Who’s Injuring and Killing Pedestrians in Elmhurst?
Eight Dead in Elmhurst—How Many More Before City Hall Acts?
Elmhurst: Jan 1, 2022 - Jun 4, 2025
The Death Count Grows
In Elmhurst, the numbers do not lie. Eight people killed. Over one thousand injured. These are not just numbers. They are neighbors, children, elders. In the last twelve months alone, one person died and 297 were hurt in 566 crashes. One was a child. One was someone’s parent. The street does not care who you are.
Pedestrians take the worst of it. Trucks, SUVs, bikes, mopeds—each has left bodies broken or dead. A 43-year-old woman, crossing with the light, was killed by a turning dump truck on 80th Street. A 75-year-old man died after a bike hit him at Broadway and Roosevelt. A 78-year-old woman was struck by a moped in a crosswalk. A man was crushed by an SUV on Broadway. The list goes on. See the data.
Promises and Delays
Local leaders talk about Vision Zero. They say one death is too many. But the deaths keep coming. The city has new powers under Sammy’s Law to lower speed limits to 20 mph. The law is on the books. The streets are not yet safer. Speed cameras work, but their future is always in doubt. Each delay is another risk, another family left to mourn.
Who Pays the Price?
The most vulnerable pay first. In Elmhurst, the old and the young are hit hardest. Cars and trucks killed and maimed. Bikes and mopeds, too. The street is a gauntlet. The city counts the bodies. The politicians count the votes.
What Comes Next
This is not fate. Every crash is preventable. Every death is a failure. Call your council member. Demand the 20 mph limit. Demand more cameras. Demand streets that put people first.
Do not wait for another name to be added to the list.
Citations
Other Representatives
District 30
55-19 69th St., Maspeth, NY 11378
Room 744, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248
District 25
37-32 75th Street, 1st Floor, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
718-803-6373
250 Broadway, Suite 1816, New York, NY 10007
212-788-7066
District 12
22-07 45th St. Suite 1008, Astoria, NY 11105
Albany, NY 12247
▸ Other Geographies
Elmhurst Elmhurst sits in Queens, Precinct 110, District 25, AD 30, SD 12, Queens CB4.
▸ See also
Traffic Safety Timeline for Elmhurst
SUV and Van Collide at Queens Intersection▸A Lexus SUV traveling south struck a Ford van heading east at 94-15 51 Avenue in Queens. The SUV driver, a 56-year-old man, suffered head injuries. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way as the cause. Both vehicles sustained front and side damage.
According to the police report, a 2019 Lexus SUV traveling south collided with a 2003 Ford van traveling east at the intersection of 94-15 51 Avenue in Queens. The SUV driver, a 56-year-old male occupant, was injured with head trauma but remained conscious and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists failure to yield right-of-way as the contributing factor to the crash. The SUV sustained damage to its right side doors and right front quarter panel, while the van's center front end and left front bumper were damaged. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.
Krishnan Supports 34th Avenue Linear Park Expansion▸Mayor Adams toured 34th Avenue’s open street. He played with kids. He listened to locals. He made no promises. Council Member Krishnan pushed for a car-free park. The mayor stayed silent on funding. The street’s future remains in limbo.
On February 20, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams visited the 34th Avenue open street in Queens, a 1.5-mile stretch hailed as the 'gold standard' of open space. The visit drew Council Member Shekar Krishnan, who lobbied Adams to convert the street into a permanent, car-free linear park. Krishnan said, 'I advocated for a linear park and how transformative it would be for our city.' Despite Adams’ past support—he once signed a petition for the park—he made no commitments during the visit. Funding for the conversion and for Citi Bike expansion was left out of the Department of Transportation budget. DOT and City Hall offered no clear answers on future plans or funding. The future of 34th Avenue’s open street remains uncertain, leaving vulnerable road users waiting.
-
SEE IT! Mayor Adams Visits 34th Avenue — But His Plans for ‘Gold Standard’ Open Street Remain Unclear,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2022-02-20
S 1078Ramos votes yes, boosting driver education and improving street safety.▸Senate and Assembly passed S 1078. New drivers must now learn how to avoid hitting people on foot or bike. Law aims to cut crashes at the root—before drivers get the keys.
Bill S 1078, introduced in the Senate on April 27, 2021, requires pedestrian and bicyclist safety instruction in the drivers pre-licensing course. The bill moved through committee and passed the Senate and Assembly, with key votes on May 20, 2021, February 1, 2022, May 16, 2022, and May 23, 2022. The matter summary reads: 'Requires instruction in pedestrian and bicyclist safety as part of the drivers pre-licensing course.' Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, joined by Bailey, Biaggi, Brisport, Cleare, Comrie, and others. The measure targets driver ignorance, a root cause of deadly crashes, by putting vulnerable road users at the center of driver education.
-
File S 1078,
Open States,
Published 2022-02-01
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.
-
BY THE NUMBERS: Car-Free Streets are Simply Safer, Data Continue to Show,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2022-01-11
A Lexus SUV traveling south struck a Ford van heading east at 94-15 51 Avenue in Queens. The SUV driver, a 56-year-old man, suffered head injuries. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way as the cause. Both vehicles sustained front and side damage.
