Crash Count for District 23
Crashes: Collisions involving cars, bikes, and pedestrians. 6,549
All Injuries: Any injury from a reported crash. 3,850
Moderate: Broken bones, concussions, and other serious injuries. 695
Serious: Life-altering injuries: amputations, paralysis, severe trauma. 20
Deaths: Lives lost to traffic violence. 18
Data from Jan 1, 2022 to Oct 29, 2025
Carnage in CD 23
Detailed breakdowns aren’t yet available for this year slice; totals below reflect the selected window.
Killed 18
+3
Crush Injuries 8
Lower leg/foot 2
Abdomen/pelvis 1
Chest 1
Face 1
Head 1
Neck 1
Whole body 1
Severe Bleeding 9
Head 6
+1
Face 2
Lower leg/foot 1
Severe Lacerations 3
Head 3
Concussion 20
Head 13
+8
Face 2
Neck 2
Back 1
Chest 1
Whole body 1
Whiplash 153
Neck 74
+69
Back 27
+22
Whole body 24
+19
Head 23
+18
Shoulder/upper arm 8
+3
Lower leg/foot 4
Chest 3
Lower arm/hand 2
Abdomen/pelvis 1
Face 1
Hip/upper leg 1
Contusion/Bruise 128
Lower leg/foot 35
+30
Head 20
+15
Lower arm/hand 19
+14
Back 18
+13
Neck 11
+6
Hip/upper leg 10
+5
Shoulder/upper arm 9
+4
Face 5
Chest 4
Whole body 4
Abdomen/pelvis 1
Abrasion 91
Lower leg/foot 25
+20
Lower arm/hand 23
+18
Head 14
+9
Face 8
+3
Whole body 7
+2
Chest 4
Neck 4
Shoulder/upper arm 4
Back 3
Hip/upper leg 3
Abdomen/pelvis 2
Eye 1
Pain/Nausea 50
Back 11
+6
Neck 11
+6
Whole body 8
+3
Head 7
+2
Chest 4
Lower arm/hand 4
Lower leg/foot 4
Abdomen/pelvis 3
Shoulder/upper arm 3
Hip/upper leg 1
Data from Jan 1, 2022 to Oct 29, 2025

Who’s Injuring and Killing Pedestrians in CD 23?

Preventable Speeding in CD 23 School Zones

(since 2022)

Caught Speeding Recently in CD 23

Vehicles – Caught Speeding in NYC (12 months)
  1. 2021 Me/Be Utility Vehicle (Y33PVC) – 134 times • 3 in last 90d here
  2. 2019 White Chevrolet Sedan (LNP6871) – 70 times • 5 in last 90d here
  3. 2024 Black Jeep Suburban (LGM9572) – 68 times • 1 in last 90d here
  4. 2023 White Chevrolet Pickup (88332NA) – 61 times • 1 in last 90d here
  5. 2022 White Me/Be Sedan (LAA9627) – 58 times • 1 in last 90d here
Union Turnpike takes a life; Clearview keeps killing

Union Turnpike takes a life; Clearview keeps killing

District 23: Jan 1, 2022 - Aug 25, 2025

A man went down on Union Turnpike. He did not get back up.

On August 12, at 189th Street and Union Turnpike, a 61‑year‑old pedestrian was struck and killed. The NYPD crash record says two sedans were involved; one was parked. The man was crossing not at an intersection. He died at the scene. The crash is logged at 8:26 p.m. City data records it plainly.

Clearview: four deaths on one road

Since 2022, District 23 has seen 15 deaths in crashes; 7 were pedestrians. One corridor stands out. The Clearview Expressway has four deaths and 95 injuries, the worst hotspot in the district, per NYC Open Data. On December 24, 2024, a 56‑year‑old man listed as a pedestrian was killed in a multi‑vehicle crash on the Clearview; another driver was injured. The record cites “reaction to uninvolved vehicle” and “pavement slippery” as factors, and lists a Chevy and Mercedes SUVs and a Hyundai sedan among the vehicles, all going northbound (dataset).

A Bayside man also drove the wrong way on the Clearview Expressway in 2023, hitting multiple cars. At sentencing, Queens DA Melinda Katz said, “Joseph Lee terrorized other drivers as he purposefully drove the wrong way on a busy Queens highway and crashed into multiple cars.” She added, “Two motorists were badly hurt and still have not fully recovered.” Lee told police, “I entered the Clearview Expressway in the wrong direction because I wanted to hurt people and I felt ‘liberated’ by what I had done,” and to a victim, “You want to fight?” He was convicted and got eight years, amNY reported.

Nights take people

The hours tell on us. Injuries pile up after dark. From midnight to 3 a.m., there were 223 injuries and four deaths. At 5 a.m., two more deaths. At the evening rush, 5–6 p.m., two more deaths. The fatal strike on Union Turnpike hit at 8:26 p.m., a time band with another recorded death in this district’s hourly distribution.

