Four Dead, Hundreds Hurt: Gennaro’s Half-Measures Leave Blood on Queens Streets

A sedan struck an e-scooter on Grand Central Parkway near Jewel Avenue. The scooter rider, a 53-year-old man, suffered a head injury and severe bleeding. Police cited driver inattention. Both vehicles were heading north. The road became a scene of pain.

A crash on Grand Central Parkway at Jewel Avenue involved a sedan and an e-scooter, both traveling north. According to the police report, driver inattention or distraction contributed to the collision. The e-scooter rider, a 53-year-old man, was partially ejected and suffered a head injury with severe bleeding. The sedan driver, a 55-year-old man, was not reported injured. Police listed 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor for both drivers. The report notes the e-scooter rider wore a helmet, but only after citing driver error. The crash underscores the danger faced by vulnerable road users when drivers lose focus.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4815261, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A bus hit a cyclist on Union Turnpike in Queens. The cyclist suffered head injuries and severe lacerations. The crash left the bus damaged at the back. Police listed no clear cause. The street saw blood and steel. The system failed again.

A bus and a cyclist collided on Union Turnpike near 164th Street in Queens. The 42-year-old cyclist was injured, suffering head trauma and severe lacerations. According to the police report, the bus was traveling straight while the cyclist was changing lanes. The bus was struck at the center back end, and the bike was damaged at the front. The report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were cited in the data. The police report does not mention helmet use or signaling as factors. The crash highlights the danger faced by cyclists sharing space with large vehicles on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812947, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A sedan slammed into a moped on Hillside Avenue, metal grinding metal. A 20-year-old man, helmeted, was crushed, pain radiating through his body. He stayed conscious. The street bore witness to the violence of careless force.

A violent collision unfolded on Hillside Avenue near 185th Street in Queens when a sedan struck a moped, according to the police report. The impact left a 20-year-old male moped passenger with severe crush injuries to his entire body. The report states he wore a helmet and did not lose consciousness, but the pain was overwhelming. Both vehicles were reported as going straight ahead before the crash. The police report does not specify contributing factors or assign blame, listing them as 'Unspecified.' However, the narrative details the sedan striking the moped, with the moped absorbing the force at its center back end and the sedan’s left front bumper taking the hit. The violence of the impact underscores the ever-present danger vulnerable road users face when sharing streets with heavier vehicles.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795796, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A pickup truck barreled down Grand Central Parkway, smashing a sedan mid-turn and crushing a parked SUV. Blood pooled on the asphalt. A 56-year-old man, semiconscious, bled from his head as sirens screamed through Queens’ night.

According to the police report, a pickup truck traveling straight on Grand Central Parkway near 150th Street collided forcefully with a sedan that was making a right turn. The impact pushed the pickup into a parked SUV, crushing its rear. The report details that a 56-year-old male driver of the sedan was left semiconscious, suffering severe head bleeding. The narrative states: 'A pickup slammed into a turning sedan, then crushed a parked SUV. A 56-year-old man lay semiconscious, blood leaking from his head.' Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. The crash data lists no victim behaviors as contributing factors. This collision highlights the deadly consequences of driver inattention and improper turning maneuvers on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4795524, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A distracted sedan driver struck an infant boy in Queens. The right front bumper hit his head. Blood pooled on the dark asphalt. The child lay semiconscious, not yet one year old. The road offered no protection. The car did not stop.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling north near 75-11 150th Street in Queens struck an infant boy who was not yet one year old. The vehicle's right front bumper hit the child's head, causing severe bleeding and leaving him semiconscious on the roadway. The report states the crash occurred at 21:38, after dark. Driver inattention and distraction are cited as the sole contributing factors in both the vehicle and person records. The narrative confirms the driver was distracted at the time of impact. No contributing factors are attributed to the infant pedestrian. The police report describes the scene in stark terms: 'The right front bumper hit his head. He bled on the asphalt, semiconscious.' The data underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction, especially for the most vulnerable.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4791835, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Before dawn on 90th Avenue, a speeding SUV tore into a parked sedan. Metal shrieked, the roof caved. A 63-year-old man, alone behind the wheel, died in the wreckage. The street fell silent, marked by violence and loss.

