Queens Bleeds While Leaders Stall—How Many More Must Die?

Aug 29 - A southbound sedan hit a 6‑year‑old on Beach 108th. He suffered a head injury and stayed conscious. The car showed no damage. The driver was licensed. The street failed the child, not the child.

A southbound Honda sedan traveling straight struck a 6-year-old boy outside an intersection near Beach 108th Street in Queens. He sustained a head injury and was reported conscious. According to the police report, the pedestrian was “Crossing, No Signal, or Crosswalk” and the location was “Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Not at Intersection.” The report lists driver contributing factors as “Unspecified,” and the vehicle showed “No Damage.” No specific driver errors were recorded, underscoring a system where a child on foot meets a moving car and loses.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4838593 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Aug 28 - Taxi and sedan drivers collided at Beach 75 St and Beach Channel Dr. The crash also hit a parked pickup. A front-seat passenger suffered a head contusion. Police recorded driver inattention and passenger distraction.

A taxi driver heading east on Beach Channel Dr and a westbound sedan driver crashed front to front at Beach 75 St in Arverne. The collision also damaged a parked pickup. A front passenger, 45, suffered a head contusion. According to the police report, both vehicles were going straight and both points of impact were at the center front. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction by the drivers. They also recorded passenger distraction.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841117 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Aug 22 - Northbound on Beach Channel Drive at Hassock Street, a motorcyclist tried a U-turn as a sedan driver went straight. The drivers collided. The rider suffered leg pain and shock. It was 8:55 p.m. Police listed driver errors.

Two northbound drivers collided on Beach Channel Drive at Hassock Street in Queens. According to the police report, the motorcyclist attempted a U-turn while a sedan driver continued straight, and the two collided. The 40-year-old male motorcyclist reported knee and lower-leg pain and was listed as injured; other injuries were not specified. Police recorded driver errors: Turning Improperly and Driver Inattention/Distraction. Police also noted left-front damage on the motorcycle and center-front damage on the sedan. Both vehicles were recorded as traveling northbound at the time of impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4839816 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Aug 15 - A northbound sedan turned right and hit a westbound teen on a bike in Queens. The boy went down. His leg was hurt. Police cite driver distraction. Metal wins. Flesh pays.

A sedan turning right collided with a westbound bicyclist at 33 Market St in Queens. The 15-year-old cyclist was injured in the leg. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Driver Inattention/Distraction.” The driver’s listed pre-crash action was Making Right Turn, while the cyclist was Going Straight Ahead. These records point to driver error: inattention during a turning movement. Only after that does the data note the bicyclist’s equipment as None; the report does not tie that to causation. No other causes are listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4835740 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Aug 14 - Int 1362 repeals the definitions of “protected bicycle lane” and “protected bus lane” and strips explicit benchmarks for protected lanes from the streets master plan. It preserves signal and pedestrian targets but weakens commitments to physical protection, threatening safety and equity.

Bill Int 1362-2025. Status: Sponsorship, introduced Aug 14, 2025. Referred to Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The measure, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to removing benchmarks for bus lanes and bicycle lanes from the streets master plan and repealing certain definitions in relation thereto," repeals the definitions of "protected bicycle lane" and "protected bus lane" and removes related benchmarks in the master plan (master plan dates referenced include Dec. 1, 2021 and Dec. 1, 2026). Primary sponsor: Robert F. Holden. Co-sponsors: Inna Vernikov, Joann Ariola, Chris Banks, Vickie Paladino. Safety analysts warn: "Removing explicit benchmarks and definitions for protected bus and bicycle lanes weakens commitments to physically protected infrastructure... likely reducing mode shift to walking and cycling and worsening equity and safety-in-numbers; the retained measures focus on signals and pedestrian amenities but do not replace the protective effect of designated protected lanes."

• File Int 1362-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Int 1362 strips definitions for protected bus and bike lanes and removes benchmarks from the streets master plan. It guts measurable targets. Safe space for pedestrians and cyclists is at risk. The city could slow needed separated infrastructure.