Trucks do outsized harm to people on foot here. Of pedestrian cases where the striking vehicle is known, sedans and SUVs account for most injuries and deaths, but trucks are tied to 2 pedestrian deaths out of just 10 recorded truck‑pedestrian cases. The open data rollup shows trucks and buses behind a smaller share of crashes, but a heavier share of the body count (NYC Open Data).

Corners that don’t forgive

Hillside Avenue has one death and 77 injuries. Union Turnpike has two deaths and 59 injuries. The Long Island Expressway frontage and ramps show one death and 435 injuries. These are the district’s repeat sites, per top intersections.

On January 31, at Hillside Avenue and 212th Street, a 29‑year‑old man crossing with the signal was killed by a left‑turning box truck. The record lists “driver inattention/distraction” and “oversized vehicle” as contributing factors (crash file).

What this district can do tomorrow

  • Daylight the corners on Hillside and Union Turnpike. Clear the sightlines. Harden left turns where trucks sweep across the crosswalks.
  • Add leading pedestrian intervals at Hillside/212th and other high‑injury signals. Give walkers the head start.
  • Target the night hours. Enforce at the Clearview access points and Union Turnpike from dusk to 3 a.m. The data shows when people die.

What the city must do next

Speed is the common thread. Two citywide steps can cut it now:

  • Lower the default speed limit on residential streets. The city has the power; advocates are already pushing for it. Our own call to action lays out the path and the numbers behind it. Read it and act: Take Action.
  • Stop the worst repeat offenders with intelligent speed assistance. The policy would require limiters for drivers who rack up violations; it targets the small share doing outsized harm. The case is made here: Take Action.

The names are not in the spreadsheets. The loss is. Use the tools we have. Slow the cars. Protect the crosswalk. Go home alive.

Citations

Citations

Fix the Problem

Linda Lee
Council Member Linda Lee
District 23
District Office:
73-03 Bell Boulevard, Oakland Gardens, NY 11364
718-468-0137
Legislative Office:
250 Broadway, Suite 1868, New York, NY 10007
212-788-6984
Twitter: @CMLindaLee

Other Representatives

David Weprin
Assembly Member David Weprin
District 24
District Office:
185-06 Union Turnpike, Fresh Meadows, NY 11366
Legislative Office:
Room 716, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248
Twitter: @DavidWeprin
Toby Stavisky
State Senator Toby Stavisky
District 11
District Office:
134-01 20th Avenue 2nd Floor, College Point, NY 11356
Legislative Office:
Room 913, Legislative Office Building 188 State St., Albany, NY 12247
Twitter: @tobystavisky
Other Geographies

District 23 Council District 23 sits in Queens, Precinct 111, AD 24, SD 11.

It contains Fresh Meadows-Utopia, Jamaica Estates-Holliswood, Cunningham Park, Bayside, Douglaston-Little Neck, Oakland Gardens-Hollis Hills, Alley Pond Park, Hollis, Glen Oaks-Floral Park-New Hyde Park, Bellerose, Queens Village, Queens CB13, Queens CB8, Queens CB11.

See also
Boroughs
State_assembly_districts
State Senate Districts

Traffic Safety Timeline for Council District 23

13
More than a dozen hurt after two MTA buses collide in Queens: NYPD
12
Bronx man accused of chopping off dog owner’s fingers with machete arrested in Queens hit-and-run
7
Driver rear-ends stopped sedan on Cross Island Parkway

Oct 7 - Southbound on Cross Island Parkway in Queens, a driver hit the back of a stopped sedan. A 27-year-old driver was partially ejected and bled from the face. Police recorded unsafe speed and following too closely.

Two sedans headed south on Cross Island Parkway in Queens. One driver was stopped in traffic. Another driver went straight ahead and hit the back of the stopped car. A 27-year-old driver was injured, partially ejected, and suffered severe bleeding to the face. According to the police report, one sedan was "Stopped in Traffic" and the other was "Going Straight Ahead," with impact to the "Center Back End" and "Center Front End." The report lists "Unsafe Speed" and "Following Too Closely" as contributing factors. Police recorded unsafe speed and following too closely by the driver who hit the stopped car.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4848844 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
28
Boy, 15, driving SUV on LIE, rear-ends motorcyclist in deadly Queens collision: NYPD
21
Queens DA: Motorist arraigned after hit-and-run collision that left on-duty construction worker dead on Nassau Expressway
18
Nude Queens man indicted for kicking bike riders, attacking 3 NYPD officers
15
2 children struck by driver in Queens

13
16-year-old girl struck and killed in Queens

5
Queens teen with autism fatally struck by car after going missing from LI school
17
SUV lane change ends in injury

Aug 17 - Eastbound Jeep on Grand Central Parkway changes lanes and hits. Back end crushed. Driver, 57, hurt. Night on the parkway. Metal, speed, and pain in Queens.

An eastbound 2010 Jeep SUV changed lanes on the Grand Central Parkway in Queens and struck another vehicle, with impact and damage to the Jeep’s center back end. The 57-year-old male driver was injured with neck and crush injuries. According to the police report, the Jeep was “Changing Lanes” before the crash and the point of impact was the “Center Back End.” The data lists no pedestrian or cyclist victims, but a driver was hurt. The report does not list specific contributing factors like Failure to Yield or Unsafe Lane Change, yet the maneuver and rear impact show the danger in this move. No other contributing factors are noted.


  • Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836152 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02
13
Hit-And-Run Kills Pedestrian Near JFK

Aug 13 - A driver struck a man crossing 155th Street near JFK. The driver fled. The man died at Jamaica Hospital. Police search for answers. Seventeen killed in Queens South this year. The toll climbs.

Gothamist (2025-08-13) reports a 52-year-old man was killed crossing 155th Street and South Conduit Avenue near JFK Airport at 2:30 a.m. The driver fled. Police said, "the driver hit the 52-year-old man as he crossed" and left the scene. No vehicle description was released. NYPD data shows 17 traffic deaths in Queens South this year, up from 13 last year. The incident highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians and the persistent issue of hit-and-run drivers in the area.


12
Driver Strikes 61‑Year‑Old on Union Turnpike

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 2025-11-02
12
Speeding Driver Kills Two Pedestrians in Astoria

Aug 12 - A speeding car tore through Astoria. The driver struck two men at a coffee cart. All three died. Parked cars blocked sightlines. The street was narrow. Danger came fast and left devastation.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-08-12) reports an 84-year-old driver sped onto 42nd Street in Astoria, hitting two pedestrians and a coffee cart. The crash killed the driver and both men. Streetsblog notes, 'The block has several auto repair shops that leave cars parked all over the sidewalk, limiting visibility.' The article highlights the city's power to lower speed limits to 20 mph, granted by the state legislature, but points out that local officials did not mention this in their initial responses. The crash underscores the risks of speeding and poor street design.


1
Unlicensed Teen Driver Kills Passenger

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.


14
Int 1339-2025 Lee co-sponsors ambulette exemption bill, reducing street safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes use bus lanes and double-park to help passengers. More vehicles in bus lanes, more double-parking. Vulnerable road users face tighter, riskier streets.

Int 1339-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced July 14, 2025 by Council Member Linda Lee. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' lets ambulettes drive, park, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Lee sponsored the bill. If passed, more vehicles will block bus lanes and sidewalks, squeezing pedestrians and cyclists. The city’s most vulnerable will face more danger at the curb.


14
Int 1339-2025 Lee co-sponsors bill that decreases street safety by exempting ambulettes from bus lane rules.

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and park in bus lanes. Double-parking allowed to help passengers. Streets grow tighter. Danger for walkers and riders rises.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced July 14, 2025, by Council Members Julie Menin and Linda Lee, it would 'exempt ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allow them to double park to assist passengers.' The bill grants ambulettes the right to drive, stop, and double-park in bus lanes while helping passengers. Menin and Lee sponsor the measure, which was referred to committee on July 14. No safety analysis was provided. The change would squeeze vulnerable road users, making sidewalks and crossings riskier.


14
Int 1339-2025 Lee co-sponsors bill that reduces street safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes. More vehicles in bus lanes mean more risk for people walking, biking, and waiting at curbs. Danger grows where curb chaos reigns.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since July 14, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' would let ambulettes drive, stop, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Council Member Julie Menin sponsors, joined by Linda Lee, Frank Morano, Eric Dinowitz, Lynn C. Schulman, Kamillah Hanks, Carlina Rivera, and Chris Banks. Allowing more vehicles to double-park and block bus lanes increases risk for pedestrians and cyclists at the curb. The city’s most vulnerable will face more conflict and less safe space.


14
Int 1339-2025 Linda Lee Backs Misguided Ambulette Bus Lane Exemption

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes use bus lanes and double-park to help passengers. More vehicles in bus lanes, more double-parking. Vulnerable road users face tighter, riskier streets.

Int 1339-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced July 14, 2025 by Council Member Linda Lee. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' lets ambulettes drive, park, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Lee sponsored the bill. If passed, more vehicles will block bus lanes and sidewalks, squeezing pedestrians and cyclists. The city’s most vulnerable will face more danger at the curb.


14
Int 1339-2025 Linda Lee Backs Misguided Ambulette Double Parking In Bus Lanes

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Streets narrow. Danger grows for walkers and riders. Vulnerable users pay the price.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced July 14, 2025, by Council Member Linda Lee, it would 'exempt ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allow them to double park to assist passengers.' Lee sponsored the measure, which was referred to committee the same day. The bill lets ambulettes drive, park, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers board and deboard. No safety review was provided. The move risks more blocked lanes and sightlines, putting pedestrians and cyclists in harm’s way.


14
Int 1339-2025 Linda Lee Backs Misguided Ambulettes Bus Lane Exemption And Double Parking

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Streets narrow. Danger grows for walkers and riders. Vulnerable users pay the price.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced July 14, 2025, by Council Member Linda Lee, it would 'exempt ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allow them to double park to assist passengers.' Lee sponsored the measure, which was referred to committee the same day. The bill lets ambulettes drive, park, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers board and deboard. No safety review was provided. The move risks more blocked lanes and sightlines, putting pedestrians and cyclists in harm’s way.