Eighteen Dead, Thousands Hurt—Who Will Stop the Killing on District 59’s Streets?

A taxi turned left on Thomson Avenue. An SUV slammed its side. Metal screamed. Blood pooled as a woman in the back seat faded, semiconscious, her face split open, her belt holding her in place. The city’s danger pressed in.

A severe collision unfolded on Thomson Avenue when a taxi making a left turn was struck on its side by an SUV proceeding straight, according to the police report. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. Inside the taxi, a 49-year-old woman seated in the right rear position suffered severe facial lacerations and was found semiconscious, her lap belt and harness holding her in place. The narrative states, 'A taxi turned left. An SUV struck its side. Metal shrieked. In the back seat, a woman’s face split open. Blood pooled on the floor. She faded, semiconscious, her belt holding what the crash could not.' The violence of the impact and the cited driver inattention underscore the systemic dangers faced by passengers in New York City traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4702479, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 29-year-old woman lost control of her motorscooter on Manhattan Avenue. Speed too high, pavement slick, she hit the ground hard. Blood pooled on cold asphalt. No helmet. The street was empty, the night silent.

A 29-year-old woman riding a KYMC motorscooter suffered a severe head injury after losing control on Manhattan Avenue, according to the police report. The crash occurred just before 1 a.m. The report states the driver was traveling at 'unsafe speed' and encountered 'pavement slippery' conditions. The narrative describes her skidding out, hitting the ground hard, and bleeding from the head. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the primary contributing factor, with 'Pavement Slippery' also noted. The woman was not wearing a helmet, as documented in the report, but this detail appears after the driver error of unsafe speed. No other vehicles or people were involved. The scene was empty, the crash unfolding in isolation.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4700210, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan turned left on Greenpoint Avenue. An e-scooter kept straight. Metal struck flesh. A young man flew, head first, no helmet. Blood pooled on cold pavement. He lay conscious, bleeding, alone in the street.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at the intersection of Greenpoint Avenue and Humboldt Street in Brooklyn. A sedan, registered in New Jersey, was making a left turn while an e-scooter, operated by a 22-year-old man, was traveling straight. The report states, 'A sedan turned left. An e-scooter went straight. Metal struck flesh.' The collision ejected the e-scooter rider headfirst onto the pavement, resulting in severe bleeding from a head injury. The victim was conscious but alone and bleeding in the cold. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both parties, but the narrative and vehicle actions highlight the sedan's left turn across the path of the e-scooter. The report notes the e-scooter rider was not wearing a helmet, but this detail is listed after the description of the driver's maneuver. No injuries were reported for the sedan driver.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4695261, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 20-year-old on a moped hit a tanker’s side at Greenpoint and Kingsland. He was thrown from the seat, head struck the pavement. No helmet. He died alone. The tanker rolled on, untouched. The street stayed cold and silent.

A deadly crash unfolded at Greenpoint Avenue and Kingsland Avenue. A 20-year-old moped rider struck the side of a turning tanker truck. According to the police report, the moped operator was ejected and suffered fatal head injuries. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor. The moped rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but this is mentioned only after the driver error. The tanker sustained no damage and continued on. No other injuries were reported. The crash left one young life ended in the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4685506, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Mayor Adams gutted the McGuinness Blvd. safety plan. Two lanes each way remain. Bike lanes go unprotected. Crossing distances stretch. Local leaders say nothing changed for people on foot. Cyclists dodge cars and illegal parking. The danger stays. The fight continues.

On November 29, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams’s administration scaled back the Department of Transportation’s original McGuinness Boulevard redesign. The DOT’s first plan would have cut traffic lanes and added a parking-protected bike lane. Adams ordered a weaker version after business pushback. The compromise left two car lanes in each direction during the day. Elected officials—U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and Council Member Lincoln Restler—sent a letter urging DOT to restore the full safety plan, writing, “Nothing has been done to improve conditions for pedestrians.” Advocates say the new design increases crossing distances and leaves cyclists and pedestrians exposed. DOT says work will continue into 2024. The boulevard remains dangerous for vulnerable road users.

• Eric Adams’s McGuinness Blvd. Capitulation Did ‘Nothing’ for Pedestrians, Greenpoint Pols Charge, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-11-29

Red Hook chokes on truck fumes. Lawmakers move. The Clean Deliveries Act aims to cut emissions from sprawling e-commerce warehouses. Kristen Gonzalez and others demand action. Diesel trucks crowd narrow streets. Pollution and danger rise. Residents pay the price.

