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

May 28 - A man on an e-scooter hit from behind on University Avenue. He crashed hard. Blood poured from his head. He stayed conscious. Sirens echoed. The street stood empty. The crash left pain and silence in its wake.

A 51-year-old man riding an e-scooter on University Avenue near West Burnside Avenue was struck from behind and suffered a head injury with severe bleeding. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was listed as a contributing factor. The man remained conscious at the scene. The report describes the crash as occurring on an otherwise empty street, with the victim hitting the ground and bleeding from the head. No other injuries were reported. The data does not specify if safety equipment was used. The crash underscores the danger posed by driver distraction, as noted in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4531798 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 25 - A sedan pulled from the curb. An e-scooter rider went straight. Metal hit flesh. The rider flew, leg shattered. Blood pooled on the asphalt under streetlights. He stayed conscious, pain sharp, city silent around him.

An e-scooter rider suffered severe leg injuries when a sedan pulled from the curb and struck him head-on on University Avenue. According to the police report, 'A sedan pulled from the curb. An unlicensed man on an e-scooter rode straight. Metal struck him head-on. He flew. His leg shattered.' The rider was ejected and left conscious on the street, bleeding. Police listed 'Other Vehicular' and 'Turning Improperly' as contributing factors. The data shows the e-scooter operator was unlicensed, but the primary errors cited involve the actions of the sedan. No helmet or signal use was listed as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4533429 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 22 - A motorcycle slammed into an SUV on University Avenue. The force threw a 27-year-old woman from the bike. Her head struck the pavement. She died under the streetlights. Driver errors and disregard for traffic control marked the night.

A deadly crash unfolded on University Avenue near West 190th Street in the Bronx. According to the police report, a motorcycle struck an SUV head-on. A 27-year-old woman riding as a passenger on the motorcycle was ejected and suffered fatal head injuries. The motorcycle driver, a 37-year-old man, was also ejected and injured. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' and 'Failure to Keep Right' as contributing factors for both drivers. The motorcycle operator was unlicensed. The passenger was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but only after the driver errors. The crash left one dead and others injured, underscoring the dangers when drivers ignore traffic controls.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4530824 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 21 - A Jeep swung wide on Jerome Avenue. An e-bike hit hard into its side. The rider’s leg bled heavy. Metal twisted. The pickup held two. The crash left the e-bike rider hurt, the street stained, the danger plain.

A Jeep pick-up truck made a wide turn across Jerome Avenue near 2575. An e-bike, heading straight, struck the truck’s right side. The 25-year-old e-bike rider suffered severe bleeding from his leg but stayed conscious. According to the police report, the crash involved 'Turning Improperly' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The Jeep carried two men, ages 24 and 51, who were not reported injured. The e-bike rider was unlicensed. The police report details that the Jeep was making a U-turn when the collision occurred. The impact bent metal and left the e-bike’s front end damaged. The crash highlights the risks when drivers turn wide and lose focus.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4530943 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 18 - Steel slammed steel on Major Deegan. A diesel truck and sedan crashed head-on. A woman’s face bled. Airbag burst. Harness locked. She stayed awake, pain sharp, blood warm. The night split open, metal twisted, silence heavy.

A sedan and a diesel tractor truck crashed head-on on the Major Deegan Expressway at 10:49 p.m. According to the police report, both vehicles were traveling straight when they collided, crushing the front ends. A 33-year-old woman driving the sedan suffered severe bleeding to her face. She was conscious, her airbag deployed, and her harness locked. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The truck driver, a 33-year-old man, was not ejected and reported no injuries. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The police report does not specify what led to the crash, only that both vehicles struck each other head-on, leaving one driver bloodied and awake in the wreckage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4523359 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Apr 3 - Two sedans tore north on Sherman Avenue before dawn. One driver had no license. A 38-year-old man stood in their path. His head was crushed. Parked cars shattered. Blood and metal marked the street. Speed and distraction ruled the morning.

Two sedans raced north on Sherman Avenue just before dawn. According to the police report, one driver was unlicensed. A 38-year-old pedestrian suffered severe head injuries and crush wounds but remained conscious. Parked cars were struck and damaged. The crash also left a 43-year-old driver with neck injuries and pain. Police list 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The report describes blood and twisted metal in the aftermath. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The crash highlights the danger when speed and distraction combine on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4531320 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 26 - A BMW turns right on Sherman Avenue. A 22-year-old woman crosses with the signal. Metal strikes flesh. Her leg is crushed. She stays awake. The driver holds only a permit. Alcohol is involved. The street is dark. Pain lingers.

A 22-year-old woman was struck while crossing Sherman Avenue with the signal. According to the police report, a BMW sedan made a right turn and hit her, crushing her leg. She remained conscious with severe injuries to her lower limb. The report states, 'Alcohol involved.' The BMW driver held only a permit. The crash happened at 3 a.m. on a dark street. The police report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor. No helmet or signal use is mentioned as a factor. The woman was the only pedestrian injured. The driver’s lack of a full license and alcohol involvement are key failures called out in the official record.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4513914 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 23 - A southbound Carry All turned right at West 178th and Broadway. The oversized vehicle mounted the curb. A 68-year-old woman stood by the edge. The vehicle crushed her leg. She stayed conscious. The street kept moving. The danger lingered.

