No More Names on Asphalt: Fix the Streets or Count More Dead

An e-scooter rider slammed into a parked SUV near 55 Church Street. Her arm split open. Blood streaked the grips. She stood, stunned, pain sharp and raw. The SUV sat untouched. The street stayed silent.

A 36-year-old woman riding an e-scooter was injured after crashing into a parked SUV near 55 Church Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A woman on an e-scooter struck a parked SUV. Her arm split open on the metal. Blood smeared the grips. She stood still, stunned, staring. The SUV was unmarked.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The woman suffered severe lacerations to her arm and was in shock. The SUV was parked and showed no damage. No other injuries were reported. The data does not mention helmet use or signaling as factors in the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4635224, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man on a bike slammed into the back of an ambulance on West 14th. Blood spilled from his leg. The lane was tight. Metal cut flesh. He stayed awake. The crash left the cyclist wounded. The ambulance rolled on.

A 51-year-old man riding a bike struck the rear quarter of an eastbound ambulance on West 14th Street near Sixth Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'Blood poured from his leg. The lane was narrow. The metal did not yield. He stayed conscious.' The cyclist suffered a serious leg injury with severe bleeding. The crash involved improper passing or lane usage and passing too closely, as listed under contributing factors. The ambulance, a Ford truck, was traveling straight ahead. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but helmet use was not listed as a contributing factor. No injuries were reported among the ambulance occupants. The impact highlights the danger of narrow lanes and improper lane usage for vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4621000, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Mercedes hit a 62-year-old cyclist at Essex and Delancey. The car struck his head. He stayed conscious. He lost a limb. Flesh torn from bone. The driver failed to yield. The street changed a life in seconds.

A Mercedes sedan struck a 62-year-old cyclist at the corner of Essex and Delancey in Manhattan. The cyclist was hit in the head and suffered a traumatic amputation. According to the police report, 'A Mercedes struck a 62-year-old cyclist in the head. He stayed conscious. He lost a limb. Flesh torn from bone. A right-of-way not yielded.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The cyclist was severely injured. The sedan driver, a 29-year-old woman, was not reported injured. No helmet or signaling issues were cited as contributing factors. The crash shows the grave danger when drivers fail to yield to people on bikes.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4597816, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Lincoln sedan struck a 53-year-old man at Cooper Square and Saint Marks Place. The unlicensed driver hit him head-on. Head wounds. Internal bleeding. The man died in the street. Driver inattention and unsafe speed played a deadly role.

A 53-year-old pedestrian was killed at the corner of Cooper Square and Saint Marks Place in Manhattan. According to the police report, a Lincoln sedan driven by an unlicensed driver struck the man head-on, causing fatal head injuries and internal bleeding. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The driver was not licensed to operate the vehicle. The pedestrian was crossing against the signal, but the data highlights driver errors as key factors in the crash. The man died at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4585088, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan hit a 19-year-old woman in a Delancey Street crosswalk. The car’s bumper smashed her head to the pavement. Blood pooled. She faded in and out. Police say the driver was drunk and distracted. The street stayed quiet. Sirens came late.

A 19-year-old woman was struck by a westbound Nissan sedan while crossing Delancey Street at Essex Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the collision occurred at 1:48 a.m. as the pedestrian was in a marked crosswalk. The report states: 'A 19-year-old woman in the crosswalk. A westbound Nissan. Right front bumper. Her head hits the street. Blood pools. She drifts in and out. The driver had been drinking.' The pedestrian suffered severe head lacerations and was semiconscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. No other injuries were specified for vehicle occupants. The crash highlights the lethal risk posed by impaired and inattentive driving.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4584684, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A young man lay bleeding on Broadway. Two SUVs, one stopped, one moving. The street was quiet. The impact was hard. The pedestrian shook in shock. Blood pooled. His whole body hurt. The city did not stop.

A 21-year-old pedestrian was struck by a moving SUV near Maiden Lane on Broadway in Manhattan at 2:50 a.m. According to the police report, two SUVs were involved—one stopped, one moving. The pedestrian, not in a crosswalk, was hit hard and suffered severe bleeding and injuries to his entire body. The report states, 'A 21-year-old man, not in a crosswalk, struck hard. Blood pooled on the quiet street. His whole body hurt. He shook in silence.' No contributing driver errors were specified in the data. The impact left the pedestrian in shock, with no other injuries reported among vehicle occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4575884, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Steel met flesh on Rivington Street. A moped and a sedan collided in the dark. The moped rider’s leg split open. Blood on the asphalt. No helmet. Three in the sedan, unhurt. The street fell silent after the crash.

