of impact was the center front end, and the motorcycle was traveling straight ahead. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and passenger, providing no further detail on the cause. No evidence of victim error is cited. The crash left both individuals injured and the road silent.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4773058, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A car’s right front struck a 48-year-old cyclist on Union Avenue. The man wore a helmet. His arm was torn open. Blood pooled on the street. He was thrown, conscious, with deep cuts and broken flesh. Failure to yield shattered the morning.

According to the police report, a 48-year-old man riding a bike westbound on Union Avenue near Broadway in Brooklyn was struck by a car’s right front. The collision left the cyclist with severe lacerations to his arm, described as 'deep cuts and broken flesh,' and he was partially ejected from his bike but remained conscious. The report states the driver’s 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The narrative details blood on the street and the cyclist’s helmet use, but helmet use is not listed as a contributing factor. The crash occurred at 8:36 a.m. The focus remains on the driver’s failure to yield, which directly led to the cyclist’s injuries, as documented by police.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768382, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A moped tore through Bushwick Ave. Distraction ruled. The driver, helmetless, flew headfirst and bled. The passenger, helmeted, struck hard and bled from the face. Both ejected. Both broken. Night swallowed their cries.

Two people suffered serious injuries when a moped crashed on Bushwick Ave near Halsey St, according to the police report. The report states both the driver, a 30-year-old man, and the passenger, a 25-year-old woman, were ejected from the moped. The driver, who wore no helmet, sustained severe head lacerations. The passenger, who wore a helmet, suffered severe bleeding from facial injuries. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was cited as the primary contributing factor for both individuals. The narrative notes, 'Distraction rode with them through the dark.' No other vehicles were involved, and no victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors beyond the mention of helmet use after driver distraction. The crash underscores the danger when attention lapses on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798441, 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 moped’s bumper slammed into a young man working in the street. Blood streaked his face under the streetlights. He stood conscious, wounded, while the driver’s inattention left him bleeding in the dark Brooklyn night.

A 21-year-old man was injured when a westbound moped struck him as he worked in the roadway at Myrtle Avenue and Bleecker Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the moped’s left front bumper hit the pedestrian’s head, leaving him bleeding but conscious at the scene. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the crash. The pedestrian was performing work in the road at the time of the collision. No other contributing factors related to the victim’s behavior are listed in the police report. This incident underscores the danger posed by inattentive driving to people working or moving in city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4760621, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 26-year-old man on an e-bike was struck by a sedan on Hart Street near Evergreen Avenue. Thrown, crushed against a parked car. Head trauma. He died there. The driver disregarded traffic control, according to the police report.

A 26-year-old e-bike rider was killed on Hart Street near Evergreen Avenue in Brooklyn when a sedan struck him, according to the police report. The report states the collision occurred at 2:48 a.m. The e-bike rider was thrown and crushed against a parked car, suffering fatal head trauma. According to the police report, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' was cited as a contributing factor, highlighting a critical driver error. The sedan's driver failed to obey traffic controls, leading directly to the deadly impact. The report does not list any victim behaviors as contributing factors. The e-bike rider was ejected and died at the scene. The crash involved two sedans—one moving, one parked—and an e-bike. The focus remains on the sedan driver's disregard for traffic control, which proved fatal for the vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757577, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

E-bike and e-scooter slammed together on Flushing Avenue, metal tangled, debris scattered. A 28-year-old man bled onto the street, flesh torn below the knee. The machines lay crumpled. Silence pressed down, broken only by pain.

According to the police report, an e-bike and an e-scooter collided near 429 Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn at 5:30 p.m. The crash occurred amid scattered debris, which the report lists as 'Obstruction/Debris' under contributing factors. Both vehicles were traveling straight—one southbound, one westbound—when they struck each other. The impact left a 28-year-old man, identified as an e-bike driver, with severe lacerations to his lower leg and knee. The narrative describes blood pooling from his wounds as he lay conscious on the street, machines crumpled around him. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor, but notes the absence of a helmet after driver errors and environmental hazards. The collision underscores the danger posed by roadway obstructions and debris, which directly contributed to the violent impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4756953, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Jeep SUV struck a motorscooter head-on on Union Avenue in Brooklyn. The 19-year-old unlicensed, helmetless rider suffered a crushed skull. The driver’s failure to obey traffic control caused a violent, fatal collision that left blood on the street.