Bill: Int. No. 1362 (Int 1362-2025). Status: SPONSORSHIP. Committee: Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Event date: 2025-08-14. The matter reads: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to removing benchmarks for bus lanes and bicycle lanes from the streets master plan and repealing certain definitions in relation thereto." Council Member Robert F. Holden is the primary sponsor. Joann Ariola and Vickie Paladino are co-sponsors. The draft repeals the definitions of "protected bicycle lane" and "protected bus lane" and removes explicit benchmarks tied to transit signal priority, bus stop upgrades, accessible pedestrian signals and intersection redesigns. Removing those benchmarks weakens commitments to high‑quality separated infrastructure and measurable mode‑shift targets, likely slowing deployment of safe space for pedestrians and cyclists and undermining equitable street redesigns.

• File Int 1362-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Int. No. 1362 strips city definitions and benchmarks for protected bicycle lanes and protected bus lanes. It removes targets and accountability. The change will slow deployment of separated bike and bus infrastructure and erode safety and equity for pedestrians and cyclists.

Int. No. 1362 (filed Aug. 14, 2025; stage: SPONSORSHIP) was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The matter is titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to removing benchmarks for bus lanes and bicycle lanes and repealing certain definitions in relation thereto." Council Member Robert F. Holden is the primary sponsor. Co-sponsors are Vickie Paladino, Joann Ariola, and Inna Vernikov. The bill repeals the definitions of "protected bicycle lane" and "protected bus lane" and removes benchmark requirements from the streets master plan. Safety analysts note that removing explicit benchmarks and definitions weakens accountability for building separated cycling and bus infrastructure, likely decreasing street equity and safety-in-numbers for pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 1362-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Int 1347-2025 orders TLC, NYPD and DOT to use a compliance checklist and levy maximum fines on unlicensed commuter vans. Punitive enforcement may cut informal transit, push riders to cars and ride‑hail, and raise vehicle volumes that endanger pedestrians and cyclists.

Bill: Int 1347-2025. Status: Sponsorship; sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced and referred August 14, 2025. The matter: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to enforcing violations against unlicensed commuter vans." Primary sponsor Nantasha M. Williams; co-sponsors Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Mercedes Narcisse, and Chris Banks. The law orders TLC, with NYPD and DOT, to maintain a checklist and requires officers to issue maximum fines for each violation. It takes effect 120 days after enactment. A safety assessment warns this punitive approach may reduce informal transit in underserved areas, shift trips to private cars and ride‑hail, and increase traffic volumes that endanger pedestrians and cyclists; it adds policing without system-wide safety gains.

• File Int 1347-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Int 1347-2025 orders TLC, NYPD and DOT to cite unlicensed commuter vans and levy maximum fines. It will likely shrink shared rides in transit deserts. Trips will shift to private cars and ride-hail. Pedestrians and cyclists face more exposure on the street.

Int 1347-2025 is at SPONSORSHIP and sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on August 14, 2025. The matter is titled, "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to enforcing violations against unlicensed commuter vans." Primary sponsor Nantasha M. Williams introduced the bill. Co-sponsors Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Mercedes Narcisse, Chris Banks, and Farah N. Louis joined her. The bill orders TLC, with NYPD and DOT, to maintain a compliance checklist and requires officers to issue maximum penalties for every listed violation. Analysts warn punitive enforcement and steep fines will likely reduce shared transit options in transit deserts, push trips to private cars and ride-hail, and increase traffic exposure for pedestrians and cyclists, prioritizing policing over safer operations or street redesign without clear system-wide safety gains.

• File Int 1347-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 12 - A Lexus sedan turned left on Mott and hit a woman in the crosswalk at Beach 20th. She stayed conscious, clutching her bruised arm. The car showed no damage. The street showed the truth: a person hurt at an intersection.

