No More Dead Kids: Make Streets Safe or Get Out of the Way

A driver killed Dolma Naadhun, age 7, at Newtown Road and 45th Street. Her father and Council Member Julie Won want a traffic light. DOT refuses. Officials and advocates demand broader, bolder street redesigns. Paint and signs are not enough. Lives hang in the balance.

""We have to bigger and we have to be bolder. We have to be thinking about traffic-calming measures across all of our intersections ... because quite simply, if it saves lives, it's worth doing."" -- Tiffany Cabán

After the death of 7-year-old Dolma Naadhun at Newtown Road and 45th Street, Council Member Julie Won and Dolma’s father, Tsering Wangdu, called for a traffic light. The Department of Transportation (DOT) declined, offering only daylighting and crosswalk improvements. The matter, highlighted on February 26, 2023, drew support from Council Member Tiffany Caban, State Sen. Mike Gianaris, and Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez Rojas. Caban said, “We have to be bigger and we have to be bolder. We have to be thinking about traffic-calming measures across all of our intersections.” Advocates and officials criticized DOT’s reactive approach and urged proactive, community-driven safety changes. They stressed that only street design and physical infrastructure—not piecemeal fixes—can prevent deaths and protect vulnerable road users.

• Dolma’s Grieving Father, Pols Seek Traffic Light at Fatal Corner — But Larger Safety Improvements are Needed, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-26

A driver killed 7-year-old Dolma Naadhun at a Queens intersection. City workers made minor fixes. Council members demanded daylighting and real barriers. DOT resisted, citing flexibility. Advocates want curb extensions. The city’s slow action leaves streets deadly.

On February 24, 2023, Council Members Julie Won, Tiffany Cabán, and Selvena Brooks-Powers sent a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT) after a driver killed Dolma Naadhun. They demanded daylighting, neckdowns, speed bumps, stop signs, and reflective markings at Newtown Road intersections. The lawmakers wrote, “Nothing can bring back Dolma Naadhun, but we can prevent further loss of life so that no family must experience the loss of a loved one.” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez opposed a Council bill mandating 100 daylighted intersections per year, arguing for flexibility and physical infrastructure in daylit spaces. Advocates and experts agree: daylighting without barriers is flawed. They call for curb extensions to slow drivers and protect people. Residents remain frustrated by the city’s slow, limited response after repeated deaths and injuries.

• R.I.P. DOLMA: A Deep Dive on DOT’s Daylighting Dilemma, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-24

Nineteen council members demand Mayor Adams back state bills for six-minute transit and free buses. They urge Albany to fund the MTA, calling transit a public good. Fast, frequent service means safer, fuller streets. The council stands united. Riders wait.

On January 27, 2023, nineteen New York City Council members, led by Tiffany Cabán, sent a letter urging Mayor Adams to support the Fix the MTA package in Albany. The package, introduced by Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani and Senator Mike Gianaris, includes eight bills: funding for six-minute off-peak subway and bus service, four years of free bus rides, and closing the MTA's fiscal gap. Council Member Amanda Farías introduced a resolution backing six-minute service. The letter states, 'Just as fund libraries and schools, we must fund transit—a public good that creates access to opportunities in life.' Cabán called the push a 'critical public safety initiative,' linking frequent, reliable transit to safer streets. The council's action signals a unified demand for robust, equitable transit funding.

• Council Members Join Push For Six-Minute Transit Service And Free Buses, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-27

A cement truck killed Tamara Chuchi Kao, 62, on 24th Avenue. Locals and officials had begged for safer streets. No bike lanes. Trucks thunder past homes. City promised action after the crash. Cyclists keep dying. The danger remains, unyielding.

On January 6, 2023, Astoria residents and Council Member Tiffany Cabán renewed demands for safety on 24th Avenue after a cement truck killed Citi Bike rider Tamara Chuchi Kao. The street, a DOT truck route, lacks bike lanes. Kao was the fourth cyclist killed in western Queens in under three years. Former Councilmember Costa Constantinides called the area a 'serious safety risk' and urged the DOT to study improvements and reroute trucks. Cabán called the crash 'devastating' and pressed city agencies for action. DOT spokesman Vin Barone promised immediate steps at the crash site and talks on protected bike lanes. Less than 1.5 percent of streets in Council District 22 have protected bike paths. Residents say the city prioritizes highway access over safety. The city plans to add leading pedestrian intervals at the intersection.

