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

A box truck slammed into parked SUVs on 72 Avenue. The driver, drunk and distracted, crashed hard. He was injured and incoherent. Metal twisted. Parked cars took the blow. Streets bear the scars.

According to the police report, a box truck traveling east on 72 Avenue in Queens struck several parked SUVs at 1:02 AM. The driver, a 40-year-old man, suffered shoulder and arm injuries and was incoherent at the scene. The report lists alcohol involvement and driver inattention as contributing factors. The truck hit the center front end, damaging multiple vehicles, including their back ends and side doors. No other people were hurt. The police report highlights the danger of impaired and distracted driving, especially when large vehicles move through residential streets lined with parked cars.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4771630 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council demands DOT show its work. The law forces public updates on every street safety project. No more hiding delays. No more silent cost overruns. Progress for bus riders, cyclists, and walkers must be tracked and posted.

Int 1105-2024 became law on May 10, 2025, after action by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill, sponsored by Julie Won and co-sponsored by Brooks-Powers, Hanif, Ayala, and others, amends the city code to require the Department of Transportation to post annual and monthly updates on all projects tied to the streets master plan. The law’s title: 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to tracking progress made towards the requirements of the streets master plan.' It forces transparency on protected bike lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian signals, and upgrades. The public will see delays, costs, and status. No more secrets. The mayor returned it unsigned, but the law stands.

• File Int 1105-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-11-13

Two sedans collided on Union Turnpike in Queens. Three occupants suffered chest, back, and neck contusions. Police report cites driver inattention and distraction as the cause. All injured were conscious and restrained, avoiding ejection despite impact.

According to the police report, two sedans traveling on Union Turnpike in Queens collided at 9:20 AM. The first vehicle, a 2024 Toyota sedan traveling south, struck the center front end of the second vehicle, a 2017 Toyota sedan traveling east, impacting its left side doors. The crash injured three occupants: a 55-year-old female driver with neck contusions, a 43-year-old female front passenger with chest contusions, and a 40-year-old male front passenger with back contusions. All occupants were conscious and wearing lap belts and harnesses, preventing ejection. The police report explicitly attributes the crash to driver inattention and distraction for both vehicles. No contributing factors related to victim behavior were noted. The collision caused significant damage to the front and left side of the vehicles, underscoring the dangers of driver distraction in urban traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768802 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Mercedes surged down Union Turnpike, slamming into a man bent over his car. Metal hit bone. He fell, knees shattered, pain flooding his body. No crosswalk. No warning. The street swallowed his silence.

According to the police report, a pedestrian was working on his car near 149-11 Union Turnpike in Queens when a Mercedes sedan, traveling east, struck him directly in the legs. The report states the man was not at an intersection or crosswalk at the time. The narrative describes the Mercedes as coming 'fast,' hitting the pedestrian 'dead-on' and causing him to crumple to the pavement with severe injuries to his knees and lower legs. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors are explicitly cited in the data, but the narrative highlights the vehicle's speed and the absence of any warning. The victim was engaged in 'Pushing/Working on Car' at the roadside. The report makes no mention of any actions by the pedestrian contributing to the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768805 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A speeding SUV driver backed unsafely on 72 Drive in Queens, colliding with a parked sedan. The driver and front passenger suffered knee and lower leg abrasions. Airbags deployed. The crash exposed dangerous driver errors amid parked vehicles.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 4:42 AM on 72 Drive in Queens. The driver of a 2020 BMW SUV was backing unsafely and traveling at an unsafe speed when the collision happened. The SUV struck a parked sedan, causing significant damage to both vehicles. The driver and front passenger, both 22-year-old males, were injured with abrasions to their knees and lower legs. Airbags deployed in the SUV. The report explicitly cites 'Backing Unsafely' and 'Unsafe Speed' as contributing factors attributed to the SUV driver. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were noted. The incident highlights the risks posed by driver errors in confined, parked-vehicle environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4766148 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 70-year-old man crossing with the signal was struck by an SUV making a left turn. The driver failed to yield and was inattentive. The pedestrian suffered abrasions and injuries to his elbow and lower arm but remained conscious.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on 70 Road in Queens at 10:56. A 70-year-old male pedestrian was crossing the intersection with the signal when a 2017 Nissan SUV, traveling south and making a left turn, struck him. The report cites driver errors including 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.' The pedestrian sustained abrasions and injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand, classified as injury severity 3, but remained conscious. The SUV showed no damage, indicating the impact was likely at low speed or glancing. The driver was licensed and operating the vehicle legally, but the failure to yield and inattention led to the pedestrian's injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4761225 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Council bill slashes legal parking time for big rigs. Ninety minutes max for tractor-trailers. Three hours for other commercial trucks. Streets clear faster. Heavy metal moves on.