According to the police report, a 2019 Lexus SUV traveling south collided with a 2003 Ford van traveling east at the intersection of 94-15 51 Avenue in Queens. The SUV driver, a 56-year-old male occupant, was injured with head trauma but remained conscious and was restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists failure to yield right-of-way as the contributing factor to the crash. The SUV sustained damage to its right side doors and right front quarter panel, while the van's center front end and left front bumper were damaged. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.
Krishnan Supports 34th Avenue Linear Park Expansion▸Mayor Adams toured 34th Avenue’s open street. He played with kids. He listened to locals. He made no promises. Council Member Krishnan pushed for a car-free park. The mayor stayed silent on funding. The street’s future remains in limbo.
On February 20, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams visited the 34th Avenue open street in Queens, a 1.5-mile stretch hailed as the 'gold standard' of open space. The visit drew Council Member Shekar Krishnan, who lobbied Adams to convert the street into a permanent, car-free linear park. Krishnan said, 'I advocated for a linear park and how transformative it would be for our city.' Despite Adams’ past support—he once signed a petition for the park—he made no commitments during the visit. Funding for the conversion and for Citi Bike expansion was left out of the Department of Transportation budget. DOT and City Hall offered no clear answers on future plans or funding. The future of 34th Avenue’s open street remains uncertain, leaving vulnerable road users waiting.
-
SEE IT! Mayor Adams Visits 34th Avenue — But His Plans for ‘Gold Standard’ Open Street Remain Unclear,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2022-02-20
S 1078Ramos votes yes, boosting driver education and improving street safety.▸Senate and Assembly passed S 1078. New drivers must now learn how to avoid hitting people on foot or bike. Law aims to cut crashes at the root—before drivers get the keys.
Bill S 1078, introduced in the Senate on April 27, 2021, requires pedestrian and bicyclist safety instruction in the drivers pre-licensing course. The bill moved through committee and passed the Senate and Assembly, with key votes on May 20, 2021, February 1, 2022, May 16, 2022, and May 23, 2022. The matter summary reads: 'Requires instruction in pedestrian and bicyclist safety as part of the drivers pre-licensing course.' Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, joined by Bailey, Biaggi, Brisport, Cleare, Comrie, and others. The measure targets driver ignorance, a root cause of deadly crashes, by putting vulnerable road users at the center of driver education.
-
File S 1078,
Open States,
Published 2022-02-01
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.
-
BY THE NUMBERS: Car-Free Streets are Simply Safer, Data Continue to Show,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2022-01-11
Mayor Adams toured 34th Avenue’s open street. He played with kids. He listened to locals. He made no promises. Council Member Krishnan pushed for a car-free park. The mayor stayed silent on funding. The street’s future remains in limbo.
On February 20, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams visited the 34th Avenue open street in Queens, a 1.5-mile stretch hailed as the 'gold standard' of open space. The visit drew Council Member Shekar Krishnan, who lobbied Adams to convert the street into a permanent, car-free linear park. Krishnan said, 'I advocated for a linear park and how transformative it would be for our city.' Despite Adams’ past support—he once signed a petition for the park—he made no commitments during the visit. Funding for the conversion and for Citi Bike expansion was left out of the Department of Transportation budget. DOT and City Hall offered no clear answers on future plans or funding. The future of 34th Avenue’s open street remains uncertain, leaving vulnerable road users waiting.
- SEE IT! Mayor Adams Visits 34th Avenue — But His Plans for ‘Gold Standard’ Open Street Remain Unclear, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-02-20
S 1078Ramos votes yes, boosting driver education and improving street safety.▸Senate and Assembly passed S 1078. New drivers must now learn how to avoid hitting people on foot or bike. Law aims to cut crashes at the root—before drivers get the keys.
Bill S 1078, introduced in the Senate on April 27, 2021, requires pedestrian and bicyclist safety instruction in the drivers pre-licensing course. The bill moved through committee and passed the Senate and Assembly, with key votes on May 20, 2021, February 1, 2022, May 16, 2022, and May 23, 2022. The matter summary reads: 'Requires instruction in pedestrian and bicyclist safety as part of the drivers pre-licensing course.' Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, joined by Bailey, Biaggi, Brisport, Cleare, Comrie, and others. The measure targets driver ignorance, a root cause of deadly crashes, by putting vulnerable road users at the center of driver education.
-
File S 1078,
Open States,
Published 2022-02-01
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.
-
BY THE NUMBERS: Car-Free Streets are Simply Safer, Data Continue to Show,
Streetsblog NYC,
Published 2022-01-11
Senate and Assembly passed S 1078. New drivers must now learn how to avoid hitting people on foot or bike. Law aims to cut crashes at the root—before drivers get the keys.
Bill S 1078, introduced in the Senate on April 27, 2021, requires pedestrian and bicyclist safety instruction in the drivers pre-licensing course. The bill moved through committee and passed the Senate and Assembly, with key votes on May 20, 2021, February 1, 2022, May 16, 2022, and May 23, 2022. The matter summary reads: 'Requires instruction in pedestrian and bicyclist safety as part of the drivers pre-licensing course.' Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, joined by Bailey, Biaggi, Brisport, Cleare, Comrie, and others. The measure targets driver ignorance, a root cause of deadly crashes, by putting vulnerable road users at the center of driver education.
- File S 1078, Open States, Published 2022-02-01
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.
-
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