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

Jun 11 - StreetsPAC picks Brad Lander for mayor. They praise his sweeping plan for safer streets and better transit. The group rejects weak promises. They demand bold action to protect people outside cars. Lander vows real change for New Yorkers.

On June 11, 2025, StreetsPAC, a political action committee for livable streets, endorsed Brad Lander for New York City mayor. The endorsement, reported by Streetsblog NYC and covered by Gersh Kuntzman, followed a review of candidate plans. StreetsPAC called Lander’s proposal 'by far the most comprehensive blueprint ... we've ever seen from a candidate for any office.' Lander promised more protected bike lanes, a citywide Bus Rapid Transit network, and using congestion pricing revenue for busways and bikeways. He pledged six-minute service on subways and buses and action on street homelessness. StreetsPAC’s endorsement signals strong support for policies that prioritize vulnerable road users. Their safety analyst noted: 'A comprehensive plan for safer streets and better public transit typically prioritizes vulnerable road users, supports mode shift, and aligns with best practices for population-level safety improvements.'

• StreetsPAC Ranks Lander #1 for Mayor, Offers Other Picks for Comptroller, Beeps and Council, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-11

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

May 31 - Two SUVs collided on West 77th. Metal slammed metal. One driver, a man, died. Three others, including another driver and two passengers, were hurt. Police cited driver inattention. The street stayed quiet after the crash. The danger was clear.

A deadly crash unfolded at 152 West 77th Street in Manhattan. Two station wagons, both SUVs, collided. According to the police report, four people were involved. One driver, a 79-year-old man, was killed. Three others, including a 62-year-old woman driver and two passengers aged 62 and 79, suffered unspecified injuries. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. Both vehicles were parked before the crash, and both sustained damage to the right side doors. The police report makes no mention of helmet use or turn signals as factors. The crash highlights the lethal risk when drivers lose focus, as documented by the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817015 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

May 30 - An e-bike struck Renee Baruch on the Upper West Side. She woke in pain, face broken, spine injured. NYPD cracks down with criminal summonses. Cyclists protest. City Council stalls. Streets stay dangerous. Justice, tangled in policy.

NY1 reported on May 30, 2025, that the NYPD is issuing criminal summonses to e-bike riders for traffic infractions, citing a lack of City Council action on new regulations. Commissioner Tisch told the Council, "Pass e-bike regulations." Cyclists object to criminal charges for minor violations, arguing for civil penalties instead. The article highlights the case of Renee Baruch, hospitalized after an e-bike crash left her with facial fractures and a spinal injury. The NYPD’s new Quality of Life Division targets reckless e-bike use, but without updated laws, criminal summonses remain their only tool. The policy gap leaves vulnerable road users exposed and enforcement inconsistent.

• NYPD Issues Criminal Summonses For E-Bikes, NY1, Published 2025-05-30

May 14 - A father mourns his daughter, killed by an SUV on the Upper West Side. Advocates gather in Albany. They press lawmakers for action. Speeders roam. Streets stay deadly. The call is clear: fix the system, stop the pain.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-05-14) reports on Families for Safe Streets and other advocates lobbying in Albany after a 13-year-old girl was killed by an SUV. The coalition pushes for the SAFE Streets Package, including speed-limiting devices for repeat offenders and the 'Idaho stop' for cyclists. The article quotes Darnell Sealy-McCrorey: 'This epidemic is preventable. It doesn't have to be this way.' Lawmakers show mixed support. Some cite privacy fears or question the seriousness of multiple speeding violations. Jackson Chabot notes, 'A lot of people have understood the bill because of the tragic and fatal crashes recently.' The piece highlights the urgent need for policy change to address reckless driving and systemic danger on city streets.

• Grieving Families Demand Safer Streets, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-14

May 3 - A sedan struck a man crossing Broadway. The driver was distracted. The pedestrian suffered head wounds and severe cuts. The crash left pain and confusion on the street.

A BMW sedan traveling south on Broadway struck a 45-year-old man as he crossed at the intersection with West 97th Street. The pedestrian suffered head injuries and severe lacerations. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was a contributing factor. The impact occurred at the right front bumper of the vehicle. The driver and a passenger were also listed in the report, but only the pedestrian was reported injured. The data notes the pedestrian was crossing against the signal, but the primary error cited is driver distraction.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4811387 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 24 - A 74-year-old man rides east on West 70th. Illness seizes him. His bike hits a parked bus. He suffers chest trauma. He dies in the street. The helmet could not save him.

