Queens Streets Bleed—How Many More Before City Hall Wakes Up?

Aug 12 - The driver of a sedan going straight on Union Turnpike hit a 61-year-old man outside 189th Street. The man suffered head trauma, crush injuries and was found unconscious. The sedan then struck a parked Lexus’s left rear.

The driver of a 2023 Mercedes sedan was traveling east on Union Turnpike and, while going straight ahead, struck a 61-year-old male pedestrian crossing outside the intersection at 189th Street. The pedestrian sustained head trauma, crush injuries and was found unconscious. The sedan bore center-front damage and then struck the left rear bumper of a parked 2022 Lexus. "According to the police report, contributing factors were listed as \"Unspecified.\"" The report notes no pedestrian error and records no driver citations. Police recorded the point of impact as the vehicle’s center front end.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4834595 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 12 - A car tore through an Astoria intersection. It struck a food truck. Two men died on the sidewalk. The driver died too. Metal, flesh, coffee, blood. The street swallowed them. It happened fast. No one stood a chance.

According to the New York Post (2025-08-12), an 84-year-old driver sped through 42nd Street and 19th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, crashing into a food truck and killing two customers and himself. Surveillance showed the car "going about 60 miles an hour" before impact. The article quotes a witness: "Someone screamed really loudly, and I just had stepped back, like right up to the sidewalk." The force severed a victim's foot. The crash highlights the lethal risk when drivers lose control at high speed in pedestrian zones. No charges were filed; the driver died at the scene.

• Speeding Car Slams Food Truck, Kills Two, New York Post, Published 2025-08-12

Aug 11 - A car thief fled cops, leaping into the Atlantic. Officers dove in, fought him in the water, and dragged him to shore. The chase began with a stolen sedan, ended in cold surf, cuffs snapping shut.

NY Daily News (2025-08-11) reports a car thief jumped into the Atlantic off Far Rockaway after police caught him with a stolen Honda. The suspect, Matthew Swafford, used a stolen North Carolina plate. Officers pursued him into the water, as shown in NYPD video. Detective Demerest called, 'Take my belt!' before diving in. Swafford was charged with possession of stolen property and other offenses. The incident highlights risks when suspects flee in stolen vehicles, raising questions about pursuit protocols and the dangers posed by car theft in dense urban areas.

• Car Thief Jumps Far Rockaway Dock, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-11

Aug 8 - Two sedans collided at 199-23 Dunton Ave and struck a parked car. A 34-year-old front passenger suffered a neck injury and whiplash. Police listed a defective tow hitch as a contributing factor.

According to the police report, "Tow Hitch Defective" was listed as a contributing factor. Three sedans were involved at 199-23 Dunton Ave in Queens. Two vehicles were moving; one was parked. A 34-year-old front passenger was injured, suffering a neck injury and reported whiplash. The passenger was conscious and not ejected. Police recorded vehicle damage to a left front bumper and right-side doors. The report does not list any driver errors such as failure to yield or speeding. The record attributes the incident to the defective tow hitch noted in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833550 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 8 - At Grand Central Parkway and Main Street, a driver making a left, unlicensed. Another went straight. The sedans hit front corners. A 39-year-old man suffered back injuries and shock.

Two drivers in sedans crashed at Grand Central Parkway and Main Street. One driver, unlicensed, was making a left turn. The other drove straight. According to the police report, a 39-year-old man suffered back injuries and shock. The other driver was not reported injured. Police recorded the turning driver’s license status as 'Unlicensed.' No other contributing factors were specified in the data. Points of impact were the right front bumper of the turning car and the left front bumper of the straight-moving car. No pedestrians or cyclists were listed as involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833549 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 8 - Floods drowned Bay Terrace. Streets vanished. Leaders demand signs and real fixes. Pedestrians and cyclists still face danger. Signs warn, but water keeps coming.

"Just as Queens was about to get hundreds of millions of dollars in the federal infrastructure plan to address some of the severe flooding issues right here in Queens, the Trump administration yanked it, revoked that funding, and this is what we’re going to have to be faced with even more." -- John Liu

On August 8, 2025, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Council Member Vickie Paladino, joined by State Sen. John Liu and others, called for flood-related street signage and storm mitigation in Bay Terrace. They urged the Department of Transportation to act after flash floods submerged the Cross Island Parkway. The matter, described as a 'call for flood-related street signage and storm mitigation efforts,' saw Richards call signage a 'small step' and Paladino stress the need for warnings. The safety analyst notes these efforts may help general conditions but do not address the core safety needs of pedestrians and cyclists or shift burdens away from vulnerable users.

• Queens leaders call for flood signage and infrastructure in Bay Terrace, AMNY, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 5 - Two drivers changed lanes on Grand Central Parkway and collided. The driver of one SUV, a 55-year-old man, suffered knee and lower-leg abrasions. Police cited reaction to another vehicle and following too closely as causes.

