Queens Kids Bleed, Politicians Wait—Who Will Stop the Next Hit-and-Run?
District 25: Jan 1, 2022 - Jun 4, 2025
Children in the Crosswalk, Cars in the Wind
A four-year-old and her eight-year-old sister stepped into the crosswalk at 37th Avenue and 73rd Street. An SUV driver went around another car, ran the red, and hit them. The girls were rushed to Elmhurst Hospital. The driver fled. The girls survived. The fear stays behind. The SUV driver fled after the collision and remains on the loose, police said.
In the last twelve months, District 25 saw 2 deaths, 5 serious injuries, and 450 people hurt. In three years, 11 people died and 1,493 were injured. These are not just numbers. They are bodies in the street, families in waiting rooms, shoes left behind on the asphalt.
The Usual Weapons: SUVs, Sedans, and Silence
SUVs and cars did most of the damage. In this period, SUVs and sedans killed 3 people and seriously injured 8 more. Bikes killed 1 and injured 8. Trucks and buses hurt, too. The city blames speed, distraction, and red lights run. The dead do not speak.
A firefighter ran a red at 107th and Northern, T-boning a BMW and killing a 23-year-old. The FDNY suspended Pena without pay for 28 days during the investigation. The driver walked away. The victim did not.
What Has Shekar Krishnan Done?
Council Member Shekar Krishnan has backed bills to ban parking near crosswalks, legalize jaywalking, and build more protected bike lanes. He voted for a citywide greenway plan and supported car-free streets for children. He co-sponsored the SAFE Streets Act and pushed for curb extensions, daylighting, and better lighting. He called out city failures to protect park space from cars. But the blood on the street says more is needed. Laws passed, but the cars keep coming.
The Next Step Is Yours
Every day of delay is another risk. Call your council member. Demand 20 mph speed limits. Demand daylight at every crosswalk. Demand enforcement that protects the child in the crosswalk, not the car in the lane. Take action now.
Citations
▸ Citations
- Driver Runs Red, Hits Two Girls, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-26
- Driver Runs Red, Hits Two Girls, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-26
- FDNY Firefighter Runs Red, Kills Driver, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-26
- Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4695751, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-04
- File Int 0291-2022, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2022-10-27
- Moped and E-Bike Safety Legislation Becomes State Law, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-07-12
- NO TRICK, ALL TREAT: City to Ban Cars on Some Streets for Halloween, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-10-24
- 34TH AVE. UPDATE: DOT Presents ‘Bold’ Plan for the Permanent Open Street Called ‘Paseo Park’, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-04-28
- Jackson Heights Pol to Mayor Adams: Fix de Blasio’s Travers Park Failure, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-03-29
▸ Other Geographies
District 25 Council District 25 sits in Queens, Precinct 115.
It contains Jackson Heights.
▸ See also
Traffic Safety Timeline for Council District 25
Krishnan Supports Safety Boosting Car-Free Streets on 34th Avenue▸When cars left 34th Avenue, crashes fell. Injuries to walkers and cyclists nearly vanished. In two years, reported crashes dropped 77 percent. Injuries dropped 89 percent. Advocates and city leaders now push for permanent car bans and parks. Data leaves no doubt.
This policy advocacy, highlighted in a Streetsblog NYC report dated January 11, 2022, focuses on the 34th Avenue open street. The Department of Transportation and Council Member Shekar Krishnan back a permanent car-free linear park. Mayor Adams has signed the petition. The article states: 'When cars are banished from roadways, total crashes drop dramatically and injuries to pedestrians and cyclists almost entirely disappear.' Luz Maria Mercado and Transportation Alternatives support expanding open streets citywide. DOT spokesman Seth Stein says, 'by reclaiming space from cars we make our streets safer.' The data is stark: from 2019 to 2021, crashes during open street hours fell from 26 to 6, injuries from 19 to 2. The evidence is clear—removing cars saves lives.
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BY THE NUMBERS: Car-Free Streets are Simply Safer, Data Continue to Show,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2022-01-11
When cars left 34th Avenue, crashes fell. Injuries to walkers and cyclists nearly vanished. In two years, reported crashes dropped 77 percent. Injuries dropped 89 percent. Advocates and city leaders now push for permanent car bans and parks. Data leaves no doubt.
This policy advocacy, highlighted in a Streetsblog NYC report dated January 11, 2022, focuses on the 34th Avenue open street. The Department of Transportation and Council Member Shekar Krishnan back a permanent car-free linear park. Mayor Adams has signed the petition. The article states: 'When cars are banished from roadways, total crashes drop dramatically and injuries to pedestrians and cyclists almost entirely disappear.' Luz Maria Mercado and Transportation Alternatives support expanding open streets citywide. DOT spokesman Seth Stein says, 'by reclaiming space from cars we make our streets safer.' The data is stark: from 2019 to 2021, crashes during open street hours fell from 26 to 6, injuries from 19 to 2. The evidence is clear—removing cars saves lives.
- BY THE NUMBERS: Car-Free Streets are Simply Safer, Data Continue to Show, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-01-11