A 74-year-old cyclist traveling east on West 70th Street struck a parked bus and died from chest injuries. According to the police report, 'Illness takes him. The bus is parked. The bike strikes metal. Chest injury. The man dies there, in the afternoon light.' The only listed contributing factor is illness. The cyclist wore a helmet, as noted in the report. No driver errors or moving vehicles are cited. The bus was stationary at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807979 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 23 - A Ford SUV hit a 57-year-old man crossing West 86th at Broadway. The street was quiet. The man died beneath the wheels. No driver errors listed. The driver wore her belt.

A 57-year-old man was killed when a Ford SUV struck him as he crossed West 86th Street at Broadway. According to the police report, the SUV moved east and hit the man, who was crossing against the signal. The impact crushed his body. The street was quiet. The driver, a 41-year-old woman, wore her seatbelt. No driver errors or contributing factors were listed in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4807749 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 10 - Senate bill S 7336 pushes more speed cameras and targets hidden plates. Sponsors want sharper eyes on reckless drivers. School zones stay under watch. The city’s most vulnerable stay exposed.

Senate bill S 7336, now in sponsorship, aims to expand photo speed violation monitoring in New York City. The bill, titled 'Relates to the use of certain photo speed violation monitoring systems for the purposes of enforcement of license plate obstruction; repealer,' lets cameras catch drivers who hide or alter plates and extends speed camera use in school zones. Senator Andrew Gounardes leads, joined by Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Luis R. Sepúlveda. The bill’s focus: more enforcement, less evasion. No safety analyst note yet, but the intent is clear—more eyes on the street, more pressure on reckless drivers.

• File S 7336, Open States, Published 2025-04-10

Apr 7 - A box truck struck a man sitting in the street at West 40th and 9th. The man died at the scene. The driver stayed. Police are investigating. No arrests. The victim’s name is not known.

Patch reported on April 7, 2025, that a man was killed by a box truck at West 40th Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan. The article states, “Police determined that a box truck, operated by a 75-year-old man, was traveling southbound on 9 Avenue when the vehicle collided with the victim, who was sitting in the roadway.” The driver remained at the scene and was not injured. No arrests have been made. The victim’s identity has not been released. The incident highlights the persistent risk to people in city streets and the need for scrutiny of how large vehicles interact with vulnerable road users. The investigation is ongoing.

• Box Truck Kills Man In Hell's Kitchen, Patch, Published 2025-04-07

Apr 4 - A sedan door snaps open on West 56th. A woman on a bike slams metal, hurled to the street. Blood pours from her head. She lies conscious. The driver stands untouched. Manhattan traffic surges on.

A woman riding a bike suffered severe head lacerations after striking a suddenly opened sedan door on West 56th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A parked sedan’s door swings open. A woman on a bike strikes metal, is thrown. Her head bleeds. She lies conscious on the pavement. The driver stands unharmed.' The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The cyclist was ejected and injured, but remained conscious. The sedan driver was not hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804142 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 4 - A box truck hit a man head-on near West 40th. Steel crushed his skull. He died in the street before dawn. The truck kept moving. No driver errors listed. The city stayed dark.

A 39-year-old man was killed when a box truck struck him head-on on 9th Avenue near West 40th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the pedestrian was in the roadway, not at an intersection, when the truck hit him. He suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. The driver, a 75-year-old man, was not injured. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction were recorded in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4803350 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Apr 4 - A box truck hit a man on West 59th. The driver dragged him, then left. A yellow cab struck the wounded man as he lay in the street. Medics rushed him to the hospital. He survived. The truck driver now faces charges.

According to the NY Daily News (April 4, 2025), a 59-year-old truck driver, Luis Cedeno Pluas, struck a pedestrian near Central Park on August 31, 2024. The victim, standing in the right-most lane of W. 59th St., was dragged for several feet by the Isuzu box truck. The driver "kept going" after the impact, leaving the man critically injured in the street. A yellow cab then hit the victim as he lay on the roadway. Police charged Cedeno Pluas with leaving the scene of an accident with serious injuries. The article notes the victim's condition has improved and he is expected to recover. The incident highlights the danger of hit-and-run crashes and the vulnerability of people on foot in busy Manhattan corridors.

• Truck Strikes, Drags Man Near Central Park, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-04

Apr 1 - Two sedans collide on Riverside Drive. Metal screams. A 37-year-old man suffers a head wound. Alcohol hangs in the air. The street falls silent. Blood stains the night.