Int 1069-2024, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced September 26, 2024. The bill reads: "reducing the maximum time commercial vehicles may park." Sponsored by Kevin C. Riley and 23 others, it limits parking to three hours for most commercial vehicles, and 90 minutes for tractor-trailers, unless signs say otherwise. The law takes effect 120 days after passage. Council aims to keep streets less clogged by oversized trucks. No safety analyst note was provided, but the bill targets long-term truck storage on city streets.

• File Int 1069-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Council ends jaywalking penalties. Pedestrians now cross anywhere, any time. No summons. Law strips drivers of excuses. Streets shift. Power tilts to people on foot.

Int 0346-2024, now enacted, rewrites New York’s pedestrian rules. The bill, heard by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, passed on September 26, 2024, and became law on October 26, 2024. Its title: “A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian crossing guidelines and right of way.” Sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán and co-sponsored by Narcisse, Won, Hanif, Hudson, and Restler, the law lets pedestrians cross streets anywhere, even against signals. No more tickets for crossing outside crosswalks. The Department of Transportation must educate all street users on new rights and responsibilities. The law removes a tool police used to target walkers. It shifts blame from people on foot to the system and those behind the wheel.

• File Int 0346-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-09-26

Queens lawmakers slammed e-scooters, calling them chaos. They claimed danger, but city data shows no deaths or serious injuries. Council Member Ung introduced a bill to ban the program. Gennaro and Schulman support it. DOT says the program is safe and popular.

On September 17, 2024, Council Member Sandra Ung announced a bill to ban the Queens e-scooter share program. The bill, co-sponsored by Council Members James Gennaro and Lynn Schulman, follows a press conference where lawmakers denounced the program as hazardous. Gennaro said, "The program, as designed, leads to chaos." Ung called her bill a last resort. Assembly Members Sam Berger and David Weprin, and Community Board 8 Chair Martha Taylor, joined the opposition, citing sidewalk clutter and lack of outreach. However, DOT data contradicts their claims: since the program's June launch, 37,000 riders have taken 290,000 trips with no reported serious injuries or deaths. DOT says it held 35 briefings and implemented parking corrals in dense areas. Despite high ridership and safety records, the bill seeks to end the program, centering political frustration over proven outcomes.

• Queens Pols Have Lots of Claims About the Evils of Scooter-Share, But Few Facts, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-17

Queens lawmakers slammed e-scooters, calling them chaos. They claimed danger, but city data shows no deaths or serious injuries. Council Member Ung introduced a bill to ban the program. Gennaro and Schulman support it. DOT says the program is safe and popular.

On September 17, 2024, Council Member Sandra Ung announced a bill to ban the Queens e-scooter share program. The bill, co-sponsored by Council Members James Gennaro and Lynn Schulman, follows a press conference where lawmakers denounced the program as hazardous. Gennaro said, "The program, as designed, leads to chaos." Ung called her bill a last resort. Assembly Members Sam Berger and David Weprin, and Community Board 8 Chair Martha Taylor, joined the opposition, citing sidewalk clutter and lack of outreach. However, DOT data contradicts their claims: since the program's June launch, 37,000 riders have taken 290,000 trips with no reported serious injuries or deaths. DOT says it held 35 briefings and implemented parking corrals in dense areas. Despite high ridership and safety records, the bill seeks to end the program, centering political frustration over proven outcomes.