Bill: Clean Deliveries Act. Announced November 29, 2023. Status: Proposed. Committee: Not specified. Lawmakers, including State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (District 59), call for strict regulation of emissions from last-mile e-commerce warehouses. The bill would require environmental reviews for warehouses over 50,000 square feet, mandate plans to cut air pollution, and push for zero-emission delivery vehicles. Gonzalez said, 'The unchecked growth of large warehouses in neighborhoods across NYC has worsened air quality, noise pollution, and traffic safety for everyday New Yorkers.' Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes, a co-sponsor, highlighted the link between warehouse traffic, pollution, and traffic violence. The Red Hook Business Alliance and community advocates back the bill, citing heavy truck traffic, poor air, and threats to safety in working-class neighborhoods. The legislation aims to hold warehouse operators accountable and protect residents from the mounting toll of delivery-driven pollution and danger.

• Lawmakers say influx of e-commerce warehouses has spiked greenhouse gas emissions in Red Hook, urge regulation, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-11-29

A sedan swung broadside on 44 Road. An e-scooter hit hard. The rider, thirty-three, flew from his seat. He landed torn and bleeding under the streetlights. Driver inattention ruled the night. The helmet stayed on. The pain did not.

A crash unfolded on 44 Road near 21st Street in Queens. A sedan making a U-turn crossed paths with an e-scooter traveling straight. The e-scooter struck the sedan’s left front quarter panel. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was listed as the contributing factor for both vehicles. The 33-year-old e-scooter rider was ejected and suffered severe lacerations across his body. He remained conscious at the scene. The report notes the rider wore a helmet, but only after citing driver inattention as the primary cause. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4673848, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A taxi door swung open on Park Avenue. A young cyclist slammed into steel. His arm crushed. Blood pooled on the midnight street. He lay conscious, hurt, under the city’s harsh lights. Driver inattention left him broken in Manhattan.

A cyclist, age 23, was injured when a taxi door opened into his path on Park Avenue near East 34th Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, 'A taxi door flung open. A young cyclist hit steel. His arm crushed.' The cyclist suffered crush injuries to his arm and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but the primary cause cited is driver inattention. The crash highlights the danger faced by cyclists when drivers or passengers fail to check for oncoming traffic before opening doors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4666719, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Over 200 Astoria residents packed a DOT workshop after a spike in traffic deaths. Cyclists and pedestrians have died. Drivers speed, double-park, and ignore signals. Councilwoman Cabán and others demand urgent action. DOT vows to return with a safety plan.

On September 14, 2023, the Department of Transportation held a public street safety workshop in Astoria, Queens, following a surge in traffic violence. The event, covered on September 18, 2023, drew over 200 residents and was organized by Western Queens elected officials. The workshop addressed a 'significant increase in traffic-related deaths, including several high-profile fatalities involving cyclists and pedestrians.' Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán, State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani called the deaths preventable and demanded urgent changes. Cabán stated, 'If it saves lives, it’s worth doing.' DOT officials, including Queens Borough Commissioner Nicole Garcia and senior program manager Kyle Gorman, presented plans for 31st Avenue and collected resident feedback on dangerous driving, lack of protected bike lanes, and unsafe intersections. The DOT pledged to return with a proposal. No formal bill number or committee was cited; the event focused on immediate community engagement and systemic change.

• Astoria residents turnout for DOT street safety workshop following surge in traffic violence this year, amny.com, Published 2023-09-18

A man rode his e-bike north on 1st Avenue. He struck something head-on. He flew from the bike. His abdomen crushed. He died on the street. Distraction and alcohol played their part. The city stayed silent. The street claimed another life.

A 46-year-old man riding an e-bike northbound on 1st Avenue near East 47th Street was killed in a crash just before dawn. According to the police report, the rider struck something head-on, was ejected from the bike, and suffered fatal abdominal injuries. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Alcohol Involvement' as contributing factors. The man was alone at the time of the crash. No helmet was used, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the driver errors. The crash left the street cold and empty, another life lost to distraction and danger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4667965, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

DOT unveiled a watered-down redesign for McGuinness Boulevard. Protected bike lanes will run the length, but car lanes stay for peak hours. Advocates call it less safe. Restler and others back the compromise. The fight for real safety continues.

