Seven Dead, a Thousand Broken—How Many Bodies Before City Hall Acts?

Sep 9 - At West End Ave and W 94th, a cyclist going north failed to yield and disregarded traffic control. He hit a woman crossing with the signal. The cyclist suffered severe lacerations. Police recorded failure to yield and traffic control disregarded.

A northbound cyclist going straight on West End Ave hit a woman at W 94th St as she crossed with the signal. The cyclist was injured, with severe lacerations and chest trauma. The pedestrian’s injury was listed as unspecified. According to the police report, the pedestrian was “Crossing With Signal.” Police recorded failure to yield by the cyclist and traffic control disregarded. The crash took place in Manhattan at 7:17 p.m. The report lists the involved vehicle as a bike, operated by a licensed male rider. No contributing factors are attributed to the pedestrian. The listed causes center on the cyclist’s failure to yield and disregard for traffic control.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4842174 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Sep 6 - At W 81st and Central Park West, a garbage truck driver turning left hit four pedestrians in the intersection. Two had head wounds with severe bleeding. Others suffered neck and arm injuries.

According to the police report, a licensed 53-year-old male driver in a 2018 garbage/refuse truck was making a left turn at W 81 St and Central Park West in Manhattan when the driver hit four pedestrians in the intersection. A 29-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man suffered head injuries with severe bleeding. A 31-year-old woman had shoulder and internal injuries. A 30-year-old man had neck and internal injuries. Police recorded Obstruction/Debris as a contributing factor. The driver was also listed as injured. No specific driver errors were recorded in the data provided.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4840598 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 23 - Two sedans met hard at W 16 St and 9th Ave. Metal tore. Glass flew. A passenger bled from the face. The BMW driver hurt. The Porsche driver listed uninjured. Police note alcohol and other vehicular factors. Night streets took the hit.

Two sedans collided at W 16 St and 9 Ave in Manhattan. The eastbound Porsche struck the right side of a southbound BMW. A 27-year-old female front passenger suffered severe facial lacerations. The 27-year-old male BMW driver reported pain. The 31-year-old female Porsche driver was listed uninjured. According to the police report “contributing factors” were “Other Vehicular” and “Alcohol Involvement.” Driver errors cited include Alcohol Involvement. The BMW showed right-side damage; the Porsche showed front-end damage. No pedestrians or cyclists were listed among the injured. The records identify both drivers as licensed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4837312 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 14 - A sedan changed lanes on the Henry Hudson Parkway and collided with a northbound motorcycle. The rider was ejected and suffered severe lacerations and entire-body injuries. Police recorded a view obstruction at the scene.

According to the police report, a northbound sedan changed lanes on the Henry Hudson Parkway and struck a northbound motorcycle. The motorcyclist was ejected and suffered severe lacerations and entire-body injuries; officers listed the rider as incoherent at the scene. Police recorded "View Obstructed/Limited" as a contributing factor. The sedan's pre-crash action is listed as changing lanes; the motorcycle was going straight. Point of impact is recorded as the sedan's right front quarter panel and the motorcycle's center front. Vehicle types and driver details for both parties are recorded in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4835059 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 14 - An eastbound SUV hit a 20‑year‑old woman on Amsterdam at West 96th. She bled from the head. The impact crushed the left front bumper. The driver stayed. Police logged no clear cause. Another pedestrian pays the toll.

A 2005 Dodge SUV traveling east struck a 20-year-old woman on Amsterdam Avenue at West 96th Street. She suffered a head injury with severe bleeding; the SUV showed damage to the left front bumper. According to the police report, contributing factors are listed as “Unspecified,” and the pedestrian’s location is “Not at Intersection” with action “Other Actions in Roadway.” The driver was licensed and going straight ahead. No driver errors were identified in the data, and no other injuries were reported. The record lists no signal or helmet factors. This is the cost of heavy vehicles meeting people in the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4834977 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 14 - A 15-year-old boy suffered severe lower-leg lacerations on W 50th Street near 10th Avenue beside a standing vehicle. He was conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, “the only vehicle listed was a "Standing S," and the teen suffered severe lower-leg lacerations.” A 15-year-old male pedestrian is recorded injured, with wounds to the knee, lower leg and foot and a complaint of severe lacerations. The crash occurred midblock on West 50th Street near 10th Avenue. Police recorded no driver errors or contributing factors in the file. Vehicle data lists zero occupants and no driver details. The teen was conscious at the scene and the record contains no further causal findings.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4834954 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 31 - West 38th at 11th. A sedan driver hit a man on a motorized scooter. He flew off. Semiconscious. Bleeding from the head. Police recorded 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' by drivers.