• Queens Pols Have Lots of Claims About the Evils of Scooter-Share, But Few Facts, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-17

Intro 941 would gut New York’s citizen idling enforcement. The bill slashes bounties, lets the city ban whistleblowers, and carves out new loopholes for polluters. Critics warn it will silence the public and let engines poison streets unchecked.

Intro 941, sponsored by Council Member James Gennaro and drafted with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), is under City Council debate as of September 13, 2024. The bill, titled 'Council Bill Could Chill Citizen Reporting That Dramatically Boosted Idling Enforcement,' would give the city broad power to disqualify public participants from reporting idling, reduce fines for vehicles with anti-idling tech, and halve citizen bounties. It also allows school buses to idle up to 15 minutes and imposes a new code of conduct for enforcers. The Adams administration supports capping bounties but wants higher fines. Opponents, including the New York Clean Air Collective, say the bill 'weaponizes rules that chill participation' and will 'watch while companies like Con Ed, Verizon, and Amazon steal New York’s breath.' The Council is preparing for a hearing as debate intensifies.

• Council Bill Could Chill Citizen Reporting That Dramatically Boosted Idling Enforcement, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-09-13

A delivery truck struck a sedan’s rear on Jewel Avenue in Queens. Two young men in the sedan suffered back injuries. Both remained conscious. Police listed no driver errors. The crash left both vehicles damaged.

According to the police report, a delivery truck traveling west on Jewel Avenue in Queens collided with the center rear end of a westbound sedan. The sedan carried two male occupants, ages 20 and 21. Both suffered back injuries but remained conscious and were not ejected. The sedan sustained center back end damage; the delivery truck had center front end damage. Both sedan occupants wore lap belts and harnesses. The report lists contributing factors as unspecified for both drivers. No explicit driver errors, such as failure to yield or speeding, were cited. The crash occurred at 14:00. No victim behavior was listed as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4750137 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

City law now forces DOT to reveal where bikes and scooters go. Streets and bridges, protected or not. Data goes public. Riders’ movement, danger, and safety projects laid bare. No more hiding the facts.

Int 0745-2024, now enacted, came through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It was introduced April 11, 2024, and passed on August 15, 2024. The law orders the Department of Transportation to post current bicycle and micromobility ridership data online, updated monthly or at least yearly. The matter summary reads: 'requiring the department of transportation to provide information about bicycle and other micromobility device activity.' Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led as primary sponsor, joined by Farías, Restler, Hudson, Schulman, and others. The law demands transparency on where riders travel and what DOT does to keep them safe. This opens the books on bike movement and exposes gaps in protection.

• File Int 0745-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2024-08-15

Senator John Liu slams the MTA’s Queens bus overhaul. He says cuts will strand riders, raise costs, and choke access. Liu demands answers. Riders face longer waits, more transfers, and higher fares. The MTA claims better service. Riders see only risk.

On July 22, 2024, State Senator John Liu, representing District 16 and serving on the Senate's transportation committee, publicly opposed the MTA’s pending redesign of Queens bus routes. In a letter to MTA CEO Janno Lieber, Liu wrote, 'I demand the MTA explain how this plan is overall an increase and expansion of bus service in Queens as opposed to an actually disguised cost reduction measure.' Liu highlighted the planned elimination of the QM3 bus and reductions to the QM5, warning of increased wait times and higher fares for commuters. He argued that rerouting and service cuts would isolate seniors, strand students, and hurt businesses. Liu’s stance: the redesign prioritizes cost-cutting over real improvements. The MTA insists the plan means more and faster service, but Liu and local riders remain unconvinced. No safety analyst assessment was provided.

• Queens pol pushes back against MTA plans to redesign borough bus routes, gothamist.com, Published 2024-07-22

A 40-year-old man suffered a head injury and concussion after being hit while walking outside an intersection in Queens. The pedestrian was conscious but seriously hurt. The crash occurred near 150 Street, with no driver errors listed in the report.