A 68-year-old woman was injured at the corner of West 178th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. According to the police report, a southbound Carry All made a right turn and struck the woman as she stood by the curb, not in the roadway. The oversized vehicle crushed her lower leg and foot, causing serious injuries. The woman remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Oversized Vehicle' as a contributing factor in the crash. No other contributing factors are cited. The report does not mention any actions by the pedestrian that led to the crash. The impact highlights the danger oversized vehicles pose to people on city streets, even those standing out of the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4513559 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Mar 15 - A woman crossed Broadway with the light. An e-bike hit her chest. She stayed awake. Her limb did not. The rider sped off. The bike rolled on. She lay broken at the curb.

A 52-year-old woman was crossing Broadway at Academy Street in Manhattan when an e-bike struck her in the chest. According to the police report, she was crossing with the signal when the e-bike hit her, causing a severe injury that resulted in amputation. The rider did not stop. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The e-bike showed no damage. The woman remained conscious at the scene, but her injuries were grave. The crash highlights the danger faced by pedestrians, even when following the law.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4510774 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 28 - A BMW tore down Henry Hudson Parkway. Speed killed. The car crashed, burned, and crushed. Three people died: a driver, a 30-year-old man, and an infant. Smoke and fire ended their lives. Metal twisted. The road fell silent.

Three people died in a violent crash on Henry Hudson Parkway. According to the police report, a BMW sedan, driven by an unlicensed man, was traveling at unsafe speed when it crashed and caught fire. The driver was ejected and killed. A 30-year-old man and an infant, both passengers, died from severe burns. The report states: 'A speeding BMW slammed and burned. The unlicensed driver, ejected. A man, 30, scorched inside. An infant, trapped in fire. Three lives ended in smoke and steel.' The contributing factor listed is 'Unsafe Speed.' The driver’s unlicensed status is also noted in the data. No other contributing factors are cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4506419 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 13 - A man stood in the street. Two sedans collided. The Honda’s bumper struck his head. Tinted windows and blocked views hid danger. He was sixty. He died where he fell. Glass and steel, vision lost, a life ended.

A 60-year-old man was killed on Jerome Avenue after being struck by a Honda sedan. According to the police report, 'Jerome Avenue — A man stood in the road. Two sedans met. The Honda’s bumper struck his head. Tinted glass, a blocked view. Sixty years old. He died where he fell.' The report lists 'Tinted Windows' and 'View Obstructed/Limited' as contributing factors for both drivers and occupants. The pedestrian suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The crash highlights the lethal consequences of limited visibility and obstructed views in vehicle operation.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4502350 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 27 - A sedan crashed into a parked SUV on West 235th. Metal tore. The 71-year-old driver bled, trapped, incoherent. Another driver suffered a head injury. Sirens rose. The street held the wreckage and the cold.

A sedan struck a parked SUV on West 235th Street. According to the police report, the sedan slammed into the SUV, crushing doors and trapping the 71-year-old male driver, who suffered severe bleeding and leg injuries. He was found incoherent behind the wheel. The driver of the parked SUV, a 34-year-old woman, sustained a head injury but remained conscious. Both vehicles were occupied by one person each. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The narrative details the violence of the impact and the injuries to those inside the vehicles. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4497858 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 9 - A sedan sped north on Amsterdam Avenue. Its bumper hit a 29-year-old man at the intersection. He fell hard. Blood pooled from his head. He stayed conscious, pain etched on his face. The driver raged. The street stayed cold.

A 29-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury after a sedan struck him at the intersection of Amsterdam Avenue near 174th Street. According to the police report, 'A sedan charged north. Its bumper struck a 29-year-old man at the intersection. He fell, bleeding from the head. Conscious. In pain. The driver raged.' The contributing factor listed is 'Aggressive Driving/Road Rage.' The man was left with severe bleeding but remained conscious. No other contributing factors were cited for the pedestrian. The crash highlights the danger posed by aggressive driving on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4493979 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 9 - A 29-year-old e-bike rider struck two sedans on Amsterdam Avenue. He flew from his seat. His head hit the ground. Blood pooled. Unsafe speed and failure to yield shaped the crash. The rider suffered severe head bleeding.

A violent crash unfolded at Amsterdam Avenue and West 172nd Street. A 29-year-old man riding an e-bike collided with two sedans. According to the police report, 'Speed, confusion, and failure to yield carved the moment.' The e-bike rider was ejected and suffered a severe head injury with heavy bleeding. The crash data lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way,' 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper,' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The sedan occupants, both men aged 60 and 30, were not reported as injured. The report does not mention helmet use or signaling as factors. Blood marked the asphalt. The crash exposed the danger of speed and improper lane use on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4495680 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jan 9 - A sedan smashed into a snow plow on Major Deegan. The 41-year-old driver was thrown partway out. He died from head trauma and bleeding. Metal twisted. Blood pooled. The night stayed silent.

A sedan crashed into the rear of a snow plow on the Major Deegan Expressway at 4:04 a.m. According to the police report, the sedan's 41-year-old driver was partially ejected and died at the scene from head trauma and severe bleeding. The snow plow driver, age 43, suffered back injuries but survived. Both vehicles were traveling straight. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The sedan struck the snow plow's back end, crushing metal and ending a life in the dark. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4496246 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19