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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Darnell McCrorey, Member of Families for Safe Streets, on Funding DOT for Street Safety
6:04:09
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Darnell McCrorey, a member of Families for Safe Streets, testified before the New York City Council's transportation and infrastructure committee, urging them to end the hiring freeze and fully fund the Department of Transportation (DOT) to improve street safety. McCrorey shared the tragic story of losing his 13-year-old daughter, Nayel, in a traffic crash, emphasizing the need for better-designed streets and intersections.
- McCrorey highlighted that 253 New Yorkers were killed in traffic crashes last year, including his daughter.
- He stressed that these deaths are preventable with proper street design and funding.
- The testimony called for full funding and staffing of DOT to make progress on street safety and prevent further traffic violence.
Darnell McCrorey
6:04:09
Thank you chair Brooks, Powers, and members of the transportation and infrastructure committee for holding today's hearing.
6:04:15
My name is Darnell Sealy McCrory, and I am a member of Family for Safe Streets.
6:04:20
I currently reside in Brooklyn, New York with my family.
6:04:24
I've never testified at a city council hearing before, but I'm here to ask you to end the hiring freeze and fully fund the DOT.
6:04:32
Families for Safe Streets is an organization made up of people like me, and all of us have either lost a loved one or ourselves been injured in a traffic crash.
6:04:44
We know that when our streets and our intersections are deadly, we are the ones who pay the price.
6:04:50
Last year, two hundred and fifty three New Yorkers were killed in traffic crashes including my nine my 13 year old daughter, Nayel McCrory, who was hit by a speeding SUV at West 100 And Tenth Street and Manhattan Avenue intersection, 10/24/2024.
6:05:12
My beautiful, intelligent daughter, Nayel, had a passion for dancing, learning, and inspired many other friends and teenagers via TikTok with her self taught choreographed dance routines.
6:05:24
What amazed us most was her determination to graduate middle school becoming a freshman in high school.
6:05:34
Pardon me.
6:05:36
I never thought her mother and I would be burying our daughter so soon after completing a four year conservation within the same year.
6:05:46
Thank you.
6:05:48
We prayed that her intracranial pressure would decrease, but sadly, seven days later, since being hit by that speedy driver, she passed away in PICU from traumatic brain injury.
6:05:59
The day that we lost Nayel was the most difficult time of our lives, and I know that her death, just like all of the other 02/1952, was preventable.
6:06:11
I wouldn't have to be here today if we designed streets around our children instead of cars.
6:06:16
Unfortunately, the New York City Department of Transportation doesn't have the funding or workers to build safe streets.
6:06:23
We need people to design better intersections, present it to the community, and then actually pour the concrete, and all of those people need to be paid.
6:06:31
Saving lives is possible, but isn't free.
6:06:34
You must fully fund and fully staff DOT so New York can make progress on street safety and prevent the senseless traffic violence that took Nayel and many others from us too soon.
6:06:46
Thank you.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
6:06:47
Thank you.
6:06:48
And I offer you my deepest condolences.
Darnell McCrorey
6:06:51
Thank you for the acknowledgement.