Left for Dead on 174th: How Many More Must Die Before We Act?

Sep 29 - A Jeep smashed into a parked Volvo truck on Major Deegan. The Jeep’s front crumpled. Its driver, 51, bled from the face but stayed awake. Police list distraction as the cause. The truck never moved. Metal, blood, and silence followed.

A 1991 Jeep struck a parked Volvo truck on the Major Deegan Expressway. The Jeep’s front end folded in the crash. The driver, a 51-year-old man, suffered severe bleeding to his face but remained conscious. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was the contributing factor. The Volvo truck was parked and did not move before the collision. No other injuries were reported. The data lists no errors for the parked truck. The only listed cause is distraction by the Jeep driver. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4667683 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 26 - A 16-year-old on a moped slammed into a parked sedan on Kingsbridge Terrace. He flew from the seat. His head struck the street. Blood pooled. He stayed conscious, but his head was split open. Unsafe speed marked the crash.

A 16-year-old boy, unlicensed and riding a moped, crashed into a parked sedan on Kingsbridge Terrace in the Bronx. According to the police report, the moped was traveling at unsafe speed when it struck the left front bumper of the sedan. The impact ejected the teen from the moped. He landed hard, suffering severe head lacerations but remained conscious. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The teen was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but the primary cause cited is unsafe speed. No other injuries were reported. The sedan was unoccupied and parked at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4665781 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 23 - A woman on a moped slammed into a parked garbage truck on University Avenue. She flew from the seat. Her head hit the pavement. Blood pooled in the dark. She lay unconscious, her injuries grave. Distraction behind the handlebars proved deadly.

A 33-year-old woman riding a moped crashed into a parked garbage truck near 2265 University Avenue in the Bronx. According to the police report, she was ejected from the moped and suffered severe head lacerations, lying unconscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The woman was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but the primary cause cited is driver distraction. The garbage truck was parked and sustained no damage. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4665012 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Sep 1 - A young rider crashed headlong into a parked sedan on West 168th. His face struck hard. Blood pooled. The bike lay twisted. Sirens broke the morning hush. Police found a cell phone. The rider was conscious, bleeding, hurt.

An 18-year-old motorcycle rider crashed into the rear of a parked sedan near 630 West 168th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the motorcycle 'crushed into a parked sedan’s rear.' The rider hit face-first and suffered severe bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Cell Phone (hand-Held)' as contributing factors to the crash. The motorcycle was demolished in the impact. No injuries were reported for the sedan’s occupant. The data points to distraction and cell phone use as key driver errors leading to this violent collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4659586 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 28 - An SUV struck the rear-left of an Oldsmobile on Broadway at West 230th. The Oldsmobile’s 83-year-old driver died. Crushed ribs. Whiplash. No sirens. Just steel and silence. Unsafe speed and ignored signals marked the crash.

An 83-year-old man driving an eastbound 1986 Oldsmobile was killed when a southbound SUV hit the rear-left of his car at Broadway and West 230th Street. According to the police report, 'An '86 Oldsmobile, eastbound, took a hit to the rear-left from a southbound SUV. The driver, 83, strapped in and conscious, died with crushed ribs and whiplash. No sirens. Just silence and steel.' The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. The victim was wearing a lap belt and harness. The crash left one dead. Systemic danger and driver error shaped the outcome.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4658238 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 27 - A Jeep cut across Sherman Avenue. A Suzuki motorcycle kept straight. Metal slammed metal. The rider, forty-five, crashed. His head split open. Blood spread on the street. He lay trapped, conscious, waiting for help.

A crash unfolded on Sherman Avenue near Arden Street in Manhattan. A Jeep SUV swerved while changing lanes. A Suzuki motorcycle continued straight. The vehicles collided. According to the police report, the crash involved 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper.' The motorcycle rider, a 45-year-old man, suffered severe head injuries and was trapped but conscious at the scene. He wore no helmet. The report states: 'A Jeep swerved. A Suzuki held course. Steel kissed steel. The rider, 45, hit the ground hard. No helmet. Head split. Blood pooled on blacktop. Sirens rose. He lay trapped, conscious, waiting.' The listed driver error was improper lane usage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4657457 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 23 - Steel tore on Riverside Drive. A sedan turned left. An SUV smashed its side. Blood spilled from a driver’s arm. Alcohol lingered. Sirens cut the silence. One man hurt. The street held its breath.

