Whitestone’s Toll: Broken Bodies, Broken Promises, No More Delays

Dec 16 - A pickup truck merged unsafely on Cross Island Parkway. It struck the right side of an SUV traveling north. The SUV driver, a 56-year-old woman, suffered elbow and arm injuries and whiplash. Both vehicles damaged on impact’s right and left sides.

According to the police report, a pickup truck merging northbound on Cross Island Parkway collided with the right side doors of a northbound SUV. The SUV driver, a 56-year-old woman, was injured with elbow, lower arm, and hand injuries and complained of whiplash. The report lists "Unsafe Lane Changing" as a contributing factor to the crash. The pickup truck driver was merging, while the SUV was going straight ahead. The impact damaged the right side doors of the pickup and the left front bumper of the SUV. The SUV driver was wearing a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. No other contributing factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4590905 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 13 - A sedan struck a parked SUV on Cross Island Parkway. The SUV driver, an 82-year-old man, suffered full-body injuries and shock. The sedan hit the SUV’s left rear bumper with its right front. Following too closely caused the crash.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling east on Cross Island Parkway collided with a parked SUV. The SUV was stationary when the sedan struck its left rear bumper with the sedan’s right front bumper. The SUV driver, an 82-year-old male occupant, was injured with full-body trauma and experienced shock. He was wearing a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report lists "Following Too Closely" as the contributing factor to the crash. The sedan driver was also traveling east but was unable to stop in time, resulting in the collision. No other contributing factors or victim errors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4589704 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 7 - A 19-year-old woman was struck while crossing a marked crosswalk on Cross Island Parkway. The sedan, making a right turn, hit her at the center front end. She suffered bruises and upper leg injuries but remained conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, a 19-year-old female pedestrian was injured while crossing a marked crosswalk on Cross Island Parkway. The driver, a male with a permit license, was making a right turn in a 2010 Honda sedan when the collision occurred. The point of impact was the vehicle's center front end. The pedestrian sustained contusions and upper leg injuries but was conscious after the crash. The report lists the driver's failure to yield right-of-way and unsafe speed as contributing factors. The pedestrian was crossing without a signal but at a marked crosswalk. No other safety equipment or contributing factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4588900 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 6 - A 45-year-old woman was hit by an SUV while crossing 14 Avenue with the signal in Queens. She suffered bruises and upper leg injuries. The driver was making a left turn. Limited view and pedestrian confusion contributed to the crash.

According to the police report, a 45-year-old female pedestrian was injured at the intersection of 14 Avenue and Parsons Boulevard in Queens. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when a 2019 SUV, driven by a licensed male driver making a left turn, struck her with the right front bumper. The pedestrian sustained contusions and upper leg injuries. The report lists pedestrian error and confusion as contributing factors, along with a limited or obstructed view. The driver’s actions included making a left turn, but no driver errors such as failure to yield were explicitly noted. The vehicle sustained no damage. The pedestrian was conscious at the scene.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4588038 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Dec 2 - A sedan collided on Clintonville Street. The driver, a 51-year-old man, suffered knee and lower leg injuries. The crash involved an improper turn. The driver was conscious and restrained by a lap belt. Damage hit the left front quarter panel.

According to the police report, a 51-year-old male driver was injured in a crash on Clintonville Street involving a sedan. The driver sustained contusions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot but was not ejected and remained conscious. The vehicle was traveling north, going straight ahead, when the collision occurred at the left front quarter panel. The contributing factor listed was "Turning Improperly," indicating driver error during a turn. The driver was wearing a lap belt at the time of the crash. No other vehicles or pedestrians were specified as injured. The report highlights the impact and injuries without assigning fault beyond the noted driver error.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4586723 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Nov 26 - A pick-up truck struck a 20-year-old male bicyclist on 147 Street. The cyclist suffered a fractured and dislocated elbow and lower arm. The truck hit the bike’s center front, damaging its front end and the truck’s left side doors.