According to the police report, a Station Wagon/Sport Utility Vehicle traveling east on 90th Avenue near 143rd Street struck a parked sedan at 5:38 a.m. The report states the SUV was moving at 'Unsafe Speed' when it collided with the sedan, folding metal and collapsing the sedan's roof. The sole occupant of the SUV, a 63-year-old man, was killed in the crash. The sedan was unoccupied. The police narrative describes the scene: 'A speeding SUV slammed into a parked sedan. Metal folded. The roof collapsed.' The contributing factor listed is 'Unsafe Speed,' underscoring the role of excessive speed in this fatal collision. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors are cited in the report. The crash highlights the lethal consequences when speed overtakes control on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787451, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A distracted SUV driver veered south on Van Wyck Expressway, slamming head-on into a man standing near a parked flatbed. The impact crushed his body. He died there, under the cold morning sky, another life ended by driver inattention.

A 41-year-old man was killed on the Van Wyck Expressway when a southbound SUV struck him head-on as he stood near a parked flatbed, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 11:35 a.m. The report states the SUV driver was 'distracted' and that 'alcohol was involved.' The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was engaged in 'other actions in roadway,' but the police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The SUV's right front bumper delivered the fatal blow, crushing the man's body. The police narrative describes the victim's death as immediate, with his body 'crumpled beneath the wheels.' No contributing factors are attributed to the pedestrian. The data underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction and impairment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4776236, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Mercedes surged down Union Turnpike, slamming into a man bent over his car. Metal hit bone. He fell, knees shattered, pain flooding his body. No crosswalk. No warning. The street swallowed his silence.

According to the police report, a pedestrian was working on his car near 149-11 Union Turnpike in Queens when a Mercedes sedan, traveling east, struck him directly in the legs. The report states the man was not at an intersection or crosswalk at the time. The narrative describes the Mercedes as coming 'fast,' hitting the pedestrian 'dead-on' and causing him to crumple to the pavement with severe injuries to his knees and lower legs. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are explicitly cited in the data, but the narrative highlights the vehicle's speed and the absence of any warning. The victim was engaged in 'Pushing/Working on Car' at the roadside. The report makes no mention of any actions by the pedestrian contributing to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768805, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Toyota’s bumper slammed into a woman crossing 71st Avenue with the light. Blood streaked her face. She stayed upright, conscious, wounded. The signal turned green. The street stayed red. Steel met flesh at the intersection. The city kept moving.

According to the police report, a Toyota’s left front bumper struck a 37-year-old woman as she crossed 71st Avenue near Parsons Boulevard. The report states she was crossing with the signal at the intersection when the collision occurred. The impact caused severe bleeding to her face, but she remained conscious at the scene. The narrative describes blood running down her face after the crash. The police report does not list any contributing factors for the driver, but the point of impact and the pedestrian’s lawful crossing with the signal highlight a failure of the driver to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk. No evidence in the report suggests any pedestrian error. The crash underscores the persistent danger faced by people on foot at city intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4760511, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

Council bill Int 1069-2024 slashes legal parking time for tractor-trailers and similar trucks to 90 minutes. Commercial vehicles clogging curbs will face tighter limits. The measure targets streets where hulking rigs linger, blocking sightlines and endangering walkers and riders.

Int 1069-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced on September 26, 2024. The bill reads: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park." It limits parking for tractor-trailer combinations, tractors, truck trailers, and semi-trailers to 90 minutes, down from three hours. Council Member Kevin C. Riley leads as primary sponsor, joined by Nantasha M. Williams, Darlene Mealy, Sandy Nurse, and others. The bill was referred to committee the day it was introduced. No safety analyst has yet assessed the direct impact on vulnerable road users, but the measure aims to keep large trucks from blocking curbs and crosswalks, where they threaten pedestrians and cyclists.

