Seven Dead, a Thousand Broken—Why Won’t NYC Slow the Streets?

A box truck crashed into a taxi near 34th Street. Metal shrieked. The taxi driver’s arm split open. Blood ran in the quiet dark. Police cited following too closely. One man hurt. The city’s night stayed cold and still.

A box truck struck a taxi on 8th Avenue near 34th Street in Manhattan. The 61-year-old taxi driver suffered severe arm lacerations. According to the police report, the box truck 'slammed the slowing taxi’s side.' The report lists 'Following Too Closely' as a contributing factor. The taxi was slowing or stopping when the box truck, traveling west, hit its left side doors with its right front bumper. The taxi driver was the only person injured. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The report notes the taxi driver wore a lap belt. The crash underscores the risk when drivers follow too closely.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4649837 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A woman crossed West 42nd Street with the signal. A driver did not yield. Metal struck flesh. Her hip broke. Blood streaked her leg. She stayed awake on the pavement. The light kept blinking. The city moved on.

A 37-year-old woman was struck while crossing West 42nd Street with the signal. According to the police report, the driver failed to yield the right-of-way and made an improper lane usage or passing maneuver. The impact broke her hip and left her with severe lacerations. She remained conscious at the scene. The report states: 'She crossed with the signal. A driver did not yield. Her hip broke. Blood streaked her leg.' The listed contributing factors are 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper.' No information about the vehicle or driver was provided. The pedestrian was in the crosswalk, following the signal, when the crash occurred.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4648974 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A motorscooter slammed into a sedan at West 55th and 10th. Two riders flew off, struck hard, and lay broken in the street. Blood pooled. The city’s lights blinked on. No helmets. No mercy. The night swallowed the sound.

Two people riding a motorscooter were ejected after a violent crash with a sedan at the corner of West 55th Street and 10th Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the motorscooter hit the sedan at 3:02 a.m. Both riders, a 28-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, suffered severe crush injuries and were found unconscious or semiconscious, sprawled on the pavement. The report notes neither wore helmets. The sedan’s left front bumper and the motorscooter’s right side took the impact. No specific driver errors were listed in the data; contributing factors are marked as "Unspecified." The city moved on as the injured lay in the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4647628 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A car tore down West 42nd. A woman crossed. The driver did not slow. Metal struck flesh. Her leg split open. Blood stained the street. The driver vanished into the night. The city kept moving.

A 27-year-old woman was struck while crossing West 42nd Street near Times Square. She suffered severe lacerations to her lower leg and remained conscious at the scene. According to the police report, the driver was traveling at an unsafe speed and was inexperienced. The driver did not stop after the crash. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The woman was crossing without a signal, but the data highlights driver actions as the primary causes. No information is provided about the vehicle or the driver’s identity.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4647718 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A young pedicab driver met an e-bike head-on on West 36th Street. Her abdomen crushed. She stayed conscious but did not survive. Inexperience and distraction shaped the crash. The city’s streets claimed another vulnerable life.

A 23-year-old pedicab driver was killed in a head-on collision with an e-bike near West 36th Street and Ninth Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, the crash involved 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The victim suffered fatal abdominal injuries but remained conscious at the scene. The report notes she was not wearing a helmet, but only after listing driver inexperience and distraction as contributing factors. The crash highlights the dangers faced by vulnerable road users in New York City’s dense traffic. No blame is placed on the victim. The police report documents the fatal toll of inexperience and inattention on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4648249 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Cops seized mopeds from Brooklyn delivery workers. Police claim safety, but data show cars and trucks cause most harm. App companies profit. Immigrant workers pay. Advocates say crackdowns punish the vulnerable, not the reckless. The city misses the real threat.

On July 14, 2023, NYPD officers from Brooklyn’s 78th Precinct seized illegal mopeds from delivery workers outside fast-food chains. The enforcement action follows years of crackdowns dating back to Mayor Bloomberg, ramped up under Mayor de Blasio. Police say the seizures make streets safer, but city crash data show cars and trucks—not e-bikes or mopeds—cause most pedestrian injuries. Delivery worker Roziev Akmal warned, 'Livelihoods will be ruined because of the seizure.' Ligia Guallpa of the Worker’s Justice Project called it 'another example where you see deliveristas being economically impacted.' State Sen. Brad Hoylman and Council Member Gale Brewer cited constituent complaints, but advocates and legal experts argue enforcement targets workers, not the root causes. The crackdown leaves low-paid, mostly immigrant workers exposed to fines, lost income, and road danger, while app companies escape responsibility.

