Astoria (North)–Ditmars: Three Dead at Daybreak

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

• Maniac NYC driver who mowed down teen girl after she rejected lewd advances had suspended license: docs, New York Post, Published 2025-09-14

• 16-year-old girl dies after being hit by SUV in Queens, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-13

Sep 10 - A driver in a Ford SUV turned left at Steinway St and Astoria Blvd N and hit a 49-year-old man crossing with the signal. Police recorded failure to yield by the driver. The man suffered a lower-leg bruise.

According to the police report, a Ford SUV driver made a left turn on Steinway St at Astoria Blvd N and hit a 49-year-old man in the intersection. The man was conscious and suffered a lower-leg contusion. The report records "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" by the driver. It also notes the pedestrian was "Crossing With Signal." The point of impact was the center front end. The driver was licensed in New York. The crash time was 4:10 p.m. The data lists the pedestrian as injured; no other injuries are detailed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841398 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Sep 5 - A driver in an SUV hit the back of a slowing taxi on Grand Central Parkway. A 43-year-old front passenger suffered neck whiplash. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction.

On Grand Central Parkway at 11:10 a.m., the driver of an SUV hit the back of a westbound taxi that was slowing or stopping. A 43-year-old woman riding in the taxi’s front passenger seat was injured, with neck whiplash reported. According to the police report, both vehicles were westbound and slowing, the taxi carried two occupants and showed center-rear damage, and the SUV, registered in New Jersey with one occupant, showed center-front damage. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction. The taxi was New York-registered and licensed; the SUV driver was also licensed. Injury details for the drivers were listed as unspecified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4840111 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 30 - A left-turning Mercedes sedan hit a man in the crosswalk at 23 Rd and 29 St in Astoria. Center-front impact. The pedestrian went down with a shoulder injury. Police list Failure to Yield. The street gave the car the room. The man paid.

A Mercedes sedan, turning left eastbound at 23 Rd and 29 St in Queens, struck a 34-year-old man who was crossing in a marked crosswalk. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.” The front center of the car made contact, and the pedestrian suffered a shoulder injury with abrasions. The driver is listed as licensed and making a left turn; police attribute the crash to Failure to Yield. The pedestrian was crossing with no signal noted, which appears after driver error in the report. No other injuries were recorded.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4838625 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 25 - Two motorcycles collided southbound on 31st Street. Both riders were ejected. One was incoherent with shoulder and upper-arm trauma. The other had knee and foot injuries and minor bleeding. Police cited driver distraction and improper lane use.

Two motorcycles traveling south on 31st Street in Queens collided and ejected both riders. One rider, recorded as a 22-year-old man, was incoherent with shoulder and upper-arm injuries. The other rider suffered knee and foot injuries and minor bleeding. According to the police report, the listed contributing factors were "Driver Inattention/Distraction" for both vehicles and "Passing or Lane Usage Improper." Vehicle records show center-front damage to one motorcycle and center-back damage to the other. One bike was New Jersey-registered; the other was New York-registered and listed its rider as unlicensed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4837611 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 24 - Pre-dawn crash on Grand Central Parkway. Sedan moving west. Right-side doors crushed. Driver hurt with head trauma. Police list factors as “Unspecified.” Another vehicle entry offers nothing. Impact leaves one injured, questions unanswered.

A westbound sedan on Grand Central Parkway struck something that crushed its right-side doors. The driver, a 30-year-old man, suffered a head injury and concussion. According to the police report, contributing factors were listed as “Unspecified.” The report shows the sedan going straight ahead, with damage and point of impact on the right-side doors. Another vehicle is recorded but without details, offering no clarity on contact or movement. With driver factors marked only as Unspecified, the report provides no identified driver errors and no other confirmed injuries. The location falls under NYPD’s 114th Precinct in Queens.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4838161 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 23 - An SUV’s right front clipped a cyclist at 19th Ave and 37th St in Astoria. The rider went down with arm wounds. The SUV sat in traffic. Distraction ruled the scene. Sirens followed. The street stayed cruel.

