Ridgewood Bleeds While Leaders Stall: Demand Safer Streets Now
Ridgewood: Jan 1, 2022 - Jun 4, 2025
The Toll in Ridgewood
No one died on Ridgewood’s streets in the last year. But the blood did not stop. In twelve months, 199 people were hurt in 363 crashes. Three were left with serious injuries. Children were among the wounded—twenty under eighteen, their lives changed by a driver’s mistake (NYC Open Data).
The wounds are not rare. Since 2022, Ridgewood has seen 1,399 crashes. Two people died. Seven suffered injuries so grave they may never heal. The numbers do not flinch. They do not care if you are young or old. They do not care if you are careful.
The Shape of Danger
Cars and SUVs do most of the harm. They killed one person and left twenty-two with moderate or serious injuries. Trucks, motorcycles, mopeds, and bikes all left their mark. No one is safe when the street is built for speed and steel.
Pedestrians and cyclists pay the price. A 74-year-old man was killed crossing Myrtle Avenue. A 64-year-old woman was crushed at Fresh Pond Road and 68th Avenue. A 23-year-old cyclist was thrown and battered on Gates Avenue. The stories repeat. The pain does not fade.
What Has Been Done—And What Has Not
City leaders talk of Vision Zero. They say one death is too many. They point to new speed cameras, intersection redesigns, and the power to lower speed limits. But the work is slow. The streets do not wait (NYC Open Data).
The law now allows a 20 mph limit. Yet Ridgewood waits. Each day without action is a day someone else may not come home.
What Comes Next
This is not fate. These are not accidents. They are the result of choices—by drivers, by planners, by leaders who delay.
Call your council member. Call the mayor. Demand a 20 mph speed limit. Demand more cameras. Demand streets that put people first.
Do not wait for another name to be added to the list. Take action.
Citations
▸ Citations
- Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4747712, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-04
▸ Other Geographies
Ridgewood Ridgewood sits in Queens, Precinct 104, District 30, AD 37, SD 12, Queens CB5.
▸ See also
Traffic Safety Timeline for Ridgewood
Unlicensed Moped Driver Ejected in Queens Crash▸A 15-year-old moped driver was ejected and suffered head injuries after colliding with a bus on Seneca Avenue. The moped was demolished. The driver was semiconscious and wearing a helmet. The bus sustained damage to its left front bumper.
According to the police report, a collision occurred on Seneca Avenue in Queens involving a moped and a bus. The 15-year-old moped driver, who was unlicensed, was ejected from the vehicle and sustained head injuries. The driver was semiconscious at the scene and wearing a helmet. The bus, driven by a licensed male driver, was traveling west and struck the moped on its right side doors with its left front bumper. The moped was traveling north and was demolished in the crash. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, indicating a failure to obey traffic signals or signs by the moped driver. No other contributing factors were specified.
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4516553,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
Bicyclist Ejected in Close-Passing Crash▸A 38-year-old male bicyclist was ejected and suffered a head injury on Metropolitan Avenue. The sedan driver was parked. The crash involved passing too closely. The bicyclist was semiconscious with a concussion and no helmet. The sedan’s left side was damaged.
According to the police report, a 38-year-old male bicyclist was injured and ejected after a collision with a parked sedan on Metropolitan Avenue. The bicyclist suffered a head injury and was semiconscious with a concussion. The report lists 'Passing Too Closely' as a contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to maintain safe distance. The bicyclist was not wearing a helmet. The sedan sustained damage to its left side doors. The bicyclist was traveling east going straight ahead when struck. The sedan was parked at the time of impact. The report also notes 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a secondary factor but does not assign fault to the victim.
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4516799,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
Pedestrian Hit by Left-Turning Sedan in Queens▸A 47-year-old man was struck while crossing a marked crosswalk on Putnam Avenue. The sedan was making a left turn and failed to yield right-of-way. The pedestrian suffered a hip and upper leg contusion on slippery pavement.
According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on Putnam Avenue made a left turn and struck a pedestrian crossing at a marked crosswalk. The pedestrian, a 47-year-old man, was injured with contusions to his hip and upper leg. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor for the driver and notes the pavement was slippery. The point of impact was the left side doors of the sedan. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene and suffered injury severity level 3. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle alone. No other contributing factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted.
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4502283,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
Pedestrian Hit Crossing With Signal on Metropolitan Avenue▸A 32-year-old woman was struck while crossing Metropolitan Avenue with the signal. The vehicle made a right turn and failed to yield. The pedestrian suffered a back contusion and remained conscious. The crash caused center front-end damage to the vehicle.
According to the police report, a pedestrian was injured on Metropolitan Avenue after a vehicle making a right turn failed to yield right-of-way. The 32-year-old female pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the vehicle struck her at the center front end. She sustained a back contusion and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The vehicle sustained damage to its center front end. No other factors or victim errors were noted.
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4501310,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
A 15-year-old moped driver was ejected and suffered head injuries after colliding with a bus on Seneca Avenue. The moped was demolished. The driver was semiconscious and wearing a helmet. The bus sustained damage to its left front bumper.
According to the police report, a collision occurred on Seneca Avenue in Queens involving a moped and a bus. The 15-year-old moped driver, who was unlicensed, was ejected from the vehicle and sustained head injuries. The driver was semiconscious at the scene and wearing a helmet. The bus, driven by a licensed male driver, was traveling west and struck the moped on its right side doors with its left front bumper. The moped was traveling north and was demolished in the crash. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, indicating a failure to obey traffic signals or signs by the moped driver. No other contributing factors were specified.
- Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4516553, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15
Bicyclist Ejected in Close-Passing Crash▸A 38-year-old male bicyclist was ejected and suffered a head injury on Metropolitan Avenue. The sedan driver was parked. The crash involved passing too closely. The bicyclist was semiconscious with a concussion and no helmet. The sedan’s left side was damaged.
According to the police report, a 38-year-old male bicyclist was injured and ejected after a collision with a parked sedan on Metropolitan Avenue. The bicyclist suffered a head injury and was semiconscious with a concussion. The report lists 'Passing Too Closely' as a contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to maintain safe distance. The bicyclist was not wearing a helmet. The sedan sustained damage to its left side doors. The bicyclist was traveling east going straight ahead when struck. The sedan was parked at the time of impact. The report also notes 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a secondary factor but does not assign fault to the victim.
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4516799,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
Pedestrian Hit by Left-Turning Sedan in Queens▸A 47-year-old man was struck while crossing a marked crosswalk on Putnam Avenue. The sedan was making a left turn and failed to yield right-of-way. The pedestrian suffered a hip and upper leg contusion on slippery pavement.
According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on Putnam Avenue made a left turn and struck a pedestrian crossing at a marked crosswalk. The pedestrian, a 47-year-old man, was injured with contusions to his hip and upper leg. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor for the driver and notes the pavement was slippery. The point of impact was the left side doors of the sedan. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene and suffered injury severity level 3. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle alone. No other contributing factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted.
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4502283,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
Pedestrian Hit Crossing With Signal on Metropolitan Avenue▸A 32-year-old woman was struck while crossing Metropolitan Avenue with the signal. The vehicle made a right turn and failed to yield. The pedestrian suffered a back contusion and remained conscious. The crash caused center front-end damage to the vehicle.
According to the police report, a pedestrian was injured on Metropolitan Avenue after a vehicle making a right turn failed to yield right-of-way. The 32-year-old female pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the vehicle struck her at the center front end. She sustained a back contusion and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The vehicle sustained damage to its center front end. No other factors or victim errors were noted.
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4501310,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
A 38-year-old male bicyclist was ejected and suffered a head injury on Metropolitan Avenue. The sedan driver was parked. The crash involved passing too closely. The bicyclist was semiconscious with a concussion and no helmet. The sedan’s left side was damaged.
According to the police report, a 38-year-old male bicyclist was injured and ejected after a collision with a parked sedan on Metropolitan Avenue. The bicyclist suffered a head injury and was semiconscious with a concussion. The report lists 'Passing Too Closely' as a contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to maintain safe distance. The bicyclist was not wearing a helmet. The sedan sustained damage to its left side doors. The bicyclist was traveling east going straight ahead when struck. The sedan was parked at the time of impact. The report also notes 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a secondary factor but does not assign fault to the victim.
- Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4516799, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15
Pedestrian Hit by Left-Turning Sedan in Queens▸A 47-year-old man was struck while crossing a marked crosswalk on Putnam Avenue. The sedan was making a left turn and failed to yield right-of-way. The pedestrian suffered a hip and upper leg contusion on slippery pavement.
According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on Putnam Avenue made a left turn and struck a pedestrian crossing at a marked crosswalk. The pedestrian, a 47-year-old man, was injured with contusions to his hip and upper leg. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor for the driver and notes the pavement was slippery. The point of impact was the left side doors of the sedan. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene and suffered injury severity level 3. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle alone. No other contributing factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted.
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4502283,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
Pedestrian Hit Crossing With Signal on Metropolitan Avenue▸A 32-year-old woman was struck while crossing Metropolitan Avenue with the signal. The vehicle made a right turn and failed to yield. The pedestrian suffered a back contusion and remained conscious. The crash caused center front-end damage to the vehicle.
According to the police report, a pedestrian was injured on Metropolitan Avenue after a vehicle making a right turn failed to yield right-of-way. The 32-year-old female pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the vehicle struck her at the center front end. She sustained a back contusion and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The vehicle sustained damage to its center front end. No other factors or victim errors were noted.
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4501310,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
A 47-year-old man was struck while crossing a marked crosswalk on Putnam Avenue. The sedan was making a left turn and failed to yield right-of-way. The pedestrian suffered a hip and upper leg contusion on slippery pavement.
According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on Putnam Avenue made a left turn and struck a pedestrian crossing at a marked crosswalk. The pedestrian, a 47-year-old man, was injured with contusions to his hip and upper leg. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor for the driver and notes the pavement was slippery. The point of impact was the left side doors of the sedan. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene and suffered injury severity level 3. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle alone. No other contributing factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted.
- Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4502283, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15
Pedestrian Hit Crossing With Signal on Metropolitan Avenue▸A 32-year-old woman was struck while crossing Metropolitan Avenue with the signal. The vehicle made a right turn and failed to yield. The pedestrian suffered a back contusion and remained conscious. The crash caused center front-end damage to the vehicle.
According to the police report, a pedestrian was injured on Metropolitan Avenue after a vehicle making a right turn failed to yield right-of-way. The 32-year-old female pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the vehicle struck her at the center front end. She sustained a back contusion and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The vehicle sustained damage to its center front end. No other factors or victim errors were noted.
-
Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4501310,
NYC Open Data,
Accessed 2025-06-15
A 32-year-old woman was struck while crossing Metropolitan Avenue with the signal. The vehicle made a right turn and failed to yield. The pedestrian suffered a back contusion and remained conscious. The crash caused center front-end damage to the vehicle.
According to the police report, a pedestrian was injured on Metropolitan Avenue after a vehicle making a right turn failed to yield right-of-way. The 32-year-old female pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the vehicle struck her at the center front end. She sustained a back contusion and was conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The vehicle sustained damage to its center front end. No other factors or victim errors were noted.
- Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4501310, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15