No More Excuses: Kew Gardens Hills Bleeds While Leaders Stay Silent

A 29-year-old woman was hit by an SUV on Main Street in Queens. The pedestrian suffered a fractured knee and lower leg injuries. The vehicle struck her with its right front quarter panel while traveling southbound. She remained conscious after the crash.

According to the police report, a 29-year-old female pedestrian was injured on Main Street near Vleigh Place in Queens. The pedestrian was struck outside an intersection by a southbound 2014 Lincoln SUV. The vehicle impacted the right front quarter panel, causing a fracture and dislocation to the pedestrian's knee and lower leg. The pedestrian was conscious after the collision. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The pedestrian's location was noted as 'Other Actions in Roadway,' but no driver violations such as failure to yield or speeding were recorded. The driver was licensed and traveling straight ahead at the time of impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4602673 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

Senate backs S 775. The bill defines the ignition interlock monitor’s job. It forces offenders to install devices and obey court orders. Lawmakers act to keep repeat drunk drivers off the street.

Senate bill S 775, titled "Relates to the responsibilities of an ignition interlock monitor," passed committee votes on February 1, March 21, and May 16, 2023. The bill describes the monitor’s role and mandates compliance for those ordered to install ignition interlock devices. Primary sponsor Jeremy Cooney (District 56) led, joined by Nathalia Fernandez, Monica Martinez, and Shelley Mayer. The measure saw broad support, with senators voting yes across multiple sessions. The law aims to keep drivers with violations from endangering others by enforcing strict compliance with court-ordered ignition interlocks.

• File S 775, Open States, Published 2023-02-01

Two SUVs smashed on 141 Street in Queens. One driver ignored traffic control. A 65-year-old passenger took full-body injuries and shock. The crash hit hard. The system failed to protect the vulnerable.

According to the police report, two sport utility vehicles collided on 141 Street in Queens. One driver disregarded traffic control, causing a violent impact between the left front quarter panel of a northbound SUV and the center front of an eastbound SUV. A 65-year-old male passenger in the northbound vehicle suffered full-body trauma and shock. He wore a lap belt and harness and was not ejected. The report lists "Traffic Control Disregarded" as the contributing factor. No other driver errors or victim factors were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4600031 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

Senate passed S 840. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. No mention of direct safety gains for people on foot or bike.

Senate bill S 840, sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy and co-sponsored by Robert Rolison, passed committee on January 9, 2023. The bill, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects; relates to the state share of municipal projects where the municipality funds a complete street design,' sets funding formulas for state and municipal projects. Seventeen senators voted yes. The bill does not address direct safety impacts for vulnerable road users. No analyst note on safety.

• File S 840, Open States, Published 2023-01-09

Senate passed S 840. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. No mention of direct safety gains for people on foot or bike.

Senate bill S 840, sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy and co-sponsored by Robert Rolison, passed committee on January 9, 2023. The bill, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects; relates to the state share of municipal projects where the municipality funds a complete street design,' sets funding formulas for state and municipal projects. Seventeen senators voted yes. The bill does not address direct safety impacts for vulnerable road users. No analyst note on safety.

• File S 840, Open States, Published 2023-01-09

Senate passed S 840. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. No mention of direct safety gains for people on foot or bike.

Senate bill S 840, sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy and co-sponsored by Robert Rolison, passed committee on January 9, 2023. The bill, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects; relates to the state share of municipal projects where the municipality funds a complete street design,' sets funding formulas for state and municipal projects. Seventeen senators voted yes. The bill does not address direct safety impacts for vulnerable road users. No analyst note on safety.

• File S 840, Open States, Published 2023-01-09

Senate passed S 840. The bill sets state funding rules for federally assisted and municipal complete street projects. Lawmakers moved fast. No mention of direct safety gains for people on foot or bike.