• Latest Cop Crackdown on Deliveristas Misses the Point: Advocates, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-07-14

A man crossed Columbus Avenue. A moped hit him head-on. His leg split. Blood pooled on the street. The rider did not stop. The man stayed awake, pain sharp and real. The moped vanished south, leaving injury behind.

A 33-year-old man was crossing Columbus Avenue near West 70th Street in Manhattan when a southbound moped struck him head-on. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was a contributing factor. The pedestrian suffered a severe leg injury and remained conscious at the scene. The moped did not stop and continued south. The report notes the pedestrian was not in a crosswalk or at a signal, but lists driver inattention as a primary cause. The crash left the man bleeding on the asphalt while the moped rider fled, unmarked and unaccounted for.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4645202 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Paris rips out parking. Sidewalks widen. Intersections clear. Mayor Anne Hidalgo puts pedestrians first. No crackdown on e-bikes. Cars, not cyclists, face the squeeze. Advocates say New York should follow. Fewer cars, more space for people. The numbers demand it.

""Hoylman-Sigal did say that banning privately owned e-bikes was 'going too far,' the paper reported, but he also did not focus the safety concerns on drivers and on the city's failure to widen sidewalks, create new micromobility lanes or daylight intersections."" -- Brad Hoylman-Sigal

On June 30, 2023, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced a sweeping policy shift: the new 'Street Code.' The plan, described as giving 'absolute priority for pedestrians,' will remove 70,000 parking spaces by 2026, daylight all intersections, widen sidewalks, and expand bike lanes. Hidalgo rejects harsh measures against e-bikes, focusing instead on reducing car dominance and discouraging SUVs through progressive parking fees. Council Member Gale A. Brewer, District 6, is mentioned in the context of New York’s contrasting approach, where enforcement often targets e-bikes rather than cars. Advocates highlight that cars and trucks cause most pedestrian injuries and deaths. They urge New York to emulate Paris—reclaiming street space from cars, not blaming micromobility. The data is clear: fewer cars mean safer streets for all.

• Paris Mayor Enters Fray Between E-Bikes and Pedestrians — By Fighting Drivers, streetsblog.org, Published 2023-06-30

Albany keeps the keys. The Assembly refused to vote on Sammy’s Law. The city stays locked out of lowering its own speed limits. Advocates rage. Another year, another failure. Streets remain fast. Vulnerable New Yorkers stay exposed.

Sammy’s Law, blocked again. The bill—named for Sammy Cohen Eckstein, killed by a van at age 12—would let New York City set its own speed limits, dropping the default to 20 mph and some streets to 10 mph. The Senate passed it 55-7, but the Assembly ended its June 22, 2023 session without a vote. Assembly sponsor Linda Rosenthal said, 'We just can't be deterred.' Senate sponsor Brad Hoylman-Sigal called the failure 'heartbreaking.' Speaker Carl Heastie refused to bring it to the floor. Advocates say the city’s hands are tied while deaths and injuries mount. The Council and Mayor Adams support the bill. For the third year, Albany blocks local control. Streets stay dangerous. Vulnerable road users pay the price.

• Sammy’s Law advocates angry after push to give NYC power over its speed limit fails in Assembly, nydailynews.com, Published 2023-06-22

Sammy’s Law hit a wall in Albany. The bill would let New York City set its own speed limits. It passed the Senate but died in the Assembly. Advocates and families mourn another delay. Streets stay fast. Vulnerable lives remain at risk.

Sammy’s Law, a bill to let New York City set and lower its speed limits, stalled in the Assembly on June 19, 2023. The bill passed the state Senate but did not reach a vote in the Assembly, blocked by Speaker Carl Heastie and opposition from outerborough members. The City Council, including Councilwoman Jennifer Gutiérrez, supported the measure with a home rule message. The bill’s summary: 'allow New York City to set speed limits as low as 10 mph on some streets and 20 mph citywide.' Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal sponsored the bill in the Assembly. Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams both backed it. State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal called it 'common sense.' Advocates, including Amy Cohen, mother of the bill’s namesake, vow to keep fighting. No safety analyst note was provided, but the bill’s failure leaves city streets unchanged and vulnerable road users exposed.