A crash on Riverside Drive at West 82nd Street left a 37-year-old male driver with severe head lacerations. According to the police report, two sedans collided late at night. Alcohol involvement was listed as a contributing factor. The injured man was conscious but bleeding from the head. A 71-year-old man was also present but his injuries were unspecified. No other contributing factors were noted in the report. The data shows the crash involved licensed drivers and parked vehicles, but the main danger cited was alcohol.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4804217 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Mar 25 - Two sedans collided head-on at Broadway and West 60th. Metal tore. A 75-year-old man in the back seat bled from the head, wearing a lap belt. Both drivers were distracted, fueling a violent collision in Manhattan’s streets.

According to the police report, two sedans crashed head-on at Broadway and West 60th Street in Manhattan at 11:00 a.m. Both vehicles sustained severe front-end damage. The 75-year-old male passenger, seated in the right rear and wearing a lap belt, suffered a serious head injury with bleeding. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the sole contributing factor for both drivers. One driver was making a left turn while the other was traveling straight. The narrative states: 'A 75-year-old man in the back seat bled from the head. He wore a lap belt. Both drivers were distracted.' No victim behavior contributed to the crash. This collision highlights the deadly consequences of driver distraction on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4801266 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Mar 14 - A man emerged from behind a parked SUV on 7th Avenue. A sedan, moving too fast, struck him. His pelvis broke. He stayed conscious on the asphalt as traffic and city life pressed on. The street did not pause.

A 26-year-old man was seriously injured on 7th Avenue near West 13th Street in Manhattan when a sedan, traveling at unsafe speed, struck him as he stepped from behind a parked SUV. According to the police report, the pedestrian suffered 'crush injuries' to his pelvis and remained conscious at the scene. The report identifies 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor in the collision. The sedan’s impact was severe, shattering the man’s pelvis and leaving him on the roadway as other vehicles continued past. The police narrative states: 'A man stepped from behind a parked SUV. A speeding sedan struck him hard. His pelvis shattered.' The pedestrian was not at an intersection when the crash occurred. The report does not cite any contributing actions by the victim beyond his location and movement. The focus remains on the driver’s excessive speed, which directly led to the violent outcome.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4798757 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Feb 2 - 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

Jan 19 - A Jeep rolled on West 64th and Amsterdam. Illness struck the driver. The SUV carried two. One man died in the seat, the left rear bumper marked by the crash. The street bore witness to sudden loss and silent danger.

A fatal crash occurred at West 64th Street and Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, a 73-year-old man driving a Jeep SUV suffered an illness while at the wheel. The report states, 'A 73-year-old man slumped at the wheel of a Jeep. Illness struck. The SUV rolled on. Two inside. One died in the driver’s seat. The left rear bumper bore the mark of the end.' The crash resulted in the death of the driver, who was not ejected from the vehicle. The police report lists 'Illnes' as the contributing factor. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors are cited. The incident highlights the systemic risks when medical emergencies occur behind the wheel, with the vehicle continuing uncontrolled and endangering all inside.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787051 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 19 - A taxi slammed into a 92-year-old woman as she stepped from a car on West 95th. Her leg was crushed. The driver, distracted, failed to see her. The street bore witness. She stayed awake through the pain.

A 92-year-old woman was struck by a taxi on West 95th Street in Manhattan while stepping down from a vehicle, according to the police report. The impact crushed her leg, leaving her conscious but severely injured. The police report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The driver’s failure to pay attention directly led to the collision. The report also notes the pedestrian was 'Getting On/Off Vehicle Other Than School Bus' and lists 'Listening/Using Headphones' as an additional factor, but only after the driver’s distraction. The cab showed no visible damage, and the narrative underscores the pain left on the street. The crash highlights the danger posed when drivers fail to remain alert, especially around vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4791904 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 30 - A Cadillac SUV barreled south through the intersection at W 37th Street and 9th Avenue. The bumper struck a 61-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She lay semiconscious, her body broken, the street marked by violence and disregard.

According to the police report, a Cadillac SUV drove south on 9th Avenue, proceeding straight through the intersection at W 37th Street. The vehicle struck a 61-year-old woman who was crossing with the signal. The report states, 'The bumper struck her. She lay crushed and semiconscious, her body broken across the pavement.' The pedestrian suffered crush injuries to her entire body and was left semiconscious at the scene. The police report notes the woman was crossing with the signal, and no contributing factors were attributed to her actions. The report lists the contributing factor for the driver as 'Unspecified,' but the narrative makes clear the SUV 'drove south, straight through the light,' highlighting a failure to obey the traffic signal. The impact and resulting injuries underscore the lethal consequences when drivers disregard traffic controls at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4784464 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18