A sedan driver hit a motorized scooter near West 38th Street and 11th Avenue in Manhattan at 1:16 a.m. The sedan was going straight. The scooter was going straight. The sedan’s right front bumper struck the scooter’s center front. The 55-year-old scooter driver was ejected, semiconscious, with a head wound and severe bleeding. According to the police report, 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' was recorded for both drivers. The sedan was a 2024 Volvo registered in New Jersey, and its driver was licensed. No pedestrians were involved. The crash left one person injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832364 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 29 - City, BIDs, and agencies plan a $3 million study to reshape 14th Street. The goal: safer space for walkers, cyclists, and buses. The busway may become permanent. Cars lose ground. Change moves slow.

New York Magazine - Curbed (2025-07-29) reports city officials and business groups will fund a $3 million, two-year study to redesign 14th Street. The plan aims for a 'complete street'—space for pedestrians, cyclists, transit, and limited cars. The article notes, 'Their (mostly) shared goal is to make 14th into what's often called a complete street.' The study will assess traffic flow and street dynamics. The busway, which restricts cars, may become permanent. No crash or injury data is cited, but the focus is on systemic street changes, not individual driver actions.

• City Eyes Overhaul For 14th Street, New York Magazine - Curbed, Published 2025-07-29

Jul 26 - A driver hit a standing vehicle on Amsterdam at West 90th. The sedan’s front end crumpled. The 38-year-old driver went down, unconscious, bleeding from the head. Police recorded improper lane use. No pedestrians or cyclists were hurt.

According to the police report, the driver of a sedan traveling east hit a standing vehicle on Amsterdam Avenue at West 90th Street at about 1:06 a.m. The crash left a 38-year-old man, the driver, unconscious with a head injury and severe bleeding. Police recorded "Passing or Lane Usage Improper" by the driver. The report also lists "Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion." The sedan had damage to the center front end. Other occupants were recorded with unspecified injuries. No pedestrians or cyclists were reported injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830832 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 25 - A driver in an SUV hit a 30-year-old man at W 55th Street and 12th Avenue. The man suffered severe head cuts. A passenger in the SUV was also hurt. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction by the driver. Night crash in Manhattan.

A driver in a station wagon/SUV hit a 30-year-old man at W 55th Street and 12th Avenue in Manhattan at 9:09 p.m. The man was in the intersection. He suffered severe lacerations to the head. A passenger in the SUV was also injured. According to the police report, "Driver Inattention/Distraction" was the contributing factor. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction by the driver. The driver traveled south and went straight. The driver hit the pedestrian with the right front bumper. That area was damaged. No other contributing factors were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832234 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 24 - Two buses collided on a Port Authority ramp. The rear bus hit hard. Thirty injured. Passengers left on stretchers, necks braced. Steel and glass, pain and confusion. The ramp remains a danger.

ABC7 reported on July 24, 2025, that a New Jersey Transit bus rear-ended another on the Port Authority ramp near Dyer Avenue and West 39th Street. Surveillance video showed the rear bus 'zooming up the ramp and ramming the rear of the bus in front of it so hard that it physically pushed the bus forward.' At least 30 people suffered minor injuries, with 27 hospitalized. FDNY cited 'musculoskeletal injuries, neck pain, back pain.' The ramp, a known bottleneck, is set for replacement by 2032. The crash highlights risks in current bus terminal infrastructure and driver speed on crowded ramps.

• Rear Bus Slams Into Another At Port, ABC7, Published 2025-07-24

Jul 8 - Austin Celestin blasts city’s e-bike crackdown. Says car-first streets endanger walkers and riders. Calls for real redesign. Enforcement alone leaves vulnerable users exposed.

On July 8, 2025, Austin Celestin spoke out against harsh e-bike enforcement in New York City. The debate, covered by Streetsblog NYC, highlighted Amsterdam’s balanced approach: licensing e-bikes and expanding bike infrastructure. Celestin called the city’s crackdown 'hypocrisy' without safer streets, quoting, 'enforcement can't fix the problems of car-first design.' He opposes enforcement without redesign and supports infrastructure expansion. The safety analyst warns: 'Harsh enforcement against e-bikes without improving street design places undue burden on vulnerable users, discourages mode shift, and fails to address systemic safety issues, potentially reducing overall safety for pedestrians and cyclists.'