A Toyota SUV and a bicycle collided at 19 Ave and 37 St in Queens. The 41-year-old male bicyclist was injured with arm abrasions. Two SUV occupants were listed with unspecified injuries. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Driver Inattention/Distraction.” The crash data show driver inattention as the primary error, with the SUV’s right front bumper striking the cyclist. The bike was making a left turn; the SUV was stopped in traffic. No other contributing factors were identified in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4837342 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 22 - Two westbound sedans met at speed on Grand Central Parkway. One driver changed lanes and clipped a car. Metal tore. A man driving was hurt. Distraction and speed ruled the scene. Sirens answered the crash in Astoria.

Two sedans traveling west on Grand Central Parkway near 35 St collided. One car was going straight; the other was changing lanes. The male driver was injured. According to the police report, contributing factors were “Outside Car Distraction” and “Unsafe Speed.” The data shows driver errors: distraction outside the car and speeding, with the lane-changing vehicle striking with its left front bumper and the other car hit on the right front quarter panel. No pedestrian or cyclist was listed. No victim is blamed here; the record points to driver distraction and speed as the causes recorded by police.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4837823 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 21 - Two SUVs met nose and steel at 23rd Avenue and 43rd Street in Astoria. One driver hurt. Bumpers crumpled. Both drivers failed to yield. Signals ignored. The street paid. The body paid.

Two SUVs crashed at 23 Avenue and 43 Street in Queens. One driver was injured with a back contusion; three others were listed with unspecified injuries. According to the police report, both vehicles were going straight ahead when they hit, with damage to the front bumpers. The data cites Failure to Yield Right-of-Way for both drivers and Traffic Control Disregarded for involved occupants and drivers. These driver errors led the collision on a neighborhood grid built for speed, not care. No pedestrians or cyclists were listed among the injured in this crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4836628 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 17 - A driver turned left from Ditmars Blvd onto 43rd and struck an 89‑year‑old woman in the marked crosswalk. She suffered shoulder and upper‑arm injuries and remained conscious. Police recorded failure to yield by the driver.

A driver making a left turn from Ditmars Blvd onto 43rd Street struck an 89-year-old pedestrian who was crossing the intersection. The woman suffered shoulder and upper-arm injuries and remained conscious. According to the police report, contributing factors were "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" and "Driver Inattention/Distraction." Police recorded failure to yield by the driver and driver inattention. The report lists the pedestrian as crossing with the signal. The vehicle was a 2015 Jeep SUV driven by a licensed male. Point of impact was the vehicle's left front bumper; no vehicle damage was reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4835620 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 16 - A westbound Honda struck and hurt its own. The driver and front passenger in shock. A child in the rear hurt too. Right front bumper crumpled on 45 St at 21 Ave. Distraction at the wheel did the damage.

A 2024 Honda sedan traveling west on 45 St at 21 Ave in Queens crashed, injuring the driver, a 26-year-old front passenger, and a child in the rear seat. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Driver Inattention/Distraction.” The listed driver error points to distraction behind the wheel. Impact was to the right front bumper, which aligns with the injuries reported. No pedestrians or cyclists were noted in this crash, but passengers were hurt. Safety equipment for the injured passengers was documented after the fact and does not change the cause named in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4835464 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 14 - Int 1353-2025 forces DOT to move fast near schools. When a traffic study finds a calming or control device is needed, installation must finish within 60 days. The bill was referred to the Transportation and Infrastructure committee on Aug. 14, 2025.

Int. No. 1353 (status: Committee) was introduced and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Aug. 14, 2025 (agenda and first vote listed Aug. 14, 2025). The matter is titled: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the time permitted for the installation of a traffic calming device or traffic control device on any street adjacent to a school." It was introduced by Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez and cosponsored by Tiffany Cabán, Lincoln Restler and Farah N. Louis. The bill would "complete the installation... by no later than 60 days after the department issues such traffic study determination." It takes effect immediately.

• File Int 1353-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 13 - A driver struck a man crossing 155th Street near JFK. The car sped off. Medics rushed the victim to the hospital. He died. Police searched for footage. No arrests. The street stayed silent.

