No Deaths Yet—But Laurelton Bleeds Every Day

• Motorcyclist killed in multiple collisions on Long Island Expressway, NYPD says, Gothamist, Published 2025-09-26

• Woman killed after being pinned under car while crossing Queens intersection, ABC7, Published 2025-09-21

• Female construction worker killed on Queens job site, hit-and-run driver arrested, NY Daily News, Published 2025-09-20

• Man struck and killed by two vehicles while trying to cross Belt Parkway in South Ozone Park: NYPD, amny, Published 2025-09-16

• Suspect in deadly DWI crash sexually harassed teen before intentionally striking her with SUV, Queens DA says, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-15

• 16-year-old girl struck and killed in Queens, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-13

Aug 19 - A southbound Jeep struck a man off the roadway on Merrick Boulevard at 220th Street. The SUV’s front end hit hard. The pedestrian went down with back pain. The driver was hurt too. Police cite illness as a factor.

A southbound 2021 Jeep SUV going straight on Merrick Boulevard at 220th Street struck a 41-year-old male pedestrian who was not in the roadway, injuring him. The driver, a 46-year-old woman, was also injured. According to the police report, the SUV sustained center-front damage and “Illnes” was listed as a contributing factor. The data show no pedestrian contributing factors. The listed driver factor points to impaired control behind the wheel. No other driver errors were noted in the file. The crash underscores the danger when a vehicle’s front end reaches people who are outside the roadway.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836755 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Aug 17 - A police pursuit on Springfield Blvd ended in a three-sedan crash. A 59-year-old driver suffered back injury and whiplash. Police recorded aggressive driving and improper passing.

Two sedans in a police pursuit and a third sedan collided on Springfield Blvd near Carson St in Queens. A 59-year-old male driver was injured. He complained of back pain and whiplash and was conscious. According to the police report, contributing factors included "Aggressive Driving/Road Rage," and one vehicle was in "Police Pursuit." The report lists driver errors as Aggressive Driving/Road Rage and Passing or Lane Usage Improper. One involved driver held only a permit. Vehicles showed left and right front quarter panel damage consistent with front-quarter impacts.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836125 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

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 car tore through an Astoria intersection. It struck a food truck. Two men died on the sidewalk. The driver died too. Metal, flesh, coffee, blood. The street swallowed them. It happened fast. No one stood a chance.

According to the New York Post (2025-08-12), an 84-year-old driver sped through 42nd Street and 19th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, crashing into a food truck and killing two customers and himself. Surveillance showed the car "going about 60 miles an hour" before impact. The article quotes a witness: "Someone screamed really loudly, and I just had stepped back, like right up to the sidewalk." The force severed a victim's foot. The crash highlights the lethal risk when drivers lose control at high speed in pedestrian zones. No charges were filed; the driver died at the scene.

• Speeding Car Slams Food Truck, Kills Two, New York Post, Published 2025-08-12

Aug 11 - Astoria shopkeepers fight a protected bike lane on 31st Street. They claim city plans threaten their business and public safety. The lawsuit lands in Queens Supreme Court. The city faces pushback, progress stalls.

NY1 reported on August 11, 2025, that over a dozen Astoria business owners filed suit to block a protected bike lane on 31st Street. The petition, lodged in Queens Supreme Court, claims the redesign from 36th Avenue to Newton Avenue would 'hurt their day-to-day operations and jeopardize public safety.' Owners accuse the city of acting in an 'arbitrary and capricious' way, moving forward despite objections. The case highlights ongoing tension between street safety projects and local business concerns. The outcome could shape future protected bike lane installations citywide.

• Astoria Businesses Sue Over Bike Lane, NY1, Published 2025-08-11

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 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 - An SUV hit a sedan at 135 Avenue and 232 Street in Queens. A 53-year-old man driving was injured and in shock. Police recorded Driver Inattention/Distraction and Other Vehicular as contributing factors. Both cars were going straight.