Senate bill S 840, sponsored by Timothy M. Kennedy and co-sponsored by Robert Rolison, passed committee on January 9, 2023. The bill, titled 'Relates to the percentage responsibility of the state for federally assisted projects; relates to the state share of municipal projects where the municipality funds a complete street design,' sets funding formulas for state and municipal projects. Seventeen senators voted yes. The bill does not address direct safety impacts for vulnerable road users. No analyst note on safety.

• File S 840, Open States, Published 2023-01-09

Senate bill S 343 seeks a clear, public safety score for cars. The DMV would post these ratings. Lawmakers push for sunlight on danger. Pedestrians face risk. The system aims to expose it.

Senate bill S 343 was proposed on January 4, 2023. It sits in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Creates a pedestrian safety rating system for motor vehicles,' would require the Department of Motor Vehicles to post these ratings online. Primary sponsor Andrew Gounardes leads, joined by Leroy Comrie, Michael Gianaris, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Robert Jackson, Liz Krueger, Zellnor Myrie, Gustavo Rivera, Julia Salazar, Luis R. Sepúlveda, and Toby Ann Stavisky. The measure targets transparency. It puts the danger of cars in plain sight. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 343, Open States, Published 2023-01-04

A sedan hit a 4-year-old girl crossing Parsons Boulevard in Queens. The child suffered bruises over her entire body. The driver was inattentive and speeding. Impact was at the vehicle's right front bumper. The pedestrian was conscious after the crash.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling south on Parsons Boulevard struck a 4-year-old female pedestrian who was crossing outside a crosswalk. The child sustained contusions and bruises over her entire body but remained conscious. The point of impact was the vehicle's center front end, damaging the right front bumper. The report lists driver inattention and unsafe speed as contributing factors. The pedestrian was not at an intersection and was crossing without a signal. No other contributing factors such as helmet use or signaling were noted. The driver failed to maintain attention and control, leading to the collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4592526 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

City officials push Albany to drop the drunk driving threshold from 0.08 to 0.05 percent. The bill lingers in committee. Drunk drivers killed 42 New Yorkers last year. Messaging still centers on not drinking, not on not driving.

Senate Bill sponsored by John Liu and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon seeks to lower New York’s DWI blood-alcohol threshold from 0.08% to 0.05%. The bill, re-submitted in the last legislative session, remains stuck in committee. At a December 22, 2022 press conference, DOT Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione said, 'There is not really a safe level of drinking and driving, but the law suggests there is.' Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and NYPD’s Kim Royster also spoke, focusing on enforcement and urging drivers to avoid drinking before driving. Advocates like Alisa McMorris of Mothers Against Drunk Driving called for stronger messaging: 'We want people to make choices before they leave their home.' Despite evidence that lowering the threshold could cut traffic deaths by 10%, city messaging still stops short of telling people not to drive to events where they plan to drink.

• How to Cut Drunk Driving — Discourage the Drinking … Or the Driving?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-12-22

City and state officials want to drop the legal blood-alcohol limit to 0.05. The bill sits in committee. Drunk drivers killed 42 people last year. Officials talk tough but focus on drinking, not driving. The danger remains for those outside the car.

Senate and Assembly bill, sponsored by Sen. John Liu and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon, seeks to lower New York’s drunk driving threshold from 0.08 to 0.05 percent BAC. Announced at a December 22, 2022 press conference, the bill has stalled in committee for years. The matter aims to redefine DWI: 'driving while intoxicated would be defined as anything above a blood-alcohol content of 0.05 percent.' Simon and Liu back the measure; city DOT and NYPD leaders joined them. DOT Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione said, 'There is not really a safe level of drinking and driving, but the law suggests there is.' In 2021, 42 people died in drunk driving crashes, up 60 percent from previous years. Officials promise enforcement and education, but their messaging targets drinking, not the act of driving. Vulnerable road users remain at risk while the law lags.

• How to Cut Drunk Driving — Discourage the Drinking … Or the Driving?, streetsblog.org, Published 2022-12-22

A 73-year-old man died under the wheels of a Ford van at a notorious Staten Island crossing. The driver walked free. The intersection lacked a proper pedestrian signal. Forest Avenue is a killing ground. City leaders have failed to act. Blood stains the street.