• File Int 1069-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Council passed a law letting pedestrians cross streets anywhere, at any time. Jaywalking is now legal. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks or against signals. The law shifts blame from walkers to drivers. Streets belong to people again.

Int 0346-2024, now Local Law 98 of 2024, was enacted by the City Council on October 26, 2024, after passing the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way," lets pedestrians cross roadways at any point, even against traffic signals. It erases penalties for so-called jaywalking. Sponsors include Tiffany Cabán (primary), Lincoln Restler, Crystal Hudson, Shahana K. Hanif, Julie Won, Mercedes Narcisse, Darlene Mealy, Erik D. Bottcher, and Farah N. Louis. The Council voted overwhelmingly in favor. The law requires the Department of Transportation to educate all road users about these new rights. By ending jaywalking enforcement, the city removes a tool often used to blame victims and target the vulnerable. The law marks a shift: streets are for people, not just cars.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Queens lawmakers slammed e-scooters, calling them chaos. They claimed danger, but city data shows no deaths or serious injuries. Council Member Ung introduced a bill to ban the program. Gennaro and Schulman support it. DOT says the program is safe and popular.

On September 17, 2024, Council Member Sandra Ung announced a bill to ban the Queens e-scooter share program. The bill, co-sponsored by Council Members James Gennaro and Lynn Schulman, follows a press conference where lawmakers denounced the program as hazardous. Gennaro said, "The program, as designed, leads to chaos." Ung called her bill a last resort. Assembly Members Sam Berger and David Weprin, and Community Board 8 Chair Martha Taylor, joined the opposition, citing sidewalk clutter and lack of outreach. However, DOT data contradicts their claims: since the program's June launch, 37,000 riders have taken 290,000 trips with no reported serious injuries or deaths. DOT says it held 35 briefings and implemented parking corrals in dense areas. Despite high ridership and safety records, the bill seeks to end the program, centering political frustration over proven outcomes.

• Queens Pols Have Lots of Claims About the Evils of Scooter-Share, But Few Facts, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-17

Intro 941 would gut New York’s citizen idling enforcement. The bill slashes bounties, lets the city ban whistleblowers, and carves out new loopholes for polluters. Critics warn it will silence the public and let engines poison streets unchecked.

Intro 941, sponsored by Council Member James Gennaro and drafted with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), is under City Council debate as of September 13, 2024. The bill, titled 'Council Bill Could Chill Citizen Reporting That Dramatically Boosted Idling Enforcement,' would give the city broad power to disqualify public participants from reporting idling, reduce fines for vehicles with anti-idling tech, and halve citizen bounties. It also allows school buses to idle up to 15 minutes and imposes a new code of conduct for enforcers. The Adams administration supports capping bounties but wants higher fines. Opponents, including the New York Clean Air Collective, say the bill 'weaponizes rules that chill participation' and will 'watch while companies like Con Ed, Verizon, and Amazon steal New York’s breath.' The Council is preparing for a hearing as debate intensifies.

• Council Bill Could Chill Citizen Reporting That Dramatically Boosted Idling Enforcement, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-13

Steel crumpled on the Long Island Expressway. An SUV slammed into another from behind. The young driver’s neck snapped forward, pain blooming beneath the belt. He stayed awake, but something inside broke, crushed by inexperience and speed.

A collision occurred on the westbound Long Island Expressway involving two SUVs, according to the police report. A young man driving an SUV struck another SUV from behind, causing significant front-end damage to his vehicle and rear-end damage to the other. The driver suffered neck injuries described as whiplash and remained conscious at the scene. The report explicitly lists 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor. The narrative states, 'His neck snapped forward. The belt held. He stayed awake. But something inside gave way, crushed beneath steel and inexperience.' Two occupants were injured, both suffering whiplash, and both were wearing lap belts and harnesses. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors are cited. The focus remains on the inexperience of the driver as the primary cause of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4753996, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A cyclist’s face smashed into the steel rear of a parked van on 108th Street near 62nd Drive. Blood streaked his cheek. He stayed conscious, upright, torn open. The van never moved. The man did.