• Amsterdam Leads the Way on E-Bike Regulation — Should New York Follow Suit?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-07-08

Jul 4 - A sedan hit two older pedestrians crossing with the signal on 11th Avenue. One suffered head wounds. The other hurt his back. Both remained conscious. The car’s front end took the impact.

Two pedestrians, a 68-year-old woman and a 73-year-old man, were struck by a sedan making a left turn at the intersection of 11th Avenue and West 54th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, both pedestrians were crossing with the signal when the vehicle hit them, causing head and back injuries. The sedan’s center front end was damaged. The report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were specified in the data. Both pedestrians were conscious at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4826045 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jun 24 - A taxi hit a 56-year-old man crossing at W 51st and 8th. The impact tore his leg. Blood on the street. The driver stayed. Police list no clear cause.

A 56-year-old pedestrian suffered severe lacerations to his lower leg after a taxi struck him at the intersection of W 51st Street and 8th Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the pedestrian was crossing against the signal when the crash occurred. The report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor for both the driver and the pedestrian. No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction are cited. The taxi showed no visible damage. The driver was licensed and remained at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4823045 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jun 20 - A parked Ford and a bronze Toyota touched in Manhattan. An investigator cuffed the young driver on the spot. The arrest was later voided. The Attorney General’s office is investigating. No injuries reported. Tension hung in the air.

According to the New York Post (2025-06-20), a minor collision occurred in Manhattan when a civilian's Toyota touched a parked Ford Expedition belonging to New York Attorney General Letitia James’ security detail. The investigator, Nelson Yu, a retired NYPD detective, immediately confronted and handcuffed the young woman driver, demanding identification. A witness described, 'He jumped out and cuffed her on the spot. No questions, no warning.' The woman was reportedly driving without a license. The arrest was later voided. The Attorney General’s office stated, 'OAG is investigating this matter internally and will not have further comment at this time.' The incident highlights the use of force and protocol in minor traffic incidents involving law enforcement personnel.

• Security Detail Cuffs Woman After Fender-Bender, New York Post, Published 2025-06-20

Jun 14 - A cyclist struck a woman crossing with the signal on Central Park West. She suffered severe head lacerations. Police cite failure to yield and unsafe speed.

A cyclist traveling north on Central Park West struck a female pedestrian who was crossing with the signal at West 85th Street. According to the police report, the pedestrian suffered severe lacerations to her head and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors. The cyclist's actions directly led to the injury. No vehicle damage was reported. The data does not mention any helmet or signal use as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4821821 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jun 13 - Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-13

Jun 12 - Senate backs S 4045. Repeat speeders face forced installation of speed assistance tech. Eleven points or six camera tickets triggers action. Law targets reckless drivers. Streets may get safer for those outside the car.

Senate bill S 4045, sponsored by Andrew Gounardes and co-sponsored by over two dozen senators, passed committee votes on June 11 and June 12, 2025. The bill, titled 'Relates to requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits,' mandates these devices for drivers who rack up eleven or more points in 24 months, or six speed or red light camera tickets in a year. The measure aims to curb repeat dangerous driving. Senators including Jamaal Bailey, Jabari Brisport, and others voted yes. The bill targets drivers with a pattern of violations, seeking to cut risk for pedestrians and cyclists by limiting repeat speeding.

• File S 4045, Open States, Published 2025-06-12

Jun 12 - Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-12

Jun 11 - Senate backs S 4045. Repeat speeders face forced installation of speed assistance tech. Eleven points or six camera tickets triggers action. Law targets reckless drivers. Streets may get safer for those outside the car.

Senate bill S 4045, sponsored by Andrew Gounardes and co-sponsored by over two dozen senators, passed committee votes on June 11 and June 12, 2025. The bill, titled 'Relates to requiring the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices for repeated violation of maximum speed limits,' mandates these devices for drivers who rack up eleven or more points in 24 months, or six speed or red light camera tickets in a year. The measure aims to curb repeat dangerous driving. Senators including Jamaal Bailey, Jabari Brisport, and others voted yes. The bill targets drivers with a pattern of violations, seeking to cut risk for pedestrians and cyclists by limiting repeat speeding.

• File S 4045, Open States, Published 2025-06-11