Drivers of two SUVs collided on Grand Central Parkway in Queens after both began changing lanes. One driver, a 55-year-old man, sustained knee and lower-leg injuries and complained of an abrasion. According to the police report, the crash was caused by "Reaction to Uninvolved Vehicle" and "Following Too Closely." Police recorded both drivers’ pre-crash maneuvers as changing lanes. Point of impact was the right front bumper of one SUV and the left rear bumper of the other. Both vehicles sustained damage. The police report lists those driver errors as the primary contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833060 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 3 - A driver struck an e-bike rider in Queens. A scooter rider crashed in Brooklyn. Both died. Streets claimed them. Police investigate. Lives ended fast. Metal and speed left no room for error.

NY Daily News (2025-08-03) reports two fatal e-vehicle crashes. On July 31, a 62-year-old Nissan Rogue driver hit Zhao Feng Zhen, 55, on Hollis Court Blvd in Queens. The driver remained at the scene; police continue to investigate. On July 12, Eusebio Quinones, 60, lost control of his electric scooter on Union Ave in Brooklyn and died from his injuries days later. The article notes, 'police are still investigating the crash.' These deaths highlight ongoing risks for vulnerable road users on city streets.

• Two Killed In Separate E-Vehicle Crashes, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-03

Aug 1 - A car struck and killed a 23-year-old man on 101st Street. The driver sped off after an encounter at the window. Police found the victim with severe trauma. He died at Jamaica Hospital.

According to the New York Post (2025-08-01), a 23-year-old man died after being run over on 101st Street and Liberty Boulevard in Queens. The article reports, "Sonalall approached the driver's side window and flashed what appeared to be a gun, startling the motorist, who then drove off, striking Sonalall." The Queens District Attorney's Office did not charge the driver, citing fear for his life. The incident highlights the lethal risk when vehicles are used in moments of conflict. No charges were filed, raising questions about how self-defense is interpreted in car-related deaths.

• Man Killed By Driver In Queens Street, New York Post, Published 2025-08-01

Jul 31 - Two SUVs collided on Gothic Drive near 168 Place in Queens. Both drivers, women aged 46 and 47, were injured. One reported a head injury; the other an upper-arm/shoulder injury. Both complained of whiplash. Police listed contributing factors as 'Unspecified'.

According to the police report, two drivers in SUVs collided on Gothic Drive near 168 Place in Queens. Both drivers were women, ages 46 and 47. One driver suffered a head injury and complained of whiplash. The other suffered an upper-arm/shoulder injury and also complained of whiplash. Police recorded the Jeep’s point of impact as the right-front bumper and the Acura’s point of impact as the left-side doors. Both drivers were conscious and not ejected. Police recorded contributing factors for each person as 'Unspecified'. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved, per the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4831797 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 29 - A driver in an SUV changed lanes and hit a box truck on the Long Island Expressway. Five passengers were injured. Police recorded 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Unsafe Lane Changing.' The SUV driver held only a permit.

A driver in an SUV changed lanes eastbound on the Long Island Expressway and hit a box truck that was traveling east. Five people, all passengers, were injured; reported complaints included neck, back and leg trauma and a knee/lower-leg/foot injury for one passenger. According to the police report, "Driver Inexperience" was listed as a contributing factor and the report also notes "Unsafe Lane Changing." Police recorded the SUV driver held only a permit. The SUV's right-front quarter panel struck the truck's left-front bumper, damaging the SUV's right side doors and the truck's left front bumper. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4831133 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 29 - City and business leaders back a $3 million study to overhaul 14th Street. The plan aims to carve out space for walkers, bikers, and buses. Cars lose ground. Streets grow safer. The city bets on change.

On July 29, 2025, Christopher Bonanos reported a sweeping proposal to remake 14th Street. No council bill number or committee is listed. The Adams administration, local BIDs, and the NYC Economic Development Corporation pledged $3 million for a 24-month study. The plan, described as 'transformative' and 'generational,' aims to create a 'complete street' for pedestrians, cyclists, delivery workers, and transit. Mayor Eric Adams and city officials support the move. According to safety analysts, such overhauls, especially when led by city and business groups, often yield safer, more equitable streets for vulnerable users.

• Everyone Wants to Fix 14th Street, New York Magazine - Curbed, Published 2025-07-29

Jul 27 - Two vehicles met head-on on Hillside Ave. The driver of an SUV overturned. Three people were injured. A 74-year-old front passenger suffered a neck contusion. Police recorded unsafe speed by the driver.

