No More Bodies in the Road: Make Safety the Law, Not the Exception

A child steps from a bus. A cyclist strikes. Bedford Avenue’s protected bike lane will vanish. City listens to complaints, not data. Streets stay dangerous. Cyclists and children caught in the crossfire. Policy shifts, safety left behind.

CBS New York reported on June 14, 2025, that Mayor Eric Adams will remove three blocks of the protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn after several crashes, including one involving a child exiting a school bus. The mayor cited 'community concerns' and stated, 'After several incidents—including some involving children...we decided to adjust the current design.' City Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized the move, calling it 'pure politics' and warning, 'He is going to make this area less safe for pedestrians, for cyclists.' The article highlights tension between local complaints and street safety policy. No driver error is cited; the crash involved a cyclist and a child. The decision raises questions about how New York responds to vulnerable road users and whether removing infrastructure addresses underlying dangers.

• Brooklyn Bike Lane Removed After Crashes, CBS New York, Published 2025-06-14

City strips protection from Bedford Avenue bike lane. Cyclists lose shield. Children dart from double-parked cars. Community complaints drive policy. Streets stay chaotic. Power struggles linger. Riders and walkers face new risk. Steel yields to politics.

Gothamist reported on June 13, 2025, that Mayor Eric Adams ordered the removal of protective barriers from a stretch of Brooklyn’s Bedford Avenue bike lane. The move follows complaints from local residents, especially after a viral video showed a child running into the lane from a double-parked car and colliding with an e-bike. Adams stated, 'we listened to community concerns and decided to adjust the current design to better reflect community feedback.' The Department of Transportation will revert the protected lane to its previous unprotected state between Willoughby and Flushing avenues. The article highlights ongoing political battles over street design and notes that double-parking and chaotic traffic remain unaddressed. Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro cited 'lack of action' on e-bike safety as a barrier to safer infrastructure. The decision removes a key safety measure for vulnerable road users.

• Adams Removes Bedford Avenue Bike Barriers, Gothamist, Published 2025-06-13

Two sedans crashed at Powell Street and Liberty Avenue. Metal twisted. Three men injured. One driver left unconscious with crush wounds. Police say traffic control was ignored. Unlicensed driver behind the wheel. Brooklyn street, early morning, chaos and pain.

According to the police report, two sedans collided at the intersection of Powell Street and Liberty Avenue in Brooklyn. Three men were injured. One driver, age 35, was found unconscious with crush injuries. Two other drivers, ages 32 and 41, suffered pain and trauma but remained conscious. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. One driver was unlicensed at the time of the crash. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The impact left one vehicle demolished. The police report does not mention helmet or signal use as factors. The crash underscores the danger when drivers ignore traffic controls and operate vehicles without proper licensing.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4818427, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Flatbush Avenue will lose car lanes. Bus lanes and pedestrian islands will take their place. Fifty-five killed or badly hurt since 2019. Buses crawl. Pedestrians dodge traffic. The city moves to fix a deadly, clogged corridor.

Gothamist reported on June 4, 2025, that New York City's Department of Transportation plans to overhaul Flatbush Avenue between Livingston Street and Grand Army Plaza. The redesign replaces two car lanes with 24/7 bus-only lanes and adds pedestrian islands. DOT officials said, 'almost 70,000 daily bus riders are stuck waiting too long for slow buses, drivers are caught in a mess of traffic and pedestrians are left crossing intersections clogged with vehicles.' Since 2019, 55 people have been killed or severely injured in crashes along this stretch. The plan removes curbside parking and bans cars from bus lanes, aiming to speed up twelve bus routes and protect people on foot. Most residents in the area do not own cars and depend on slow buses. The proposal reflects a shift toward prioritizing vulnerable road users and addressing systemic danger on one of Brooklyn's busiest corridors.

• Flatbush Avenue Bus Lanes, Pedestrian Islands Planned, Gothamist, Published 2025-06-04

A boy slipped between moving subway cars in Brooklyn. His leg caught. Firefighters and police freed him. Blood on steel. He left for the hospital, stable. The train rolled on. The gap remains.