On November 21, 2022, Yingqui Liu, age 73, was struck and killed by a turning van at South Avenue and Forest Avenue, Staten Island. No charges were filed against the driver. The intersection, notorious for crashes, lacked a pedestrian signal on the western crosswalk. According to city statistics, Forest Avenue saw 60 crashes and 33 injuries in one year, with three deaths since 2019. Rose Uscianowski of Transportation Alternatives called the killing 'heartbreaking and outrageous,' demanding safe pedestrian and bike access between the Bayonne and Goethals bridges. She said, 'Crossing the street should not be a death sentence.' At least 99 pedestrians have died on city streets this year, making it the second deadliest since Vision Zero began. Forty-two seniors have been killed, three-quarters while walking. The city has not improved this deadly stretch.

• Pedestrian Struck and Killed on Dangerous Staten Island Arterial; No Charges, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-11-22

A 75-year-old man was hit by a sedan while crossing 70 Road in Queens. The driver failed to yield and was distracted. The pedestrian suffered severe leg injuries and was semiconscious at the scene.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling west on 70 Road in Queens struck a 75-year-old male pedestrian crossing at an intersection. The pedestrian sustained fractures and dislocations to his knee, lower leg, and foot, resulting in semiconscious status. The report lists driver inattention and failure to yield right-of-way as contributing factors. The pedestrian was not ejected and was not using any safety equipment. The driver was going straight ahead and impacted the pedestrian with the center front end of the vehicle. No other vehicles or occupants were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4584234 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

A 54-year-old woman was hit while crossing 147 Street in a marked crosswalk. The sedan, making a left turn, failed to yield right-of-way. The pedestrian suffered knee and lower leg injuries but remained conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling east on 147 Street made a left turn and struck a 54-year-old female pedestrian crossing in a marked crosswalk. The pedestrian was injured in the knee, lower leg, and foot, sustaining contusions and bruises. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for the driver. The pedestrian was conscious and injured but not ejected. The vehicle showed no damage despite the impact at the center front end. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle legally. No other contributing factors such as pedestrian error or safety equipment were noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4583135 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

City made Jamaica and Archer Avenue busways permanent. Jamaica Avenue hours slashed. Archer stays 24/7. Northern Boulevard bus lanes started after months of delay. Local politicians fought restrictions. Bus riders still face slow trips. City bows to business pressure.

On November 15, 2022, the Adams administration made busways on Jamaica and Archer avenues permanent after a one-year pilot. The Department of Transportation cut Jamaica Avenue’s busway hours from 24/7 to 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, while Archer Avenue remains round-the-clock. The Northern Boulevard bus lane project, stalled for months after Council Member Francisco Moya lobbied against it, finally began installation. Council Members Nantasha Williams and Selvena Brooks-Powers opposed the busways, calling for their elimination and citing business concerns. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and other local officials pushed for even shorter hours. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez defended the busways, saying, 'strong bus infrastructure is a necessity.' Despite opposition, the city kept some busway hours intact, but caved to business interests, reducing protection for bus riders and vulnerable road users.

• City Makes Jamaica Busways Permanent But With Shorter Hours; Begins Northern Blvd. Bus Lanes, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-11-15

SUV driver lost consciousness on Main Street. His vehicle struck parked cars, smashing bumpers and panels. The driver was injured and found unconscious. Police cite lost consciousness as the cause.

According to the police report, a 73-year-old man driving an SUV north on Main Street in Queens lost consciousness and crashed into several parked vehicles. The SUV hit the left sides of a sedan and two other SUVs, damaging bumpers and panels. The driver was injured and found unconscious at the scene. The report lists "Lost Consciousness" as the contributing factor. No other driver errors or victim actions are noted. No mention of helmet use or signaling appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4580927 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

Councilmember Rita Joseph blasted DOT for years-long delays on speed hump installations in Flatbush. Twelve sites requested, one approved, none built. Meanwhile, crashes injure cyclists and pedestrians daily. Joseph calls the delay unacceptable. Streets stay dangerous. DOT offers no timeline.