A crash unfolded on Riverside Drive near Staff Street in Manhattan. A sedan, making a left turn, was struck on its right side by an SUV heading straight. According to the police report, 'Alcohol Involvement' played a role. The report also lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The 32-year-old male sedan driver suffered severe lacerations to his upper arm and shoulder. He was conscious and wearing a lap belt. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The scene was marked by twisted metal and the heavy presence of alcohol. The crash left one person injured and exposed the dangers of impaired and reckless driving.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4657421 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 17 - A lone SUV veered south on Major Deegan. The driver slammed the dash. No seatbelt. Chest crushed. He died before dawn. The road stayed silent. Metal and flesh, broken by a sudden move.

A 28-year-old man died after crashing his 2002 Honda SUV on the Major Deegan Expressway. According to the police report, the SUV swerved south at 2:14 a.m. in reaction to an uninvolved vehicle. The driver, alone in the car, was not wearing a seatbelt. He struck the dashboard and suffered fatal chest injuries. The police listed 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as the contributing factor. No other people were involved. The report notes the absence of safety equipment only after citing the driver’s reaction as the primary cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4655277 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 16 - A Mazda tore down West 163rd. Metal shrieked. Parked cars took the hit. A 47-year-old man, belted in, caught the blow to his head. Blood ran. He stayed awake, crushed but conscious. Aggressive driving left wreckage and pain.

A violent crash erupted on West 163rd Street near Riverside Drive in Manhattan. According to the police report, a Mazda, driven south, slammed into parked cars in a burst of aggressive driving and road rage. The impact left a 47-year-old male driver, who was wearing a lap belt, with head and crush injuries. He remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage' as the contributing factor. No errors or actions by the injured man are cited. The Mazda's front end bore the brunt, while parked sedans and an SUV suffered heavy damage. The toll: one man hurt, metal twisted, danger unchecked.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4654792 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 13 - Steel struck flesh on the Major Deegan. Three cars, one Jeep overturned. A young man crushed outside the crosswalk. Pavement slick, the road cold. He did not get up. The city swallowed another life before dawn.

A 22-year-old man was killed on the Major Deegan Expressway at 4:12 a.m. According to the police report, he was struck and crushed outside the crosswalk by multiple vehicles, including two sedans and a Jeep that overturned. The report lists 'Pavement Slippery' as a contributing factor. The pedestrian suffered fatal crush injuries to his entire body. No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction are specified in the data. The police report states: 'A 22-year-old man crushed outside the crosswalk. Two sedans, one Jeep overturned. Slippery pavement. Steel struck flesh in the dark. The road stayed cold. He did not get up.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4653696 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 5 - A Jeep turned left on West Fordham Road. A bike kept straight. Steel hit flesh. The 18-year-old cyclist’s arm split open. Blood pooled on the Bronx street. Sirens broke the morning. The rider stayed conscious, pain sharp and bright.

An SUV collided with a bicyclist on West Fordham Road near the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx. The 18-year-old cyclist, traveling straight, was struck by a Jeep making a left turn. According to the police report, 'Unsafe Speed' was listed as a contributing factor. The cyclist suffered severe lacerations to his arm and was partially ejected from his bike but remained conscious. The report notes the cyclist was not wearing safety equipment, but this is mentioned only after the primary driver error. The crash highlights the danger when drivers turn across the path of vulnerable road users at unsafe speeds.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4651935 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 1 - A motorcycle struck a sedan broadside at West 173rd and Saint Nicholas. The rider, 35, was thrown and killed. His hip shattered. Blood pooled beneath the streetlight. The night stayed silent. Traffic control was ignored. Speed was unsafe. Death came fast.

A deadly crash unfolded at the corner of West 173rd Street and Saint Nicholas Avenue in Manhattan. A motorcycle hit a sedan broadside. The 35-year-old rider was thrown from his bike, suffering fatal hip and leg injuries. According to the police report, 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Unsafe Speed' were listed as contributing factors. The rider was partially ejected and found unconscious, bleeding out at the scene. The sedan sustained heavy damage to its left side doors. No injuries were reported for the sedan occupants. The report highlights driver errors—disregard for traffic control and unsafe speed—as key causes of this fatal collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4651870 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 30 - A Jeep turned right on West Kingsbridge Road. The driver was distracted. The SUV hit a man on a bike who stood still. Metal slammed flesh. The cyclist flew. His leg split open. Blood pooled. He stayed conscious through the pain.