According to the police report, at 12:10 a.m., a Jeep SUV traveling west on Union Avenue near Lorimer Street in Brooklyn collided head-on with a northbound motorscooter. The report identifies 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the primary contributing factor, indicating the Jeep driver failed to obey traffic signals or signs. The Jeep’s left front bumper struck the scooter’s center front end. The 19-year-old male scooter rider was unlicensed and helmetless, suffering severe head injuries described as a crushed skull. The police report places these victim details after noting the driver’s failure to follow traffic control devices. The crash left blood on the street and silence in its wake, underscoring the deadly consequences of driver disregard for traffic rules.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752925, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A motorcycle, moving too fast, crashed into a turning SUV at Pennsylvania and Jamaica. A woman riding outside the bike was thrown hard to the pavement. Her legs torn open. She stayed conscious. The street echoed with the cost of speed.

According to the police report, a motorcycle traveling at 'unsafe speed' struck a station wagon/SUV making a left turn at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Jamaica Avenue in Brooklyn. The collision occurred at 6:10 a.m. The report states that a 31-year-old woman, riding on the outside of the motorcycle, was ejected and suffered severe lacerations to her legs but remained conscious at the scene. The narrative describes the motorcycle as having 'slammed into an SUV turning left.' The primary contributing factor listed is 'Unsafe Speed.' No contributing factors are attributed to the victim. The impact and subsequent ejection underscore the dangers posed by excessive speed on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752580, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 46-year-old man pedaled north on Union Avenue. An unlicensed SUV driver struck him head-on. His helmet split. Blood spread across the pavement. He was thrown from his bike. He never moved again.

According to the police report, a 46-year-old man was riding his bicycle north on Union Avenue near Lynch Street in Brooklyn when an unlicensed driver operating a 2024 Volkswagen SUV struck him head-on. The report states the crash occurred at 11:26 a.m. The cyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was ejected from his bike and suffered fatal head injuries. The police report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor. The SUV driver was unlicensed at the time of the crash. The narrative describes the immediate aftermath: 'His helmet split. Blood spread across the pavement. He was thrown from the bike. He never moved again.' The report does not cite any cyclist behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the unlicensed driver’s actions and improper lane usage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752328, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Toyota sedan reversed on Hope Street. The driver looked away. The bumper smashed into a 26-year-old woman’s head as she stood off the road. Blood spilled. She stood silent, stunned, bleeding. Driver inattention and unsafe backing, police say.

According to the police report, a Toyota sedan was backing west on Hope Street in Brooklyn when the driver 'looked away.' The vehicle's bumper struck the head of a 26-year-old woman who was standing off the roadway. The report notes she suffered severe bleeding and shock, with the point of impact listed as the center back end of the sedan. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Backing Unsafely' as contributing factors. The woman was not in the roadway and was not crossing at an intersection at the time of the crash. The report makes no mention of any pedestrian error or behavior contributing to the collision. The driver’s actions—specifically inattention and unsafe backing—are the only factors cited in the police account.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750394, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

On Hemlock Street, a sedan and e-bike fleeing police collide. The e-bike rider, 31, is torn at the neck, blood pooling. Doors crumple. Sirens echo. Unsafe speed drives the chaos. Brooklyn’s street absorbs the shock.

According to the police report, a sedan and an e-bike collided on Hemlock Street near Etna Street in Brooklyn during a police pursuit. Both vehicles were fleeing police at the time of the crash. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The e-bike rider, a 31-year-old man, suffered severe neck lacerations and was conscious at the scene. The police narrative describes a violent impact: 'The e-bike rider, 31, strikes hard. No helmet. Neck torn. Blood pools. Doors crumple. Sirens wail.' The sedan sustained damage to its right side doors, while the e-bike impacted the left front bumper. The focus remains on the excessive speed and the peril of high-velocity chases, as detailed in the official account.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750146, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Lawmakers say Hochul broke the law. They filed a brief. They argue the governor has no right to halt congestion pricing. The MTA Board, not Albany, holds the power. The pause sows confusion. Streets stay clogged. Vulnerable New Yorkers pay the price.