A moped and a sedan collided near 135 Rivington Street in Manhattan just before 1 a.m. The moped rider, a 35-year-old man, suffered severe lacerations to his leg. According to the police report, 'His leg split open on the asphalt. No armor. No mercy. Just flesh, steel, and silence.' The rider wore no helmet. Three people in the sedan, including a 15-year-old and a 29-year-old passenger, were not injured. The police report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The data shows both vehicles were traveling west and going straight ahead at the time of the crash. The moped rider was the only person injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4574269, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Jeep turned right on West 12th. Its bumper hit a man crossing with the light. He fell. Bruised shoulder. The car stood untouched. Death’s shadow lingered until help arrived.

A 28-year-old man was struck by a Jeep SUV while crossing West 12th Street at 5th Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the Jeep turned right and its bumper hit the pedestrian’s shoulder as he crossed with the signal. The man fell and suffered a bruise. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The Jeep sustained no damage. The driver, a 76-year-old man, was not injured. The police narrative notes, 'Death seemed to settle before help arrived.' The data does not list any driver errors or mention helmet or signal use as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4560786, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine called on state DOT to take a lane from cars on the West Side Highway. He wants a two-way protected bike lane. The Greenway is packed. Delivery workers need space. Local boards and lawmakers back the move.

On August 1, 2022, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine demanded the state Department of Transportation repurpose a lane on the West Side Highway for a two-way protected bike lane. Levine wrote, 'The Hudson River Greenway is one of the most heavily used bike paths in the country... congestion has worsened significantly.' He sent his letter to state DOT Commissioner Therese Dominguez and city DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. Local elected officials and Community Board 1, which voted 41-3 in May 2020 to support the change, also back the plan. State senators, assembly members, and council members signed a letter urging the same. Levine and supporters argue the new lane would ease crowding and give e-bike delivery workers—many of them immigrants—a safe, legal route. The state DOT has resisted, citing car congestion. Advocates say more space for cyclists is overdue.

• SEE IT! Manhattan BP to State: Take a Lane from Drivers on the West Side Highway, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-08-01

A sedan hit a man walking along Avenue D. He bled from the head under a streetlamp. The car’s front end crumpled. The night was still. The man stayed conscious. The street bore witness to the impact.

A southbound sedan struck a 31-year-old man walking with traffic near Avenue D and 113th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the pedestrian was left conscious but bleeding from the head beneath a streetlamp. The sedan’s front end was crushed in the collision. The report does not list any specific driver errors or contributing factors. No helmet or signaling issues are mentioned. The crash left the pedestrian with severe head bleeding, highlighting the danger faced by those on foot in city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550802, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A woman rode south on Lafayette. She lost control. She flew from her e-bike. Her head struck the street. Blood pooled. She lay unconscious. The bike stood untouched. The street bore the mark of impact.

A woman riding an e-bike south on Lafayette Street at Kenmare was thrown from her bike and suffered a severe head injury. According to the police report, she was unlicensed, helmetless, and lost consciousness after her head struck the pavement. The report lists 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor. The e-bike itself was undamaged. The woman was the only person injured in the crash. Helmet use is mentioned only as a detail after the driver error. No other vehicles or people were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4551975, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A young man rode south on Essex. He was thrown from his bike. His head struck the ground. Blood pooled fast. He lay semiconscious, sirens echoing. The crash left him bleeding and broken on the asphalt.

A 25-year-old man riding a bike southbound near 105 Essex Street in Manhattan was ejected from his bike and suffered a severe head injury. According to the police report, 'A 25-year-old man, no helmet, thrown from his bike. Head struck hard. Blood pooled on the asphalt. He lay semiconscious, southbound ride ended in sirens and silence.' The cyclist was listed as semiconscious with severe bleeding from the head. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No other vehicles or persons were identified as involved in the crash. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this is mentioned only after the contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4550445, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan struck a 62-year-old cyclist on South Street. The man flew from his bike. Blood ran from his face. The driver’s view was blocked. Distraction played a part. The cyclist wore a helmet. He stayed conscious in the dark.

A 62-year-old man riding north on his bike was hit by a sedan traveling east on South Street near Catherine Slip in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A 62-year-old man, helmeted, was thrown from his bike. His face bled into the dark. A Honda's right side crumpled. The driver didn’t see him. The view was blocked. He was conscious.' The cyclist suffered facial injuries and severe bleeding but remained conscious. The sedan’s right side was damaged. Police list 'View Obstructed/Limited' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The cyclist was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report. No injuries were reported for the sedan’s occupants. The crash highlights the danger when drivers cannot see vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4549179, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Jeep sedan struck a 13-year-old girl crossing Avenue D with the signal. The car did not stop. Aggressive driving and speed crushed her body. She stayed conscious. The street became a field of pain. Metal and flesh collided under city lights.