A 2021 Lexus sedan, driven by a licensed woman, was making a left turn from Mott Ave at Beach 20 St in Queens when it struck a 38-year-old woman in the intersection. The pedestrian suffered a bruised arm and remained conscious. According to the police report, contributing factors were listed as “Unspecified” for all parties. The vehicle’s point of impact was the center front end, and the car showed no damage. The driver was turning left, a high-risk maneuver for people on foot at intersections. No driver errors were recorded beyond the unspecified factors in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4834521 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Aug 8 - A driver in an SUV and a motorcyclist collided on Beach 67 at Rockaway Beach Blvd after each turned improperly. The 42-year-old rider suffered an arm abrasion and was conscious. Police recorded turning improperly by both drivers.

A collision on Beach 67 Street at Rockaway Beach Boulevard in Queens injured the lone motorcyclist. The driver of the motorcycle, a 42-year-old man, suffered an abrasion to his elbow/arm and remained conscious. The driver of the motorcycle had been making a left turn. The driver of the SUV had been making a right turn. According to the police report, both vehicles were "Turning Improperly" before the collision. Police recorded turning improperly by the drivers as contributing factors. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet. No other injuries or contributing factors were specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833828 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Aug 8 - Driver turned right and hit a man in the intersection at Beach 116 and Beach Channel. Police cited distraction. The 47-year-old suffered a back injury and a bruise.

A driver in a 2017 Jeep SUV made a right turn at Beach 116 Street and Beach Channel Drive in Queens and hit a 47-year-old man crossing in the intersection. The driver hit him with the SUV’s center front end. The pedestrian was conscious and suffered a back injury and a contusion. According to the police report, police recorded driver inattention and distraction by the driver as contributing factors. No other contributing factors were listed. The driver was licensed. The report lists damage at the center front end.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833827 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Aug 8 - Flash floods swamped Cross Island Parkway. Leaders demanded flood signage and storm fixes. Signs may warn drivers but do little for pedestrians and cyclists. Only real infrastructure will cut the risks they face.

"signage as a 'small step' and 'low-hanging fruit,'" -- Donovan J. Richards

Action: infrastructure request (no bill number). Status: public call on August 8, 2025; not advanced to committee or vote. The matter was described as a "call for flood-related street signage and storm mitigation efforts." Queens Borough President Donovan J. Richards called signage a "small step" and "low-hanging fruit." Council Member Vickie Paladino urged signs to warn drivers unfamiliar with the area. State Sen. John Liu pressed city, state and federal agencies and criticized federal funding cuts. Safety analyst note: "Flood warning signage may help alert motorists but does little to address the underlying risks to pedestrians and cyclists... only comprehensive infrastructure improvements would yield significant safety benefits for vulnerable road users."

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

Aug 7 - A driver in an ambulance hit a nine-year-old on Beach 115th Street in Queens. The boy suffered shoulder injuries and shock. Police cited pedestrian confusion. No driver error recorded.

A driver in a 2021 ambulance, heading south and going straight, hit a nine-year-old boy near Beach 115th Street in Queens. The impact was to the center front of the ambulance. The child was not at an intersection and was listed as playing in the roadway. He sustained an abrasion and an injury to his upper arm and shoulder and went into shock. According to the police report, the only contributing factor recorded was 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' No driver errors were recorded. The ambulance showed no damage. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4834361 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Aug 7 - City scales back Creedmoor plan. Density cut 27%. The car-free model dies. Walkers and cyclists lose safety and 'safety in numbers'. Local pols beat back bold urban design. Streets stay hostile. The chance for a people-first, low-car neighborhood vanishes.