According to the police report, a pick-up truck traveling west collided with a northbound bicyclist on 147 Street. The bicyclist, a 20-year-old male, was injured with a fractured and dislocated elbow and lower arm. The report lists driver errors including Failure to Yield Right-of-Way and Other Vehicular factors. The truck impacted the bike’s center front, damaging both vehicles. The bicyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. The cyclist was conscious and not ejected from the bike. The truck’s left side doors were damaged in the crash. The report does not specify the truck driver’s license status.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4584758 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 20 - A 51-year-old woman driving an SUV northbound on 152 Street was injured when a sedan making a left turn hit her vehicle’s left side doors. The SUV driver suffered head injuries and whiplash but was not ejected. Police cited failure to yield.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling east attempted a left turn and collided with a northbound SUV on 152 Street in Queens. The SUV driver, a 51-year-old woman, sustained head injuries and whiplash but remained conscious and was properly restrained with a lap belt and harness. The report lists driver errors including failure to yield right-of-way and driver inattention or distraction. The point of impact was the left side doors of the SUV and the center front end of the sedan. No ejection occurred. The SUV driver was the only injured occupant. The crash highlights the dangers when turning vehicles fail to yield to oncoming traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4574669 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Oct 17 - A 75-year-old woman was hit by a sedan on 14 Avenue while crossing against the signal. The driver, traveling west, struck her with the vehicle’s center front end. The pedestrian suffered a head contusion and was conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling west on 14 Avenue struck a 75-year-old female pedestrian who was crossing against the signal outside an intersection. The impact occurred at the vehicle’s center front end. The pedestrian sustained a head injury classified as a contusion and was conscious after the collision. The report lists 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a contributing factor, indicating the driver's vision was impaired. No other driver errors are noted. The pedestrian’s crossing against the signal is recorded but not cited as a contributing factor. The driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4573576 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 18 - A 20-year-old male bicyclist was injured on Clintonville Street in Queens. The bike struck the left side doors of a parked SUV. The rider suffered a facial contusion. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor.

According to the police report, a 20-year-old male bicyclist traveling north on Clintonville Street collided with the left side doors of a parked 2009 Subaru SUV. The bicyclist was injured, sustaining a facial contusion and remained conscious at the scene. The report lists failure to yield right-of-way as the driver error contributing to the crash. The bicyclist was not wearing any safety equipment. The SUV was stationary before impact. No ejection occurred. The collision caused damage to the center front end of the bike and the left side doors of the SUV.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4556824 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Aug 14 - SUV hit object head-on on Cross Island Parkway. Young male driver suffered neck injury. No other people hurt. Police list unspecified factors. Metal twisted, driver conscious, alone.

According to the police report, a 20-year-old male driving a 2015 Toyota SUV crashed on Cross Island Parkway. The SUV struck an object with its center front end. The driver, alone in the vehicle, suffered a neck injury and remained conscious. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The police report lists unspecified contributing factors and does not cite specific driver errors. The crash left the SUV with front-end damage. Only the driver was hurt.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4556885 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 22 - A Ford SUV struck a Hyundai sedan on 18 Avenue in Queens. The sedan driver, a 23-year-old man, suffered a shoulder and upper arm injury. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way as the cause. The driver was conscious and restrained.

According to the police report, a collision occurred on 18 Avenue in Queens involving a 2006 Ford SUV and a 2021 Hyundai sedan. The SUV was traveling south and the sedan east when the SUV struck the left side doors of the sedan. The sedan driver, a 23-year-old male occupant, sustained an upper arm and shoulder injury and was conscious at the scene. The report lists failure to yield right-of-way as the contributing factor. The sedan driver was restrained with a harness and was not ejected. Vehicle damage included the center front end of the SUV and the left rear quarter panel of the sedan.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4539963 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 13 - A 57-year-old man was injured crossing 14 Avenue with the signal in Queens. A bus making a left turn failed to yield right-of-way. The pedestrian suffered abrasions and whole-body injury. The bus had defective brakes but no visible damage.

According to the police report, a bus traveling west on 14 Avenue in Queens struck a 57-year-old male pedestrian crossing with the signal at the intersection. The pedestrian sustained abrasions and injuries to his entire body but remained conscious. The report lists the bus driver's failure to yield right-of-way and defective brakes as contributing factors. The bus was making a left turn at the time of the crash and showed no visible damage. The pedestrian was not at fault and was following traffic signals when the collision occurred.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4537035 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Jun 1 - Albany passed A 8936. Cities get more state cash if they build complete streets. Lawmakers want safer roads. The bill sailed through both chambers. Money now follows safety.