A 13-year-old girl was hit by a Jeep sedan while crossing Avenue D with the signal. According to the police report, the driver continued straight and did not stop. The girl suffered crush injuries to her entire body but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. No vehicle damage was reported. The driver’s actions—aggression and speed—left the pedestrian broken on the asphalt. The police report makes clear the girl was crossing legally at the intersection. No mention of helmet or signal violations by the victim appears in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4542814, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man on an e-scooter struck a 60-year-old pedestrian mid-block on Hudson Street. The older man fell, his face bloodied. Both men injured. No crosswalk. The street froze as blood pooled on the pavement.

A collision occurred mid-block on Hudson Street when a man riding an e-scooter struck a 60-year-old pedestrian head-on. According to the police report, the pedestrian suffered severe bleeding to the face and remained conscious but wounded. The e-scooter rider, age 33, also sustained minor facial injuries. The crash happened away from any crosswalk, with both parties injured and the street left still. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction are noted in the data. No mention of helmet use or signaling appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4542066, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A young man on an e-bike was struck at West Houston and West Street. He flew from the saddle. His face was ripped open. He lay unconscious on the pavement. The crash left blood and silence under the city lights.

A 25-year-old man riding an e-bike northbound at the corner of West Houston Street and West Street was struck and ejected from his bike. According to the police report, 'A 25-year-old man on an e-bike was thrown from the saddle, his face torn open. He lay unconscious on the pavement. The bike was northbound. The bumper that struck him was marked red.' The rider suffered severe facial lacerations and was found unconscious. The report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are detailed in the data. The crash underscores the violence faced by cyclists on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4534661, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A taxi turned left. A sedan barreled straight. In the intersection, a 21-year-old man was struck. He suffered a head wound. Blood pooled on the street. He died there, under harsh lights, alone in the city’s dark.

A deadly collision unfolded at East Houston Street and 1st Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, a taxi making a left turn and a sedan going straight collided in the intersection. A 21-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed, suffering a fatal head injury and severe bleeding. The report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor. Several vehicle occupants were also injured. The police report does not specify any errors by the pedestrian. The crash highlights the lethal consequences when driver impairment enters the intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4524167, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A flatbed truck turned right at Elizabeth and Prince. The cyclist rode straight. Steel hit flesh. Blood pooled. The truck rolled on. The bike crumpled. The man screamed, conscious, bleeding hard. Morning light caught the wreckage.

A flatbed truck turned right at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Prince Street in Manhattan. A 46-year-old man on a bicycle rode straight. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' contributed to the crash. The truck’s right front bumper struck the cyclist, hitting his lower leg and foot. He was partially ejected, conscious, and suffered severe bleeding. The bike folded under the impact. The truck showed no damage and continued on. No other injuries were reported. The police report lists no errors by the cyclist. The only listed contributing factor is driver inattention.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4516087, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan sped down Greenwich Street. It hit a young man at the corner with Vandam. He bled in the street. The car showed no damage. The city’s silence held the pain. Unsafe speed left a body broken.

A 23-year-old man was struck by a sedan at the corner of Greenwich Street and Vandam Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the sedan was traveling at an unsafe speed when it hit the pedestrian, who suffered severe bleeding and injuries to his entire body. The report states, “A speeding sedan struck a 23-year-old man. He lay bleeding from head to heel.” The car’s right front bumper showed no damage. The primary contributing factor listed is 'Unsafe Speed.' No other driver errors or contributing factors are noted. The victim was conscious at the scene. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4512116, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Kia swung a U-turn on Avenue C. The e-bike hit hard. The rider flew off, head slamming pavement. Blood pooled in the dark. He lay conscious, alone. The SUV’s improper turn and lane use left the cyclist bleeding in the street.

An SUV made a U-turn on Avenue C near 13th Street. An e-bike, traveling straight, struck the SUV’s side. The e-bike rider, a 54-year-old man, was ejected and suffered a head injury with severe bleeding. According to the police report, the crash involved 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. The SUV driver’s actions—improper lane use and an unsafe U-turn—created the conditions for the collision. The rider was unhelmeted, as noted in the report, but the primary causes listed are driver errors. No injuries were reported for the SUV occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4508096, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15