On November 11, 2022, Councilmember Rita Joseph (District 40) issued a public letter to the Department of Transportation, demanding answers for the slow pace of speed hump installations. The matter, titled "#StuckAtDOT: It Takes Years (and Years) to Get a Speed Hump in this City," details Joseph’s frustration: 'In response to a speed hump request, my office was informed by the DOT that...studies are finalized after two years.' Joseph listed twelve locations needing speed humps; only one was approved, none installed. Eight were denied, several remain under review. Her district saw 1,173 crashes this year, injuring 87 cyclists and 141 pedestrians. Joseph, who lost students to traffic violence, calls the delay 'unacceptable.' DOT says it is reviewing her letter. Advocates demand faster action, saying, 'It should never take two years to implement these straight-forward safety measures.'

• #StuckAtDOT: It Takes Years (and Years) to Get a Speed Hump in this City, streetsblog.org, Published 2022-11-11

SUV and sedan slammed head-on on 73 Avenue. An 18-year-old front passenger took the hit, suffered neck trauma and whiplash. Police cited failure to yield and ignored traffic control. Metal twisted. Passenger stayed conscious.

According to the police report, a 2019 Jeep SUV traveling south and a 2008 Acura sedan making a right turn collided at the center front ends on 73 Avenue near Kissena Boulevard in Queens. The crash injured an 18-year-old male front passenger, who suffered neck trauma and whiplash but remained conscious and was restrained by a lap belt. Police listed driver errors as failure to yield right-of-way and disregarding traffic control. The SUV carried one occupant; the sedan carried two. Both vehicles took damage to their front ends. The injured passenger was not ejected.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4565517 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-10

Lawmakers spar over who gets a break from congestion pricing. Some want tight limits. Others push for taxi exemptions and tunnel credits. Advocates warn: too many carve-outs gut the plan. The final call lands with the Traffic Mobility Review Board.

On August 26, 2022, New York officials debated congestion pricing exemptions as the policy neared implementation. The discussion, covered by Streetsblog NYC, highlighted shifting positions. State Senator Leroy Comrie, once opposed to exemptions, now listens to public input. Assembly Member Robert Carroll said, "I think that there should be limited exemptions." State Senator Andrew Gounardes added, "Obviously we want them to be as limited as possible." Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine backed toll credits for tunnel users and taxi exemptions. Taxi and for-hire drivers lobbied for relief, citing existing surcharges. Advocacy groups warned against broad carve-outs. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide on further exemptions after federal review. No direct safety impact for vulnerable road users was assessed.

• Everyone’s Suddenly Open To Some Congestion Pricing Exemptions, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-08-26

Council and state leaders spar over who gets a break from congestion pricing. Some want carve-outs. Others warn exemptions gut the plan. Vulnerable road users wait as drivers fight for special treatment. The final call lands with the Traffic Mobility Review Board.

On August 26, 2022, the council held a public debate on congestion pricing exemptions. The matter, titled 'Everyone’s Suddenly Open To Some Congestion Pricing Exemptions,' drew sharp lines. State Senator Leroy Comrie, once a hardliner against exemptions, now listens to public input. Assembly Member Robert Carroll backs limited carve-outs, saying, 'I think that there should be limited exemptions.' State Senator Andrew Gounardes stresses, 'Obviously we want them to be as limited as possible.' Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine pushes for toll credits and taxi exemptions. Advocacy groups warn against broad carve-outs. The Traffic Mobility Review Board will decide after federal review. The debate centers on who pays and who gets a pass, while the safety of people outside cars hangs in the balance.

• Everyone’s Suddenly Open To Some Congestion Pricing Exemptions, streetsblog.org, Published 2022-08-26