• Sammy’s Law bill to let NYC set speed limit falters, supporters hoping special Assembly session will finally push it through, nydailynews.com, Published 2023-06-19

An unlicensed man turned left in a Ford SUV. He struck an 86-year-old woman crossing 8th Avenue with the signal. She fell. Her head hit the street. She died where she landed. The driver failed to yield. The street stayed silent.

An 86-year-old woman was killed at the corner of 8th Avenue and West 25th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, an unlicensed man driving a Ford SUV turned left and struck the woman as she crossed with the signal. The impact knocked her down. Her head hit the pavement. She died at the scene. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The driver was unlicensed at the time of the crash. The woman was crossing legally at the intersection. No mention of helmet or signaling as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4636298 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two mothers starve for justice. Their children killed by reckless drivers. They demand lawmakers let New York City set its own speed limits. The Assembly stalls. Grief and anger fill the halls. No more excuses. They want action. Now.

On June 6, 2023, two mothers began a hunger strike at the State Capitol, demanding action on Sammy’s Law. The bill, first introduced in 2020 by State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and carried in the Assembly by Linda Rosenthal, would let New York City set speed limits below 25 mph. The City Council backed the measure with a 'home rule' message last month. But Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has not brought it to a vote. The matter title: 'Sammy’s Law.' Amy Cohen, whose son Sammy was killed in 2013, and Fabiola Mendieta-Cuapio, whose son Bryan was killed in 2006, lead the protest. Mendieta-Cuapio says, 'We need to pass Sammy's Law today, no more excuses.' Lawmakers hide behind closed doors. The mothers refuse to let their children’s deaths be ignored.

• ‘Sammy’s Law’ Hunger Strike Begins at State Capitol, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-06-06

Two mothers starve for justice at the State Capitol. Their children were killed by reckless drivers. They demand lawmakers pass Sammy’s Law. The bill would let New York City set lower speed limits. Assembly leaders stall. Grief meets gridlock.

On June 6, 2023, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and advocates launched a hunger strike at the State Capitol for Sammy’s Law. The bill, introduced by Hoylman-Sigal and carried in the Assembly by Linda Rosenthal, would let New York City set speed limits below 25 mph. The official summary states it 'would authorize NYC to set speed limits below 25 mph but would not automatically change them.' Amy Cohen and Fabiola Mendieta-Cuapio, mothers whose children were killed by drivers, lead the protest. Despite majority City Council support and a home rule message, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie refuses to bring the bill to a vote. Advocates accuse lawmakers of hiding and demand transparency. The hunger strike exposes the human cost of legislative inaction.

• ‘Sammy’s Law’ Hunger Strike Begins at State Capitol, streetsblog.org, Published 2023-06-06

Albany stalls Sammy’s Law. The bill would let New York City drop speed limits to 20 mph. Families mourn. Lawmakers argue. Streets stay deadly. Supporters demand action. The Assembly hesitates. Lives hang in the balance. The city waits for a vote.

Sammy’s Law, debated on June 2, 2023, remains stalled in the New York State Assembly. The bill, championed by State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, would let New York City lower speed limits to 20 mph. The Transportation Committee, led by Bill Magnarelli, cited opposition and procedural delays. The City Council delivered the required home rule message. Amy Cohen, mother of Sammy, pressed the Assembly: "We are demanding that the Assembly bring the bill to a vote." Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal withdrew support, claiming, "This bill is about revenue, not public safety." Despite 68% public support and backing from the mayor and Council, the Assembly remains undecided. The bill’s fate is uncertain. Vulnerable road users remain at risk while lawmakers debate.

• NYS Assembly still undecided on ‘Sammy’s Law’ to lower NYC speed limit, nypost.com, Published 2023-06-02

Albany lawmakers refuse to vote on Sammy’s Law. The bill would let New York City lower speed limits below 25 mph. Council and mayor back it. Assembly leadership stalls. Streets stay dangerous. Families wait. The city’s hands remain tied.