On August 23, 2024, a group of New York State legislators—Assembly Members Phil Steck and Andrew Hevesi, State Senator Julia Salazar, and former Assembly Member Dick Gottfried—filed a legal brief against Governor Hochul’s decision to pause congestion pricing. The matter, as described: “the legislature never gave her or any governor the power to do away with the traffic toll.” The brief cites the 2019 Traffic Mobility Act, arguing only the Traffic Mobility Review Board and the MTA can make such decisions. The lawmakers warn that letting the governor override the MTA would “make impossibly opaque the actual responsibility for MTA decisions.” Their action supports the MTA Board’s independence and opposes executive interference. No safety analyst has assessed the direct impact on vulnerable road users, but the legislators’ stance highlights the risk of political meddling in life-and-death street policy.

• State Legislators Say They Never Gave Hochul the Power to Pause Congestion Pricing, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-08-23

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 2025-06-15

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 2025-06-15

A 26-year-old e-bike rider crashed into a parked sedan on Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn. Thrown from the bike, his leg torn open, blood marked the street. The car never moved. Driver inattention and distraction led to carnage.

A 26-year-old e-bike rider was severely injured after colliding with a parked sedan on Metropolitan Avenue near Lorimer Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the e-bike rider was 'thrown from the bike' and suffered 'severe lacerations' to his leg, with blood left on the asphalt. The report states the sedan 'never moved' and was parked at the time of impact. The primary contributing factor cited is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The e-bike rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the police narrative, but this detail follows the explicit mention of driver inattention as the central cause. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of distraction and inattention on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4745557, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan struck a halted taxi on Bradford Street, folding metal violently. A 25-year-old woman in the back seat, belted, suffered crushing injuries. Shock held her still as the street fell silent, the impact brutal and unforgiving.

According to the police report, at 2:06 p.m. on Bradford Street near Fulton Street in Brooklyn, a sedan traveling east struck a halted taxi from behind. The impact occurred at the center back end of the taxi and the center front end of the sedan, crumpling metal severely. A 25-year-old woman, seated in the left rear passenger seat of the taxi and wearing a lap belt, sustained crushing injuries to her entire body and remained still, held by shock. The report lists no specific driver errors but the collision’s nature—a sedan hitting a stopped vehicle from behind—indicates a failure to prevent rear-end collisions. Both vehicles were traveling east, with the taxi stopped and the sedan moving straight ahead. No contributing factors were specified for either driver. The focus is on the violent impact and the severe harm inflicted on the passenger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4741827, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

An SUV turned left on Gates Avenue and struck a 26-year-old woman riding an e-scooter. She flew headfirst, hit the ground, and bled in the street. The SUV’s bumper cracked. She was conscious, badly hurt, and wore no helmet.

According to the police report, an SUV made a left turn on Gates Avenue and collided with a 26-year-old woman operating an e-scooter. The report states the SUV struck the e-scooter, causing the rider to be ejected, land headfirst, and suffer severe bleeding. She was conscious at the scene but sustained a significant head injury. The SUV’s right front bumper was damaged in the impact. The police report explicitly lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor in the crash, pointing to driver error as a primary cause. The report also notes the e-scooter rider was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the driver’s failure to yield. The crash underscores the lethal risks faced by vulnerable road users when drivers fail to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4740372, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A taxi slammed into an eastbound e-scooter at Greene and Wilson. Metal shrieked. The rider, helmeted, was thrown and crushed. The cab’s front quarter buckled. Traffic control was disregarded. Flesh and steel collided in Brooklyn’s morning heat.

According to the police report, a taxi traveling south on Wilson Avenue struck an eastbound e-scooter at the corner of Greene and Wilson in Brooklyn at 11:02 a.m. The report states, 'A taxi struck an eastbound e-scooter. The rider, 42, helmeted, was thrown and crushed.' The e-scooter rider suffered crush injuries to the entire body and was ejected from the vehicle but remained conscious. The police report explicitly lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, indicating the taxi driver failed to obey traffic signals. The narrative underscores that 'signals [were] ignored.' The e-scooter rider was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause cited is the taxi driver’s disregard for traffic control. The crash left the scooter folded and the cab’s front quarter crumpled, marking another instance where systemic driver error endangered a vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4735776, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15