According to NY Daily News (2025-05-26), a 12-year-old boy was hospitalized after slipping while crossing between cars on a moving M train near Myrtle Ave.-Broadway station. The article states, "His right leg got stuck and he needed to be freed by FDNY personnel and members of the NYPD Emergency Service Unit." The boy suffered a leg injury and was transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. No driver error is involved, but the incident highlights ongoing risks in subway design and enforcement. Crossing between cars remains a hazardous gap in transit safety, especially for young passengers.

• Boy Injured Crossing Between Subway Cars, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-26

A woman walking outside the intersection was struck and killed by an SUV late at night on Marcus Garvey Boulevard. The crash left her with fatal crush injuries. No driver errors were specified in the police report. The street stayed deadly and silent.

A 32-year-old woman was killed while walking on Marcus Garvey Boulevard near Van Buren Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, she was not at an intersection when an SUV struck her, causing fatal crush injuries to her entire body. The crash involved a 2024 Jeep SUV traveling east and two parked vehicles. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The pedestrian's death is recorded as 'Apparent Death' with 'Crush Injuries.' No mention of helmet or signaling is included in the report. The data shows the persistent danger for pedestrians on city streets, even late at night.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815727, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A woman, 55, died on Fulton Street. An SUV hit her as she crossed outside the crosswalk. The impact crushed her body. She died at the scene. The crash happened late at night in Brooklyn. The driver’s actions remain unclear.

A 55-year-old woman was killed when a Ford SUV struck her on Fulton Street at Washington Avenue in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the pedestrian was crossing the street, not at an intersection or marked crosswalk, when the vehicle’s right front bumper hit her. She suffered crush injuries to her entire body and was pronounced dead 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 factors in this crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4813415, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A motorcycle slammed into a sedan’s rear on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The rider died. Four others survived. Police cite driver inattention and following too closely. Metal twisted. One life ended. The road stayed open. The danger remains.

A deadly crash unfolded on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway when a motorcycle struck the rear of a sedan. According to the police report, the motorcyclist, a 27-year-old man, was killed from internal chest injuries. Four other occupants, including the sedan’s driver and passenger, suffered unspecified injuries. Both vehicles were traveling west. The motorcycle was demolished. The sedan’s rear was crushed. Police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. The sedan’s driver was unlicensed. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The report does not blame the victim. The crash highlights the lethal risk when drivers lose focus and crowd the road.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812048, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Two cars slammed together on Tompkins Avenue in Brooklyn. Metal twisted. Glass broke. Three men hurt, one bleeding from the head. Police say drivers were distracted and speeding. The street bore the mark of reckless force.

On Tompkins Avenue near Jefferson Avenue in Brooklyn, a station wagon/SUV and a sedan collided. According to the police report, three men were injured. One passenger suffered severe head bleeding, while two others reported whiplash and injuries to the entire body. The crash involved a left turn and a straight-ahead movement. Police cited 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. One driver was unlicensed. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report. The impact struck the left front bumpers of both vehicles, leaving both cars damaged. The crash highlights the danger when drivers lose focus and exceed safe speeds.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810785, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A bus rolls east on Herkimer. The driver looks away. Metal slams flesh. A man collapses, head bleeding, words lost. Children inside the bus sit frozen, one girl clutching her skull. The street holds the wound.

A bus traveling east on Herkimer Street near Van Sinderen Avenue struck a 44-year-old man, according to the police report. The report states the bus driver was distracted—'Driver Inattention/Distraction' is listed as the primary contributing factor. The right front bumper hit the pedestrian, who was crossing outside a signal or crosswalk. The man suffered severe bleeding from the head and was described as incoherent at the scene. Inside the bus, children sat in silence, with one girl holding her head. The police report does not cite any pedestrian actions as contributing factors. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when drivers lose focus behind the wheel.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807818, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A van rolled through Park and Franklin. A young cyclist struck metal, headfirst. Blood pooled on the street. The van’s driver walked away. The cyclist drifted, semiconscious, lacerated, left behind by a driver who disregarded the rules.