A crash occurred on West Kingsbridge Road near University Avenue in the Bronx. A Jeep SUV, making a right turn, struck a 38-year-old man who was stopped on his bike. According to the police report, 'The driver was distracted.' The cyclist was ejected and suffered severe lacerations to his lower leg but remained conscious. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. The cyclist was not cited for any error. The impact was direct and violent, leaving the vulnerable road user badly hurt while the driver’s distraction and improper turn led to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4650732 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 13 - A Ford SUV swung wide on University Avenue. The moped hit head-on. The rider flew, helmetless. His skull split open. Blood pooled on the street. He survived. He remembers. The crash left scars and questions in the Bronx.

A Ford SUV made a wide U-turn on University Avenue near Morton Place. A moped, heading straight, struck the SUV head-on. According to the police report, the SUV driver was inattentive and speeding. The moped rider, unlicensed and not wearing a helmet, was ejected and suffered severe head injuries. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The moped rider, age 29, survived but sustained a split skull and severe lacerations. The crash left blood on the asphalt and a survivor who remembers every moment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4645187 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 3 - A Hyundai rolled on Audubon Avenue. Two boys, 15 and 17, crushed in the back seat. Both died. Parked cars took the hit. The driver had no license. The street fell silent. Sirens came late.

Two teenage passengers, ages 15 and 17, were killed when a Hyundai sedan overturned near Audubon Avenue and West 179th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the crash happened at 6:38 a.m. The Hyundai, driven by an unlicensed man, struck parked vehicles and flipped. Both boys in the back seat suffered fatal crush injuries. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The driver’s lack of a license is documented in the data. No evidence in the report suggests any fault by the victims. The crash left the street quiet until emergency crews arrived.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4643193 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jul 1 - An SUV turned left on Amsterdam. An e-bike kept straight. They collided head-on. The e-bike rider, a 44-year-old man, hit the pavement. Blood ran from his leg. The light was not obeyed. No helmet. Night air thick with sirens.

A crash took place at Amsterdam Avenue and West 162nd Street in Manhattan. An SUV made a left turn. An e-bike rider, a 44-year-old man, went straight. They collided head-on. The man suffered severe lacerations to his leg. According to the police report, 'The light was not obeyed.' The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor. The e-bike rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause was the failure to obey traffic signals. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4643244 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 29 - A sedan struck a 62-year-old man near a parked box truck on the Major Deegan Expressway ramp. The driver was distracted. The man died, his body torn by lacerations. The night was quiet. Only the crash broke the stillness.

A 62-year-old pedestrian was killed when a sedan hit him near a parked box truck on the Major Deegan Expressway ramp. According to the police report, the driver of the sedan was distracted and inattentive. The impact left the man with severe lacerations across his body. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The pedestrian was not blamed for the crash. The sedan’s center front end struck the victim, who died at the scene. The box truck was parked and not in motion at the time of the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4642857 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 15 - A 74-year-old man crossed Cabrini Boulevard. A parked Honda pulled out. Its left front hit his head. Blood pooled under streetlights. He lay incoherent. The street stayed quiet. The car showed no damage. The man suffered severe lacerations.

A 74-year-old pedestrian was struck by a 2007 Honda sedan on Cabrini Boulevard near Fort Washington Avenue. According to the police report, the man stepped into the road outside the crosswalk as the parked car pulled out. The sedan’s left front quarter panel hit the man’s head, leaving him bleeding and incoherent under the streetlights. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The pedestrian suffered severe lacerations to the head. The vehicle sustained no reported damage. No driver errors were specified in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4640104 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 12 - A Honda SUV turned left on Broadway. It struck a 72-year-old woman crossing the street. She lay semiconscious, head bleeding, on the asphalt. The SUV stood idle under the streetlamps. The city kept moving.

A 72-year-old woman was struck by a Honda SUV while crossing Broadway near 4259. According to the police report, the woman was crossing against the signal when the SUV, making a left turn, hit her. She suffered a head injury and severe bleeding, and was found semiconscious at the scene. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The SUV sustained no damage. No driver errors were documented in the report. The impact left the pedestrian injured and vulnerable in the intersection, while the vehicle remained untouched.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4648346 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 6 - Steel met speed on the Major Deegan. An SUV crashed into a flatbed’s rear. A young woman in the front seat was trapped, her face torn. Blood on the highway. Unsafe speed left her wounded and conscious, caught in the wreck.

A Mercedes SUV struck the rear of a flatbed truck on the Major Deegan Expressway. According to the police report, the SUV hit the flatbed’s left rear bumper at unsafe speed. The crash left a 21-year-old woman, riding as a front passenger in the SUV, trapped and conscious with severe facial lacerations. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Other Vehicular' as contributing factors. The victim’s injuries were serious. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The impact and speed combined to cause grave harm to the passenger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4637039 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19