NY Daily News (2025-08-13) reports a 52-year-old man was killed crossing 155th St. at South Conduit Ave. near JFK Airport around 2:30 a.m. The driver hit the man and fled. Police said, "The driver sped off without stopping. No arrests have been made." Officers searched for surveillance footage to identify the vehicle. The article notes 68 pedestrians have died in city crashes this year. The hit-and-run highlights ongoing dangers for those on foot and the challenge of holding drivers accountable.

• Queens Hit-And-Run Kills Pedestrian Near JFK, NY Daily News, Published 2025-08-13

Aug 12 - A northbound sedan struck two men outside the crosswalk on 42 St near 19 Ave. Both pedestrians died. A driver in a left‑turning SUV was involved. The sedan driver, 84, was also killed. Parked cars were damaged at the scene.

Two pedestrians were killed after a northbound sedan struck them on 42 St near 19 Ave in Queens. According to the police report, contributing factors were listed as "Unspecified." The report records the sedan as "Going Straight Ahead" and the SUV as "Making Left Turn." Two men — one age 70 and one listed with unknown age — died of crush injuries. The 84‑year‑old driver of the sedan is also recorded as killed. Parked vehicles sustained damage from secondary impacts. Police data show no pedestrian contributing factors assigned in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4834594 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Aug 12 - A speeding driver killed himself and two pedestrians in Astoria. Politicians demand lower speed limits, protected lanes, and daylighting. Slower speeds save lives. The city holds the power. Action is overdue.

""I also strongly support the 31st Street Safety Plan, Council Member [Julie] Won’s Universal Daylighting legislation, and the full implementation of Sammy’s Law and other traffic calming measures,"" -- Tiffany Cabán

On August 12, 2025, after a deadly Astoria crash, Council Member Tiffany Caban, Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, and Zohran Mamdani called for urgent street safety reforms. Caban demanded a 20 mph limit, protected bike lanes, and universal daylighting. Mamdani backed Sammy’s Law and curbs on car traffic near schools. Transportation Alternatives urged the city to use its new authority to lower speed limits, stating, "Slower speeds are proven to reduce crashes dramatically." Safety analysts confirm: lowering limits cuts crash severity and frequency, protecting pedestrians and cyclists without burdening them. No bill was filed, but the call is clear—speed kills, and the city can stop it.

• UPDATE: Speeding Senior Driver Kills Self and Two Pedestrians in Astoria, Pols Call for 20 MPH Limit, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-12

Aug 12 - A speeding driver killed himself and two pedestrians in Astoria. Politicians demand lower speed limits, protected lanes, and daylighting. Slower speeds save lives. The city holds the power. Action is overdue.

On August 12, 2025, after a deadly Astoria crash, Council Member Tiffany Caban, Assembly Member Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, and Zohran Mamdani called for urgent street safety reforms. Caban demanded a 20 mph limit, protected bike lanes, and universal daylighting. Mamdani backed Sammy’s Law and curbs on car traffic near schools. Transportation Alternatives urged the city to use its new authority to lower speed limits, stating, "Slower speeds are proven to reduce crashes dramatically." Safety analysts confirm: lowering limits cuts crash severity and frequency, protecting pedestrians and cyclists without burdening them. No bill was filed, but the call is clear—speed kills, and the city can stop it.

• UPDATE: Speeding Senior Driver Kills Self and Two Pedestrians in Astoria, Pols Call for 20 MPH Limit, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-12

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 - A southbound driver turned left at Hazen Street and 19th Avenue and blew the signal. The westbound cyclist rode straight. Metal met flesh. The rider went down with head wounds and deep cuts. The street failed him. The driver failed the law.

A crash at Hazen Street and 19th Avenue in Queens injured a 31-year-old male bicyclist. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Traffic Control Disregarded.” The southbound turning vehicle was making a left while the cyclist was traveling west, straight ahead. The cyclist suffered head injuries and severe lacerations and was listed as injured and conscious. Driver error led the sequence: Traffic Control Disregarded during a left turn. Only after that does equipment appear: the report notes “None” for the cyclist’s safety equipment. No other factors are cited beyond the listed driver violation and unspecified factors for the cyclist.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4835156 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18