A station wagon/SUV and a sedan collided on 135 Avenue at 232 Street. One driver, a 53-year-old man, was injured and reported in shock. According to the police report, "Driver Inattention/Distraction" and "Other Vehicular" factors contributed to the crash. Both vehicles were traveling straight before impact. The sedan sustained left-side door damage; the SUV showed center front-end and right-front bumper damage. The injured occupant was the driver, wearing a lap belt and harness and not ejected. Police listed contributing factors as Other Vehicular on the occupant record as well. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832782 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Aug 1 - A car struck and killed a 23-year-old man in Ozone Park. The driver fled, then turned himself in. Police say the crash followed a heated confrontation. The victim died at Jamaica Hospital.

ABC7 reported on August 1, 2025, that a 23-year-old man died after being hit by a car at 101st Avenue and Liberty Boulevard in Queens. Police said the incident followed a domestic dispute. The driver, who was the woman's current boyfriend, told police the victim approached his car "while flashing what appeared to be a gun" and was struck as the driver tried to leave. The driver later went to the police. No charges had been filed as of publication, with the district attorney still reviewing the case. The crash highlights the lethal risk when vehicles are used during conflicts.

• Man Killed By Car In Queens Dispute, ABC7, Published 2025-08-01

Jul 31 - Water rose fast. Cars stranded. People climbed roofs to escape. Rescue teams pulled them out. Rain hammered Queens. The road drowned, then cleared. Danger came quick. Relief came late.

ABC7 reported on July 31, 2025, that flash flooding trapped drivers on the Clearview Expressway in Queens. Video showed people perched atop cars, waiting for rescue. A witness described, "10 feet deep, people sitting on top of cars, 6 or 7." Mayor Eric Adams declared a localized State of Emergency. The flooding left vehicles stranded and forced emergency response. The article highlights the risk of sudden, severe weather overwhelming city infrastructure, stranding vulnerable road users in harm’s way.

• Flash Flood Traps Cars On Expressway, ABC7, Published 2025-07-31

Jul 21 - Three people injured when SUV driver fell asleep near 133 Ave. Head and leg wounds. Metal twisted. No warning. Streets do not forgive mistakes.

Three people suffered injuries when two SUVs and a sedan collided near 219-10 133 Ave in Queens. According to the police report, the crash was caused by a driver who 'Fell Asleep.' One driver reported pain throughout her body, another suffered head injuries, and a third had leg wounds. The report lists 'Fell Asleep' as the sole contributing factor. No mention of helmet or signal use. The crash left metal crushed and lives shaken.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829156 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Jul 20 - The driver of a pick-up truck struck a parked sedan on 131 Ave in Queens. The truck driver was found unconscious and injured. Police recorded illness as a contributing factor. The parked sedan had no occupants.

According to the police report, the driver of a pick-up truck struck a parked sedan on 131 Ave in Queens. One man — the truck driver, age 29 — was injured and found unconscious. The truck was traveling west; the sedan was parked. Impact was the truck’s left front bumper to the sedan’s right rear bumper. Police recorded "Illnes" as a contributing factor. The report lists no other driver errors and does not cite helmet or signal issues. The parked sedan carried no occupants at the time of impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829083 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02

Jul 12 - A sedan merging on Francis Lewis Blvd hit a 50-year-old male cyclist. He suffered a contusion to his lower leg and remained conscious. Police recorded failure to yield and unsafe lane changing by the driver.

A driver in a sedan merging on Francis Lewis Blvd in Queens struck a 50-year-old male bicyclist who was traveling straight. The cyclist sustained a contusion to his knee and lower leg and was conscious at the scene. According to the police report, the crash was caused by "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way." Police recorded failure to yield by the driver and listed "Unsafe Lane Changing" as an additional contributing factor. The sedan struck the bicycle with its left front bumper; the bike showed no damage. The sedan carried two occupants; none were reported injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4827054 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-10-02