On August 17, 2023, Council Member Lincoln Restler (District 33) joined other officials in announcing a compromise redesign for McGuinness Boulevard. The Department of Transportation's new plan, described as a 'compromised version,' adds protected bike lanes but keeps two car lanes during peak hours from Calyer Street to the Pulaski Bridge. The matter, titled 'Relief in Greenpoint as compromise reached on McGuinness Boulevard redesign,' reflects years of advocacy for safer streets. Restler, along with Borough President Reynoso and others, welcomed the changes and pledged to push for swift implementation. Advocacy group Make McGuinness Safe criticized the compromise as 'less effective and less safe,' blaming business opposition for watering down the original plan. The compromise marks a partial win for vulnerable road users, but falls short of the full road diet advocates demanded.

• Relief in Greenpoint as compromise reached on McGuinness Boulevard redesign, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-08-17

Mayor Adams approved a diluted redesign for McGuinness Boulevard. Protected bike lanes will come, but car lanes stay open during peak hours. The plan falls short of full safety measures. The road remains dangerous. Victims still count. No one is satisfied.

On August 16, 2023, Mayor Adams announced a compromise redesign for McGuinness Boulevard, a notorious Brooklyn corridor. The Department of Transportation will install curbside protected bike lanes and reduce car lanes from two to one in each direction on most of the strip. However, north of Calyer Street, two lanes for cars will remain open during weekdays, reverting to parking lanes at night and on weekends. The plan, shaped after lobbying by business interests and mayoral adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin, mixes two previous DOT proposals. Mayoral spokesman Charles Lutvak said, 'Traffic safety is a key priority for Mayor Adams, and we are delivering with a redesign of McGuinness Boulevard that will make this corridor safer for all road users.' Local officials, including Council Member Lincoln Restler, called it a 'critical step' but noted it lacks key safety elements. The compromise leaves gaps. Since 2021, 62 people have been injured on this stretch. The carnage continues.

• Mayor Adams Signs Off On Compromise for Deadly McGuinness Blvd.; No One Truly Happy, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-08-16

A driver struck a moped rider on McGuinness Boulevard. The rider’s leg broke. Politicians and neighbors demand the mayor act. The city delays a safety plan. The street stays deadly. The call is clear: fix McGuinness now.

On August 11, 2023, Council Member Lincoln Restler and other Northern Brooklyn officials responded to a crash on McGuinness Boulevard, where a driver hit and injured a moped rider. The incident happened near Meeker Avenue, one block from where teacher Matthew Jensen was killed in 2021. The matter, titled 'Locals call for mayor to take immediate action after moped rider injured on McGuinness Boulevard,' highlights the urgent need for the Department of Transportation’s proposed safety redesign. Restler, along with U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, and State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, issued a joint statement: 'Lives are being put at risk. We need immediate action by the Mayor's office to implement the Department of Transportation's proposed safety improvements so that everyone in our community can feel confident that McGuinness Boulevard will not cause more tragedies.' The safety plan remains blocked, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to ongoing danger.

• Locals call for mayor to take ‘immediate action’ after moped rider injured on McGuinness Boulevard, brooklynpaper.com, Published 2023-08-11

A Toyota SUV hit a young e-bike rider from behind on Meeker Avenue. The crash tore open his leg. Blood pooled on the street. Speed fueled the violence. The rider wore no helmet. The SUV’s front end did the damage.

A 20-year-old man riding an e-bike southbound on Meeker Avenue near Humboldt Street was struck from behind by a Toyota SUV. According to the police report, 'A Toyota SUV slammed into the rear of a southbound e-bike. The 20-year-old rider hit the pavement hard. His leg split open. Blood pooled on hot asphalt. Speed did the damage.' The crash left the e-bike rider with severe lacerations to his lower leg and foot. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The SUV’s center front end struck the e-bike’s rear, causing the rider to fall. The rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause was the SUV driver’s unsafe speed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4661868, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A driver tore through McGuinness Boulevard, smashing cars and leaving a moped rider badly hurt. The carnage reignited calls for long-delayed safety fixes. Local leaders say the crash was no surprise. The city’s promise to protect lives remains unfulfilled.