Bill A 8936, titled 'Relates to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense,' passed the Assembly on May 23, 2022, and the Senate on June 1, 2022. The bill boosts state funding for transportation projects when municipalities add complete street features. Assemblymember Fahy led as primary sponsor, joined by Hunter, Seawright, Woerner, and others. The Assembly and Senate both voted yes, with broad support. The law aims to push cities to design streets for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers—by tying state dollars to safety upgrades.

• File A 8936, Open States, Published 2022-06-01

May 31 - Senate passed S 5602 to keep school zone speed cameras running longer. More eyes on reckless drivers. Lawmakers push back against speeding near kids. The vote was clear. The danger remains.

Bill S 5602, titled 'Relates to the hours of operation of a school zone speed camera demonstration program,' passed the Senate on May 25, 2022, and the Assembly on June 2, 2022. The bill extends the hours that speed cameras operate in New York City school zones. Primary sponsor: Senator Gounardes, with co-sponsors Biaggi, Cleare, Gianaris, Hoylman, Jackson, Kavanagh, Krueger, Myrie, Persaud, Ramos, Rivera, and Sepulveda. The measure saw strong support in both chambers, despite some opposition. The bill aims to keep cameras watching when children are at risk. More enforcement, more accountability. The fight for safer streets continues.

• File S 5602, Open States, Published 2022-05-31

May 26 - A 22-year-old woman was injured crossing 149 Street near 19 Avenue in Queens. The SUV hit her center front, causing abrasions and whole-body injury. She was conscious but hurt. The crash happened mid-afternoon with no signals involved.

According to the police report, a 22-year-old female pedestrian was injured while crossing an intersection on 149 Street near 19 Avenue in Queens. The driver, a licensed female operating a 2022 Jeep SUV traveling north, struck the pedestrian with the vehicle's center front end. The pedestrian suffered abrasions and injuries to her entire body but remained conscious. The report lists the pedestrian's contributing factors as unspecified, with no driver errors explicitly noted. The pedestrian was crossing without a signal or crosswalk. The vehicle was going straight ahead at the time of impact. No safety equipment or helmet was mentioned in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4532554 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

May 16 - 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 2022-05-16

May 16 - Senate passed S 5130. The bill pushes complete street design. It aims for safe access for all. Pedestrians and cyclists get a shot at safer roads. The vote was split, but the bill moved forward.

Senate bill S 5130, titled 'Enables safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing complete street design principles,' passed committee votes on March 2 and May 16, 2022. Senator Kennedy sponsored the bill. Support came from members like Jeremy Cooney, Anna Kaplan, and John Liu. Dissent came from Patrick Gallivan and Susan Serino. The bill pushes cities to design roads for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. It marks a shift from car-first planning. The measure aims to cut risk for people outside cars. Full vote details and text are at the New York Senate website.

• File S 5130, Open States, Published 2022-05-16

Apr 29 - A Jeep SUV struck the rear of a stopped Honda sedan on Cross Island Parkway. The sedan’s driver suffered neck injuries and whiplash. The SUV driver was distracted, causing the crash. Both vehicles traveled southbound. Impact was centered front to back.

According to the police report, a 2019 Jeep SUV slowed or stopped behind a 2018 Honda sedan that was stopped in traffic on Cross Island Parkway. The SUV driver, a licensed female, was inattentive and distracted, leading to a rear-end collision. The sedan’s male driver, age 39, was wearing a lap belt and harness and sustained neck injuries described as whiplash. The point of impact was the center front end of the SUV and the center back end of the sedan. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. No other driver errors or victim factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4523209 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19

Feb 5 - Two SUVs slammed together on Clintonville Street in Queens. One driver took a hit to his knee and leg. Police blamed failure to yield. Metal twisted. One man hurt. The street stayed dangerous.

According to the police report, two sport utility vehicles collided on Clintonville Street in Queens. One driver, a 60-year-old man, suffered contusions and trauma to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The crash happened when one SUV made a left turn and struck the left side doors of the other SUV, which was going straight. Police cited failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor. The injured driver wore a lap belt and harness. Both drivers were licensed and in New York-registered vehicles. The impact damaged the left side doors of one SUV and the front center of the other.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4501046 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-19