Sammy’s Law, named after 12-year-old Sammy Cohen Eckstein, would let New York City set speed limits below the state’s 25 mph minimum. The bill, carried by State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, stalled in the Assembly despite strong support from the City Council and Mayor. Council Member Jen Gutierrez called the refusal to vote 'unbelievable,' saying, 'Families across the city deserve this vote.' Amy Cohen, Sammy’s mother, called the inaction 'unconscionable.' Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon said the bill lacks support to reach the floor. The bill passed the City Council’s home rule message but faces Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s resistance. The session ends June 8. Without action, the city cannot lower speed limits to protect pedestrians and cyclists.

• Sammy’s Law Not Expected to Pass in Assembly, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-05-31

NYC leaders went to Albany. They demanded lawmakers pass Sammy’s Law. The bill lets the city set its own speed limits. Brad Hoylman-Sigal led the charge. The law is named for a child killed by a car. The fight is urgent. Lives hang in the balance.

On May 30, 2023, State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and other NYC officials lobbied the state legislature to pass key transportation and housing bills before the session ends June 9. The centerpiece is 'Sammy’s Law,' which would let New York City set its own speed limits, potentially lowering them to 20 mph. Hoylman-Sigal, the bill’s sponsor, said, 'Senators in Massapequa shouldn’t set the speed limit for Manhattan—or the reverse.' The law is named for Sammy Cohen Eckstein, a 12-year-old killed by a car in Brooklyn. The bill had stalled before, but this year the required home rule resolution was submitted. Mayor Adams’ administration also pushed for affordable housing reforms. The push for Sammy’s Law is a fight to give NYC control over its streets and protect vulnerable road users from deadly speeding.

• NYC officials press Albany to pass critical bills on housing, city speed limit and others before session ends, nypost.com, Published 2023-05-30

An e-bike struck a 74-year-old woman on West 72nd Street. She bled from the head. The bike stood untouched. Blood marked the pavement. She stayed conscious. The street fell silent. The city kept moving.

A 74-year-old woman was hit by an e-bike on West 72nd Street. According to the police report, she was outside the crosswalk when the crash happened. She suffered a head injury and severe bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. The report states, 'She lay bleeding from the head. Conscious. Hurt. The bike stood untouched.' The e-bike showed no visible damage. The police listed the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were identified in the data. The crash left the woman injured and the street stained with her blood.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4631167 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate bill S 7099 orders complete street design in all DOT projects with state or federal funds. Streets must serve walkers, cyclists, and riders. No more car-first blueprints. Gounardes leads. Hoylman-Sigal, Krueger back him.

Senate bill S 7099, now in sponsorship, sits with the New York Senate. Filed May 18, 2023, the bill 'requires inclusion of complete street design for state and local transportation projects undertaken by DOT or which receive both federal and state funding and are subject to DOT oversight.' Senator Andrew Gounardes sponsors the measure. Senators Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Liz Krueger co-sponsor. The bill demands every street project under DOT control put people first—pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders. No safety analyst note is available yet. The bill aims to end car-centric planning.

• File S 7099, Open States, Published 2023-05-18

A cyclist rode south on 11th Avenue. He struck the doors of a parked taxi. Metal flashed. The cyclist was bruised. The taxi driver, sixty, was found dead inside. The street moved on. The loss stayed behind.

A crash unfolded on 11th Avenue near West 36th Street in Manhattan. A cyclist, heading south, struck the left doors of a parked taxi. According to the police report, the cyclist suffered a knee and lower leg injury. The taxi driver, a 60-year-old man, was found dead inside the vehicle. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for both the cyclist and the taxi driver. No other contributing factors were cited. The impact left one man injured and another dead. The city kept moving, but the loss remained.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4624451 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A man on a Citi e-bike struck by two sedans at West 51st and 11th Avenue. Thrown from his seat. Blood on the cold street. He lay conscious as traffic moved past. The city kept moving. He did not.

A 30-year-old man riding a Citi e-bike was struck by two sedans at West 51st Street and 11th Avenue in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A man on a Citi e-bike hit by two sedans. Thrown from the saddle. No helmet. Bleeding from everywhere.' The rider was ejected and suffered severe bleeding to his entire body but remained conscious at the scene. No driver errors are listed in the data. The sedans involved were a Mazda, moving west, and a Honda, which was parked. The police report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but this detail appears only after the facts of the crash. The crash left the cyclist injured and exposed in the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4610626 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04