On August 10, 2023, a motorist seriously injured a moped rider and crashed into several vehicles on McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint. The incident, near the site of a 2021 fatality, drew a joint statement from Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, and Council Member Lincoln Restler. They called the crash 'entirely predictable' and demanded Mayor Adams immediately implement the Department of Transportation’s stalled safety redesign. The DOT’s plan, which includes narrowing the street and adding a protected bike lane, faces opposition from powerful donors. The mayor’s office claims traffic safety is a priority, but the plan remains in limbo. Advocates and officials say every delay puts more lives at risk.

• Outrage on Bloody McGuinness Blvd. as Motorist Severely Injures Moped Rider, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-08-10

A BMW SUV tore down 34th Avenue before dawn. Metal screamed. The front end crumpled. The 24-year-old driver died alone in the wreck. No passengers. No bystanders. Only twisted steel and silence remained.

A 2021 BMW SUV crashed on 34th Avenue at 3:30 a.m. The sole occupant, a 24-year-old male driver, was killed. According to the police report, 'Unsafe Speed' was the contributing factor. The SUV’s front end was demolished. No other vehicles or people were involved. The driver was licensed and traveling west. The report lists no other errors or factors. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the data. The crash left only wreckage and one life lost.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4652973, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Brooklyn officials demand equal tolls on all Manhattan crossings. They warn free bridges funnel traffic into certain neighborhoods. Their letter calls for fairness. The MTA stays silent. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide. Streets hang in the balance.

On July 18, 2023, Council Member Shahana Hanif and other Brooklyn officials called for 'equalized tolling on all crossings into Manhattan' as congestion pricing nears. Their letter to the Traffic Mobility Review Board states: 'No one community should disproportionately bear the burden of the cars and trucks passing through their neighborhood.' Hanif, along with Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Crystal Hudson, joined borough, state, and federal colleagues in this push. They propose a credit system to balance costs between DOT bridges and MTA tunnels, aiming to protect neighborhoods like the Brooklyn waterfront and the BQE corridor from traffic surges. The MTA declined comment. The Board will soon set final toll rates and rules. The federal government has approved the congestion pricing plan, with tolls for cars expected between $9 and $23. Over 100 exemption requests, including from taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers, are under review.

• Pols call for ‘equalized tolling’ on all crossings into Manhattan under congestion pricing on eve of board deliberations, amny.com, Published 2023-07-18

A man on a bike struck the roof of a parked sedan. Blood spilled from his head onto Astoria Boulevard. He lay silent in the summer heat. Shock and injury marked the scene. No moving vehicles involved.

A 50-year-old cyclist suffered a severe head injury after colliding with the roof of a parked Acura sedan on Astoria Boulevard near 35th Street. According to the police report, blood spilled from his head onto the pavement as he lay silent, eyes wide, in shock. The sedan was parked and unoccupied at the time of the crash. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors or moving vehicle violations are recorded in the data. The cyclist’s use of safety equipment is unknown. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4647264, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Tesla slammed into a woman on an e-scooter at Franklin and Milton. Blood spilled from her leg. Her helmet stayed on. The car’s bumper cracked. The street gave no room. She was left hurt, the city cold.

A Tesla sedan struck a 27-year-old woman riding an e-scooter at the corner of Franklin Street and Milton Street in Brooklyn. According to the police report, the woman suffered severe bleeding from her leg and remained conscious at the scene. The Tesla’s left front bumper was damaged. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'View Obstructed/Limited' as contributing factors. The driver of the Tesla was a 37-year-old man. The e-scooter rider wore a helmet, which stayed on during the crash. The data shows no errors attributed to the e-scooter rider. The helmet is noted only after the driver’s failure to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4647860, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A cyclist rode east on North 7th. A woman stepped from behind a parked car. His front wheel hit her. She fell. Her head struck the pavement. Blood pooled. The cyclist kept riding. She lay still, unconscious.

A 66-year-old woman was struck by a man riding a bike on North 7th Street. According to the police report, the cyclist rode east as the woman stepped from behind a parked car. His front wheel hit her, causing her to fall and strike her head on the pavement. Blood pooled as she lay unconscious. The cyclist did not stop. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The woman suffered head injuries and was left motionless at the scene. No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction are specified in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4645388, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15