A driver in an SUV and a driver in a sedan collided head-on at 205-19 Hillside Ave in Queens. According to the police report, the SUV overturned. Three people were injured: a 74-year-old front passenger suffered a neck contusion and remained conscious, and both drivers reported neck pain. Police recorded "Unsafe Speed" by the driver as the contributing factor. The SUV showed overturned damage; the sedan sustained center-front damage. The report notes the 74-year-old was restrained with a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. No other contributing factors are listed in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830577 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 26 - A sedan hit a cyclist on Parsons Boulevard. The cyclist suffered a concussion. Metal met flesh. The street stayed busy. The system failed to protect the vulnerable.

A sedan and a bike collided at Parsons Boulevard and 79th Avenue in Queens. The 32-year-old male cyclist was injured, suffering a concussion. According to the police report, the crash involved 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. The sedan’s left front quarter panel struck the bike’s center front end. No driver errors were specified in the report. The cyclist was not using any safety equipment. The crash highlights the ongoing danger for cyclists on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830480 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 26 - On 188th Street in Queens, a southbound driver hit stopped SUVs. Children were hurt. A teen suffered a concussion. A baby was injured. Police cite driver inattention and drowsiness. Faces bruised. Heads rocked. Shock followed.

Three SUV drivers crashed near 87-18 188th Street in Queens. Two drivers were stopped in traffic. Police recorded a center-front impact by the southbound driver and rear impacts to the stopped SUVs. Multiple people were injured, including a 7-year-old girl with facial bruises, a 13-year-old girl with a concussion, and an infant with unknown injuries. A 41-year-old woman suffered head trauma and whiplash. Other adults and teens were listed with unspecified injuries. According to the police report, drivers were inattentive and drowsy. Police recorded Driver Inattention/Distraction and Fatigued/Drowsy by the drivers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830479 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 25 - Drivers in a bus and a sedan crashed on Grand Central Parkway at Union Turnpike in Queens. A 23-year-old woman driver suffered neck pain and shock. Police listed the cause as “Unspecified.” Metal, sirens, and fear on the shoulder.

A driver in a sedan and a bus driver collided on Grand Central Parkway near Union Turnpike in Queens. According to the police report, a 23-year-old woman driving the sedan reported neck pain and shock. The bus driver, a 40-year-old man, was not reported injured. Two additional people were listed with “Unspecified” injury status. The police report records the contributing factor as “Unspecified”; no specific driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction were noted in the data. The sedan sustained damage at the right front bumper; the bus showed no damage. The facts point to a routine crash on a high-speed corridor that left a young woman hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833473 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 19 - Two sedans slammed together on Van Wyck. Passengers took the hit. Neck injuries, bruises. Police say drivers followed too close. Metal crumpled. Safety failed. System let them down.

A rear-end collision involving two sedans on Van Wyck Expressway in Queens left multiple passengers injured. According to the police report, both drivers were 'Following Too Closely.' One passenger suffered neck injuries and a bruise, another reported whiplash. The crash involved adults and a child, all listed as occupants. The impact struck the center front and back ends of the vehicles. Driver error—following too closely—was the sole contributing factor cited in the report. No other causes were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4828565 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 18 - A speeding sedan hit two teen cyclists at 61-24 190 St. Both boys were hurt. Police cite unsafe speed and traffic control ignored. Metal met flesh. The street did not forgive.

Two teenage boys riding a bike were struck by a sedan at 61-24 190 St in Queens. Both cyclists, ages 14 and 15, suffered injuries. According to the police report, the crash involved unsafe speed and disregard for traffic control. The sedan, driven by a 39-year-old woman, hit the cyclists as both vehicles went straight. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. Neither cyclist wore safety equipment, but the primary causes remain driver error. The crash left bruises and pain. The street became a site of harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4828474 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 17 - The driver of a box truck rear-ended a sedan on the Long Island Expressway. Three people in the sedan were injured, including the driver. The sedan’s rear was crushed and the truck’s front was damaged.

According to the police report, both vehicles were traveling east and going straight ahead when the collision occurred. The driver of a box truck hit the center rear of a sedan. The sedan’s rear was crushed and the truck’s center front was damaged. Three people in the sedan were injured: a 37-year-old female driver with shoulder and upper-arm injuries, a 31-year-old male front passenger with hip and upper-leg injuries, and an 18-year-old female rear passenger with injuries to her entire body. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4828257 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jul 16 - A driver hit a 67-year-old woman crossing Hillside Ave in Queens. She suffered a head injury, was semiconscious and had minor bleeding. Police cited driver inattention and improper lane use.

According to the police report, the 67-year-old pedestrian suffered a head injury, was semiconscious and had minor bleeding. The driver struck her with the vehicle's left front bumper while traveling west and going straight ahead near 148-27 Hillside Ave in Queens. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The pedestrian was crossing and was not at an intersection or crosswalk. No vehicle damage was recorded. Police classified the pedestrian as injured and noted the head injury and minor bleeding.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4828023 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18