According to the police report, a panel van traveling south on Park Avenue at Franklin Avenue disregarded traffic control. The van’s driver continued straight ahead, while a 19-year-old cyclist rode east. The report states, 'A van rolled south. A bike came east. Metal struck flesh.' The cyclist collided headfirst with the van’s rear quarter panel, suffering severe head lacerations and partial ejection, and was found semiconscious with blood on the street. The van’s driver was uninjured. The only contributing factor cited in the report is 'Traffic Control Disregarded,' highlighting the van driver’s failure to obey traffic signals or signs. No contributing factors are attributed to the cyclist. The crash underscores the danger posed when drivers ignore traffic controls, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to grave harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4806577, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 47-year-old man on a moped was struck head-on near Putnam Avenue. Thrown from his seat, his face torn open, he lay in shock on the pavement. The street echoed with silence and blood. No one else was harmed.

According to the police report, a 47-year-old man riding a moped northbound on Bushwick Avenue near Putnam Avenue was struck head-on and ejected from his vehicle. The report describes the rider as suffering severe lacerations to the face and lying in shock on the pavement. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor in the crash. The moped's point of impact was the center front end, and the vehicle sustained damage to the left front bumper. The report notes that the rider was not wearing a helmet, but this detail is listed after the primary driver error. No other persons were harmed in the collision. The scene was marked by silence and blood, underscoring the violence of the impact and the vulnerability of those outside of cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800008, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

On the Brooklyn Queens Expressway near midnight, a BMW slammed into the rear of a Tesla. Both vehicles traveled straight. The impact crushed metal and injured occupants, including a young man bleeding from his face. Driver error of following too closely caused the crash.

According to the police report, a BMW sedan struck a Tesla sedan from behind on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway near midnight. The BMW driver was cited for 'Following Too Closely,' a critical driver error that led directly to the collision. Both vehicles were traveling straight ahead at the time of impact. The Tesla's center back end was crushed, causing injuries to multiple occupants. A 22-year-old male passenger in the rear seat suffered facial lacerations and remained conscious; he was wearing a lap belt and harness. Other occupants, including the Tesla driver and rear passengers, sustained whiplash and concussion injuries. No contributing factors were attributed to the victims. The crash underscores the dangers of tailgating and driver inattention on New York highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4799341, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan turned left on Washington Avenue and hit a woman on an e-scooter head-on. She crashed to the pavement, blood running from her scalp. She stayed conscious, 29, staring skyward in Brooklyn’s night.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on Washington Avenue near Myrtle Avenue made a left turn and struck an eastbound e-scooter head-on. The report states, 'The car struck her head-on. She hit the pavement hard. No helmet. Blood ran from her scalp.' The e-scooter rider, a 29-year-old woman, suffered a severe head injury and remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors to the crash. The sedan’s driver’s actions—turning left across the path of the oncoming e-scooter—are central to the collision. The victim was not wearing a helmet, but this is noted only after the driver errors cited by police.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798536, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A man sped through a stop sign in Brownsville. His Mercedes hit a school bus. His passenger died. He ran from the wreck in a taxi. Police found him later. The victim’s family mourns. The street remains unchanged.

NY Daily News reported on March 2, 2025, that Tyree Epps, 32, drove a Mercedes-Benz without a license, ran a stop sign on Van Sinderen Ave, and crashed into a school bus. The article states, “After the crash, Epps hopped in a taxi and took off, leaving his 26-year-old passenger, Imani Vance, in the front seat suffering severe head trauma.” Epps faces charges of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, leaving the scene, and unlicensed driving. The bus driver survived. The crash exposes ongoing risks from unlicensed, reckless drivers and the persistent danger at city intersections. The victim’s family is left to grieve and organize a funeral, while the intersection remains a site of loss.

• Unlicensed Driver Flees Fatal Brooklyn Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-03-02

A sedan tore down Van Sinderen Avenue, slammed a bus, then a parked truck. Metal screamed. The front passenger, a 26-year-old woman, died in her seat. Head wounds ended everything. She never saw it coming. The driver had no license.