A 32-year-old cyclist was injured on 108th Street near 62nd Drive in Queens when he collided with the back of a parked Chevrolet van, according to the police report. The crash occurred at 18:55. The report states the cyclist 'struck the rear of a parked van. His face met steel. Blood ran down his cheek. He stayed upright, conscious, torn open.' The police list 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor in the crash. The van was stationary at the time, with no occupants. The cyclist suffered severe facial lacerations but remained conscious. The data does not cite any cyclist behavior as a contributing factor. The incident underscores the persistent danger of parked vehicles and inattention on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752176, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

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, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A northbound Suzuki motorcycle struck a merging car on Van Wyck Expressway. The 28-year-old rider, helmeted, was ejected and left bleeding on the pavement. The crash tore his body. Shock set in. The highway roared on. He lay still.

According to the police report, a Suzuki motorcycle traveling northbound on Van Wyck Expressway collided with a car that was merging. The crash occurred at 4 p.m. The 28-year-old rider, who was wearing a helmet, was ejected from the motorcycle and suffered severe lacerations to his entire body. The report states the rider was left in shock and motionless on the pavement. Police cite 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the contributing factor in the crash. The data makes clear that improper lane usage played a direct role in the violent collision. The rider's helmet use is noted in the report, but only after the primary driver error is established. No contributing factors are attributed to the merging car or to the victim beyond the cited lane usage.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4744821, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A Honda SUV hit a 56-year-old man on Hillside Avenue. The left front bumper struck him. He fell, head bleeding, unconscious. He died beneath the streetlights. The crash happened near 171st Street in Queens.

A 56-year-old man was killed when a Honda SUV struck him on Hillside Avenue near 171st Street in Queens, according to the police report. The report states the SUV's left front bumper hit the man as he stepped into the road. The pedestrian fell, suffered a head injury, and died at the scene. The crash occurred at 21:09, with the police narrative describing the victim as 'unconscious' and 'head bleeding.' According to the police report, the contributing factor was listed as 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' The vehicle was traveling straight ahead, and the impact point was the left front bumper. No driver errors were cited in the data provided. The report notes the pedestrian was crossing outside a crosswalk and not at an intersection.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4729342, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A 33-year-old woman died beneath the steel of an eastbound SUV on Grand Central Parkway. Her skull was crushed. She was walking outside the crosswalk, alone, in the darkness, when the vehicle hit her head-on. She died there.

A 33-year-old woman was killed on Grand Central Parkway near exit 24 when she was struck head-on by an eastbound SUV, according to the police report. The report states the pedestrian was 'walking outside the crosswalk' and was hit by the 'center front end' of a 2018 Toyota SUV. Her injuries were fatal, with the report noting her skull was crushed and she died at the scene. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified' for both the driver and the pedestrian. No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction are cited in the available data. The narrative describes the woman as being alone and in the dark at the time of the crash. The focus remains on the impact and the deadly consequences of the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4723692, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14

A moped tore into a sedan’s side at 62 Drive and 97 Place. Glass shattered. A young rider’s face split open. Blood streaked steel. He stayed awake, clutching his wounds. Distraction behind the handlebars. The city’s metal edge did not yield.

A violent collision unfolded at the corner of 62 Drive and 97 Place in Queens when a moped struck the side of a sedan, according to the police report. The 21-year-old moped rider suffered severe facial injuries and heavy bleeding after his face hit the sedan’s glass. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor in the crash. Both vehicles were reportedly traveling straight before the impact, with the moped hitting the center front end and the sedan absorbing the blow on its right side doors. The report notes the moped rider wore no helmet, but this detail is mentioned only after the cited driver error. The crash left the rider conscious but bloodied, underscoring the relentless danger posed by distraction and inattention on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4719160, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-14