Bill number: none — this is a policy statement, not legislation. Status: announced August 7, 2025; no committee review. Matter quoted: "NYC Could Have Its First Car-Free Neighborhood (But Won’t Get It Due To Revanchist Pols)." Eastern Queens Greenway condemned the decision to downscale the Creedmoor redevelopment from 2,775 units by 27 percent. Assembly Member Ed Braunstein and Council Member Joann Ariola opposed higher density and pressed the rollback. Empire State Development framed the change as a compromise. Safety impact: the cut reduces potential mode shift, walkability, and "safety in numbers" for pedestrians and cyclists, preserving car dependence and dangerous streets.

• NYC Could Have Its First Car-Free Neighborhood (But Won’t Get It Due To Revanchist Pols), Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-07

Aug 5 - Police car struck at Beach 35th and Rockaway. Three hurt. Sirens cut through Edgemere. Cause unknown. Streets stained. Investigation begins.

CBS New York reported on August 5, 2025, that an NYPD cruiser crashed at Beach 35th Street and Rockaway Freeway in Edgemere, Queens. Three people were injured. The article states, 'Police are now trying to determine the cause of the crash.' No details on driver actions or contributing factors were released. The incident highlights risks at busy intersections and the need for thorough investigation when emergency vehicles are involved.

• NYPD Cruiser Crash Injures Three In Queens, CBS New York, Published 2025-08-05

Aug 4 - A left-turning SUV hit the right side of a southbound SUV on Rockaway Freeway. Four people were injured. Drivers and front passengers suffered head trauma, a fractured arm, concussions, and bleeding amid night sirens.

According to the police report ... two Ford SUVs collided on Rockaway Freeway at Seagirt Boulevard. One vehicle was making a left turn northbound; the other was going straight southbound. Four occupants were injured: both drivers and both front passengers. Reported injuries included head trauma, a concussion, a fractured arm, and bleeding. The southbound SUV shows left-front bumper damage; the left-turning SUV shows right-side door damage. The police report lists all contributing factors as "Unspecified." No driver errors were recorded in the data.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832910 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Aug 1 - A teen drove a BMW at 100 mph without a license. He lost control. The car hit a truck. Fourteen-year-old Fortune Williams was ejected and killed. The driver now faces prison. Parents faced charges too.

Gothamist (2025-08-01) reports an 18-year-old Queens resident was sentenced to up to four years for a 2023 crash that killed 14-year-old Fortune Williams. The teen, unlicensed and speeding at over 100 mph in a 30-mph zone, lost control and struck a parked UPS truck. Prosecutors said he only had a learner's permit and had been previously ticketed for unlicensed driving. His parents, who gave him the BMW, were convicted of child endangerment. DA Melinda Katz called it 'a landmark case where both an unlicensed teenage driver and his parents were held responsible.' The case highlights failures in supervision and enforcement.

• Unlicensed Teen Driver Kills Passenger, Gothamist, Published 2025-08-01

Jul 29 - Two sedans collided at Beach 69 Street and Thursby Avenue in Queens. Both drivers, women, were injured. Police listed glare and failure to yield right-of-way. Children were present in the vehicles. Morning light. Metal and pain.

"According to the police report," two drivers, both women, were injured when their sedans collided at Beach 69 Street and Thursby Avenue. One driver suffered shoulder and upper-arm injuries; the other suffered elbow and lower-arm injuries. Police listed "Glare" and "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" as contributing factors. Both drivers were recorded as going straight ahead. Damage was recorded to the center front of one sedan and the right-side doors of the other. Children were reported to be present in the vehicles. The report does not list any pedestrians or cyclists as involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832304 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Jul 28 - SUV driver turned left on Brookhaven Ave at Beach 20 St and hit a northbound cyclist. The rider, 18, suffered a head injury. Police recorded driver inattention.

In Queens, the driver of an SUV making a left turn on Brookhaven Ave at Beach 20 St hit a northbound cyclist who was making a right turn. The cyclist, 18, sustained a head injury and reported a bruise. He was conscious at the scene. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' was a contributing factor. The report also lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a factor. Impact points were the SUV’s left front bumper and the bike’s front end. No other injuries were specified for vehicle occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832014 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04