Wake Up, Flushing: Streets Are Killing Us

Two SUVs crashed head-on in Queens. Both drivers suffered crush injuries. Police cite failure to yield and inexperience. Metal twisted. Streets stayed dangerous.

Two sport utility vehicles collided on Pidgeon Meadow Road at 167th Street in Queens. Both drivers, men aged 64 and 58, were injured with crush injuries to their entire bodies. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inexperience.' Both vehicles sustained front-end damage. The report lists no other contributing factors. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The impact left both drivers conscious but hurt. The police report highlights driver errors as the primary cause.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4824574 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two passengers crushed in a violent collision on Main Street. Sedans and SUVs collided at unsafe speed. Metal twisted. Bodies hurt. The street bore the impact.

A crash on Main Street at Dahlia Avenue in Queens left two passengers injured with crush injuries. According to the police report, a sedan and an SUV collided while traveling north. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. Both vehicles sustained heavy damage. Two men, ages 56 and 30, were hurt. The crash underscores the danger when speed overtakes caution.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4822452 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

SUV slammed into taxi’s rear on Long Island Expressway. One driver suffered crush injuries. Police cite following too closely. Metal twisted. Traffic did not forgive.

A station wagon/SUV struck the back of a taxi on the Long Island Expressway in Queens. According to the police report, the SUV was 'going straight ahead' and the taxi was 'slowing or stopping' when the crash happened. One driver, a 50-year-old man, suffered crush injuries to his entire body. Police list 'Following Too Closely' as the contributing factor. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. Both vehicles had only drivers inside. The injured driver was wearing a lap belt and harness.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4822426 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

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 2025-06-17

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

A bus hit a cyclist on Union Turnpike. The rider suffered head wounds and severe cuts. The crash left the cyclist hurt and the bus damaged. No driver errors listed. The street stayed dangerous.

A bus and a bicycle collided on Union Turnpike in Queens. The cyclist, a 42-year-old man, suffered head injuries and severe lacerations. According to the police report, the bus was going straight while the cyclist was changing lanes. The point of impact was the center back end of the bus and the front of the bike. No specific driver errors or contributing factors were listed in the report. The crash left the cyclist injured and the bus damaged, underscoring the risks faced by vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812947 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A woman crossing with the signal on Kissena Blvd suffered crush injuries to her leg. Impact left her conscious but hurt. The driver’s actions remain unlisted. System failed to protect her.

A 38-year-old woman was hit while crossing Kissena Blvd at 45 Ave in Queens. She was in the crosswalk, moving with the signal, when a vehicle struck her. According to the police report, she suffered crush injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, but remained conscious. The report does not specify any driver errors or contributing factors. No vehicle details or driver actions are listed. The incident highlights a system where a pedestrian, following the rules, was left injured in the street.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4809356 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A motorbike slammed into a stopped sedan on Main Street. The rider, unlicensed and helmetless, flew headfirst onto the asphalt. Skull shattered. Blood pooled beneath streetlights. The sedan’s rear crumpled. The city’s silence pressed in.

A violent crash unfolded on Main Street near 56th Avenue in Queens when a motorbike, traveling at unsafe speed, struck the rear of a stopped sedan, according to the police report. The report states the motorbike rider was unlicensed and not wearing a helmet. The rider was ejected and suffered severe head injuries, described as 'skull crushed' and 'crush injuries,' but remained conscious as blood pooled beneath the streetlights. The sedan’s rear end was heavily damaged. Police cite 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The report notes the sedan was 'stopped in traffic' at the time of impact. The motorbike’s driver license status is listed as 'Unlicensed.' The police report makes no mention of any actions by the sedan driver contributing to the crash. The focus remains on the dangers of speed, inexperience, and unlicensed operation.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4802387 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Subaru sedan struck an 82-year-old man in a Queens crosswalk. The car’s front end crushed his back. He lay conscious on cold asphalt, bones broken, eyes open. Marked lines offered no shield. The driver failed to yield.

According to the police report, an 82-year-old man was crossing 57th Road at 136th Street in Queens, walking within the marked crosswalk. A 2002 Subaru sedan, traveling east, struck him head-on. The report states the pedestrian suffered crush injuries to his back and remained conscious beneath the vehicle, his bones broken. The police report explicitly lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for the crash. The sedan’s center front end bore the impact. The pedestrian’s action is described as 'Crossing, No Signal, Marked Crosswalk,' but the report attributes the collision to the driver’s failure to yield. The narrative details the violence of the impact and the vulnerability of the man in the crosswalk, underscoring the systemic danger when drivers disregard pedestrian right-of-way.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4801625 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan turned left on Union Street, striking a 52-year-old woman in the crosswalk. Blood pooled on Negundo Avenue. She stayed conscious, head wounded. The driver failed to yield. The car showed no damage. The street bore the mark.