• Locals Have Been Begging for Safer Street Where Trucker Killed Citi Bike Rider, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-06

A concrete mixer turned right on 24th Avenue. Its bumper struck a 62-year-old woman on her bike. She flew from the saddle. She died on the cold street. Heavy steel met flesh. The city’s streets took another life.

A 62-year-old woman riding a bicycle east on 24th Avenue in Queens was killed when a concrete mixer truck turned right and struck her with its front bumper. According to the police report, 'A concrete mixer turned right. A 62-year-old woman pedaled east. The truck’s bumper struck her head. She flew from the bike. No helmet. No chance. She died alone on the cold street.' The crash data lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors beyond the truck’s right turn. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this detail appears only after the sequence of impact. The collision underscores the deadly risk for cyclists sharing space with massive trucks on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4595961 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Mercedes SUV turned left at 45th Street and 30th Avenue. It hit a 64-year-old woman crossing the street. Blood ran from her head. She stayed conscious. The SUV was untouched. The street was not.

A 64-year-old woman was struck by a Mercedes SUV while crossing at the intersection of 45th Street and 30th Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, the SUV was making a left turn when it hit the pedestrian, causing severe bleeding from her head. She remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The SUV sustained no damage. The driver, a 35-year-old man, was licensed and uninjured. No other injuries were reported. The woman was in the crosswalk when the crash occurred. The report does not mention any actions by the pedestrian as a contributing factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4571005 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A man on a bike hit the street hard. Blood pooled. He lay semiconscious. The bike flipped. The cause: failure to yield. Queens fell silent. The crash left pain and questions. The city moved on. The wound stayed.

A 40-year-old man riding a bike on 84th Street near 25th Avenue in Queens was ejected and severely injured. According to the police report, 'A 40-year-old man was thrown from his bike, bleeding and semiconscious. His body struck the pavement. The bike overturned. The cause: failure to yield.' The crash data lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The cyclist suffered injuries to his entire body and was left semiconscious with severe bleeding. No other vehicle damage was reported. The report does not specify helmet use or other safety equipment. The crash underscores the danger when drivers fail to yield, leaving vulnerable road users exposed to grave harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4533435 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Dodge SUV turned left at 48th Street and Northern Boulevard. Its bumper hit an 89-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She fell. Blood pooled. Her head struck the ground. She never woke up.

An 89-year-old woman was killed at the corner of 48th Street and Northern Boulevard. According to the police report, a Dodge SUV made a left turn and its bumper struck the woman as she crossed with the signal. The impact caused her to fall, resulting in head trauma and internal injuries. She was found unconscious and did not survive. The police report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' The data shows the pedestrian was following the signal at the intersection. No driver errors are specified in the report. No mention of helmet or signal use is listed as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4521828 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council members push for city-run snow clearance. Current law leaves sidewalks and curbs icy, dangerous. Disabled and elderly New Yorkers face blocked crossings. Advocates demand equity. City agencies say they need resources. The fight is for safe, clear passage.

On February 2, 2022, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and City Council Member Tiffany Cabán called for the City of New York to take over sidewalk and curb snow removal, shifting responsibility from property owners to the Department of Sanitation. The proposal, discussed in Streetsblog NYC, highlights failures in the current system: 'We should have public snow removal from sidewalks. Currently, we are placing undue burdens on pedestrians, especially those who use wheelchairs, canes, or walkers, or who push strollers,' Cabán said. Levine noted, 'This is a serious challenge for disabled and elderly New Yorkers, as well as their caregivers.' Community Board 4 and pedestrian advocates echoed these concerns, citing blocked bus stops and curb ramps. The Department of Sanitation expressed readiness if given more funding. The push aims to end patchwork clearance and protect those most at risk.

• FOR PEDS’ SAKE: City Must Take Over Sidewalk and Curb Clearance, Pols Say, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-02-02