A deadly crash unfolded on Van Sinderen Avenue near Blake Avenue in Brooklyn when, according to the police report, a sedan traveling at 'unsafe speed' collided with a bus and then struck a parked box truck. The report states the sedan's front passenger, a 26-year-old woman, suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. The sedan's driver was unlicensed, as documented in the official vehicle records. The police report attributes the primary contributing factor to 'Unsafe Speed.' The narrative describes the sedan as 'slammed into a bus, then a parked box truck,' underscoring the violent sequence. No contributing factors related to the victim's behavior are cited in the report. The focus remains on the unlicensed driver’s excessive speed and the systemic danger posed by unqualified motorists operating vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795300, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A box truck rolled south on Broadway. A 59-year-old man stood in the road. The truck’s right front struck his head. He fell, unconscious, blood pooling. The truck did not stop. Driver inattention marked the scene.

According to the police report, a box truck traveling south near 1040 Broadway in Brooklyn struck a 59-year-old man who was standing in the roadway. The report states, 'A box truck moved south. A 59-year-old man stood in the road. The truck struck his head. He fell, unconscious. Blood spread on the street. The truck rolled on, untouched.' The pedestrian suffered severe head lacerations and lost consciousness at the scene. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The truck’s right front quarter panel made contact, and the vehicle sustained no damage. The report does not list any pedestrian behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the driver’s inattention, which led to the severe injury of a vulnerable road user.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4794925, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Nissan sedan slammed into parked cars on Throop Avenue. Metal shrieked. A 22-year-old man was crushed, his body broken, eyes wide in shock. The street froze, silence settling over twisted steel and shattered bone.

According to the police report, a Nissan sedan traveling north on Throop Avenue near Park Avenue veered into parked vehicles, including a Ford SUV and a Honda sedan. The collision resulted in a 22-year-old pedestrian suffering crush injuries to his entire body. The report describes the victim as 'crushed,' with 'eyes wide with shock.' The crash occurred at 17:28 in Brooklyn. The police report explicitly lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The Ford SUV sustained damage to its right rear bumper, while the Nissan sedan's left front bumper was impacted. No contributing factors are attributed to the pedestrian. The report does not cite any victim behavior as a cause, keeping the focus on the driver's failure to maintain control and the lethal consequences for those on foot.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793716, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A westbound car hit a 42-year-old man near Eastern Parkway. He lay semiconscious, blood pooling from his head. No crosswalk, no warning, just the sudden violence of metal against flesh and the silence that followed.

A 42-year-old man was struck by a westbound car on St. Johns Place near Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, according to the police report. The report describes the man lying semiconscious on the pavement, bleeding from the head after being hit by the vehicle's left front bumper. The incident occurred at 20:56. The police report notes, 'No crosswalk. No warning. Just blood on the road and silence.' The pedestrian was not at an intersection when struck. No contributing factors or vehicle types were listed in the police report, and no driver actions are specified. The report does not indicate any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the impact and the severe injury suffered by the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4793922, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Transit advocates and officials rallied at Grand Central. They demanded Governor Hochul fill a $33 billion gap in the MTA capital plan. Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal called transit vital for the region. Advocates stressed accessibility and equity. The state’s budget leaves riders exposed.

On February 2, 2025, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal joined transit advocates at Grand Central Terminal to push for full funding of the MTA’s 2025-2029 capital plan. The rally targeted Governor Hochul’s $252 billion budget, which omits $33 billion needed for transit upgrades. The event, covered by amny.com, highlighted the matter: 'NYC transit advocates urge Hochul to fully fund MTA Capital Plan with guaranteed state budget revenue.' Hoylman-Sigal said, 'This is about the economic engine for the entire region.' Assembly Member Tony Simone and others demanded investment in transportation deserts and accessible stations. Advocates cited the MTA’s ADA settlement, noting only a quarter of stations are wheelchair-accessible, with the fewest in low-income areas. The rally underscored that without full funding, vulnerable riders—especially those with disabilities—face continued barriers and danger.

• NYC transit advocates urge Hochul to fully fund MTA Capital Plan with guaranteed state budget revenue, amny.com, Published 2025-02-02