According to the police report, a 52-year-old woman was crossing Union Street at Negundo Avenue in a marked crosswalk when a sedan making a left turn struck her head with its front bumper. The report notes the woman suffered a head injury with severe bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. Police explicitly cite 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for the crash. The sedan, registered in New York, showed no visible damage. The driver, a licensed man, did not yield while turning, as detailed in the narrative: 'The driver did not yield.' The victim was crossing without a signal, but the report lists only the driver's failure to yield as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the driver's actions and the systemic danger at the intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4802702 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Steel swept through the crosswalk on Main Street. A Toyota turned right. Two lives, a woman and a man, both crossing with the signal, both struck. Head wounds. Crushed limbs. Conscious, broken, left in the street.

According to the police report, a Toyota making a right turn at Main Street and Dahlia Avenue in Queens struck two pedestrians—a 56-year-old woman and a 66-year-old man—who were crossing with the signal. Both victims suffered head wounds and crush injuries, and were reported conscious at the scene. The police report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for the crash. The data confirms both pedestrians were in the intersection and crossing lawfully with the signal when the vehicle hit them. No additional contributing factors related to pedestrian behavior are listed. The collision underscores the lethal consequences of driver failure to yield, as documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4800945 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 49-year-old man on an e-bike struck at speed along Main Street near Peck Avenue. He was thrown forward, his face torn, blood pooling on the pavement. Alone and in shock, he lay still as the street held him.

A crash occurred on Main Street near Peck Avenue in Queens, involving a 49-year-old man riding an e-bike. According to the police report, the e-bike was traveling north and struck at speed, resulting in the rider being ejected and suffering severe facial injuries. The report describes, 'Face torn. Blood pooled on the pavement. The front end crumpled. He lay alone, in shock, the street holding him still.' The sole contributing factor cited by police is 'Unsafe Speed.' The rider was the only person involved and was listed as being in shock with severe bleeding. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted in the report. The incident underscores the lethal consequences of unsafe speed, as documented by responding officers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4797343 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two sedans collided head-on in Queens. Steel twisted. A 38-year-old man, belted and conscious, suffered neck injuries. The seatbelt held him in place. The car’s frame did not. Failure to yield left a driver crushed and hurting.

On Laburnum Avenue near 158th Street in Queens, two sedans traveling straight collided head-on, according to the police report. The crash left a 38-year-old male driver, who was wearing a lap belt and harness, with crush injuries to his neck. The police report states, 'Two sedans met head-on. Steel kissed steel. A man, 38, stayed belted, conscious, crushed. His neck screamed. The belt held. The car did not.' The report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor in the collision. No evidence in the report suggests any victim behavior contributed to the crash. The impact and resulting injuries stemmed from driver error and systemic danger on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4792240 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Assembly bill A 2299 targets reckless drivers. Eleven points or six camera tickets in a year triggers forced speed control tech. Lawmakers move to curb repeat speeders. Streets demand fewer deadly risks.

Assembly bill A 2299, now in sponsorship, sits with the New York State Assembly. Introduced January 16, 2025, the bill 'requires the installation of intelligent speed assistance devices if a driver accumulates eleven or more points on their driving record during a 24 month period, or receives 6 speed camera or red light camera tickets during a twelve month period.' Primary sponsor Emily Gallagher leads a bloc of co-sponsors, including Rebecca Seawright, Andrew Hevesi, and others. The measure aims to clamp down on repeat speeders with mandatory speed-limiting tech. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File A 2299, Open States, Published 2025-01-16

A northbound SUV veered off course on 188th Street. The driver, a 48-year-old woman, fell asleep and crashed into a parked Jeep. Metal shrieked. Airbag burst. Blood spilled. The street held its breath. The city’s danger never sleeps.

According to the police report, a 48-year-old woman driving a northbound GMC SUV on 188th Street near 75-19 lost control after she 'drifted asleep behind the wheel.' Her vehicle collided with a parked Jeep, striking the left rear bumper and damaging the Jeep’s left rear quarter panel. The report lists 'Fell Asleep' as the contributing factor. The force of the crash triggered the airbag, and the driver suffered a head injury with severe bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. No other occupants or bystanders were involved. The parked Jeep was unoccupied. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor. The crash underscores the persistent danger posed by driver incapacitation and the vulnerability of everyone on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4781898 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A man lay on Clearview Expressway. Three cars struck him. His chest crushed, life ended there. Another man behind the wheel, pinned and broken. Steel and rain, speed and error. The road did not forgive.

According to the police report, a 56-year-old man was killed on the northbound Clearview Expressway after being struck by three vehicles. The report states, 'A man lay in the road. Three cars struck. His chest crushed. He died there.' Another 56-year-old man, driving one of the vehicles, was injured and pinned, suffering chest injuries described as 'crush injuries.' The police report lists 'Following Too Closely' and 'Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle' as contributing factors, along with 'Pavement Slippery.' These driver errors—specifically following too closely—are cited as direct contributors to the crash. The narrative highlights the systemic danger posed by multiple vehicles traveling straight ahead on a slick roadway, with no mention of pedestrian error as a contributing factor. The deadly sequence unfolded on a rain-slicked expressway, where human error and hazardous conditions combined with fatal results.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4781815 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A flatbed truck rolled west on the Long Island Expressway. Its right front bumper struck a 65-year-old man lying off the roadway. Blood pooled. Death came before dawn. Driver inattention, police say, left the man unseen and unspared.

A 65-year-old man was killed when a flatbed truck traveling westbound on the Long Island Expressway struck him with its right front bumper, according to the police report. The incident occurred off the roadway, with the pedestrian described as 'not in roadway' and 'not at intersection.' The police report states, 'Two flatbeds passed. One did not see. The right front bumper struck his head.' The victim suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. The primary contributing factor cited in the police report is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' No driver errors beyond inattention are listed. The report does not cite any pedestrian behavior as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the truck driver's failure to notice the man lying off the road, resulting in a fatal collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4779876 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A moped slammed into an SUV’s side on Goethals Avenue. The 26-year-old rider crumpled, blood pooling from his leg. He wore a helmet. The SUV turned left. Sirens echoed. The city’s danger pressed in, steel against flesh.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on Goethals Avenue near 162nd Street in Queens at 1:30 p.m. when a moped traveling straight struck the left side of a station wagon/SUV making a left turn. The 26-year-old moped rider suffered severe lacerations to his leg and was conscious at the scene. The report cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor, underscoring the SUV driver's error in turning left across the moped’s path. The moped rider was wearing a helmet, as noted in the report. The narrative details, 'The moped hit first, straight into the SUV’s side. The rider, 26, crumpled on impact. Blood ran from his leg. He wore a helmet. She turned left. He had a permit.' The data makes clear the systemic risk when drivers fail to yield to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4763908 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A westbound car swept past an 80-year-old man on 48th Avenue, its bumper slamming into his head. Blood pooled on the pavement. He stayed conscious, wounded and cut. The street held no intersection, only danger and steel.

According to the police report, an 80-year-old pedestrian was walking with traffic along 48th Avenue near 206th Street at dusk when a westbound car 'passed too close.' The vehicle's right front bumper struck the man's head, causing severe lacerations and bleeding. The report notes that the pedestrian remained conscious at the scene. The crash did not occur at an intersection. The primary contributing factor cited is 'Passing Too Closely,' a clear driver error. The report does not list any pedestrian behavior as a contributing factor. The narrative documents the impact, the injuries, and the absence of intersection controls, underscoring the peril faced by those on foot when drivers fail to maintain safe distance.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4757802 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 21-year-old moped passenger died on 73rd Avenue, thrown from the seat, head striking asphalt. No helmet. Speed too high. Evening light fading. The crash left the street silent, the body still, the danger plain.

A deadly collision unfolded at the corner of 73rd Avenue and 184th Street in Queens. According to the police report, a moped traveling east struck the center front end of an SUV heading north. The 21-year-old male passenger on the moped was ejected, suffering fatal head injuries. The report states, 'Speed too high,' and lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the primary contributing factor. The narrative describes the rider flying off the moped and striking his head on the pavement, with no helmet present. The crash occurred as daylight faded, underscoring the risks when speed overrides control. The police report does not cite any victim behavior as a contributing factor, focusing instead on the excessive speed that led to the fatal impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750201 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04