According to the police report, a 40-year-old male pedestrian was injured off an intersection near 70-35 150 Street in Queens at 8:55 AM. The pedestrian sustained a head injury and concussion and was conscious at the scene. The report notes the pedestrian was engaged in 'Other Actions in Roadway' and was not at an intersection when struck. The vehicle involved is unspecified, and no contributing driver errors such as Failure to Yield or Reckless Driving were recorded. The report does not list any contributing factors related to the pedestrian's behavior or safety equipment. The focus remains on the pedestrian's injury and the location of impact, highlighting the dangers present even outside crosswalks.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4739585 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Transit advocates and unions demand a Flatbush Avenue bus lane. Mayor Adams stalls. Council Members Hudson and Joseph back the plan. Riders wait. Buses crawl. Working-class New Yorkers bear the brunt. The city delays. Streets stay dangerous. Justice deferred.

On July 10, 2024, a coalition of transit advocates and labor unions renewed calls for a Flatbush Avenue bus lane. The campaign, not tied to a specific council bill, has drawn support from Council Members Crystal Hudson and Rita Joseph. The matter, described as a 'no-brainer solution,' highlights slow bus speeds—often under 5 mph—and the urgent need for safer, faster transit. Jolyse Race of Riders Alliance stressed the economic justice at stake, noting bus riders earn half as much as car owners. Mayor Eric Adams has withheld support, citing community engagement and raising concerns about gentrification. The Department of Transportation's plans have stalled under his administration. Healthcare workers and union leaders spoke of missed shifts and unreliable service. Advocates now plan to survey bus riders to show support. No formal safety analysis was provided, but the campaign centers the needs of vulnerable bus riders and pedestrians.

• Bus Advocates Renew Push For Flatbush Avenue Bus Lane Despite Mayor’s Lack of Support, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-07-10

A sedan struck a bicyclist on Kissena Boulevard at 7:58 AM. The cyclist suffered abrasions and elbow injuries. Police cited driver inattention and unsafe lane changing as causes. The bicyclist wore a helmet and was not ejected.

According to the police report, at 7:58 AM on Kissena Boulevard, a sedan traveling north struck a bicyclist also heading north. The sedan driver was changing lanes when the collision occurred, impacting the bicyclist on the right side doors with the sedan's left front bumper. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as contributing factors. The bicyclist, a 51-year-old male wearing a helmet, sustained abrasions and injuries to his elbow, lower arm, and hand, and was not ejected from his bike. The bicyclist was in shock but survived with injury severity rated as moderate. The sedan driver was licensed and operating the vehicle at the time. This crash highlights the dangers posed by inattentive drivers making unsafe lane changes around vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4739106 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two SUVs collided on 150 Street in Queens. The rear vehicle struck the front vehicle’s center back end. The front driver, a 36-year-old woman, suffered neck injuries and whiplash, left shaken and injured. Driver distraction caused the crash.

According to the police report, at 18:05 on 150 Street in Queens, a rear-end collision occurred between two SUVs traveling westbound. The rear vehicle, a 2017 Kia SUV driven by a licensed male driver, struck the center back end of the front vehicle, a 2022 Toyota SUV driven by a licensed 36-year-old female. The front driver was injured, sustaining neck injuries and whiplash, and was reported to be in shock. The report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for the crash, specifically linked to the front driver’s condition and the collision dynamics. Both vehicles were going straight ahead at the time, with the impact occurring at the center front end of the rear vehicle and the center back end of the front vehicle. No victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4738479 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two vehicles crashed on Main Street in Queens when both drivers were distracted. A sedan turning left struck an SUV going straight north. The SUV driver, a 75-year-old man, suffered whiplash and full-body injuries but was conscious and restrained.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 14:30 on Main Street near Jewel Avenue in Queens. The collision involved a 2013 sedan making a left turn and a 2012 SUV traveling straight north. Both drivers were cited for 'Driver Inattention/Distraction,' which contributed to the crash. The SUV driver, a 75-year-old male occupant, was injured with whiplash and entire body trauma but remained conscious and was wearing a lap belt and harness. The point of impact was the left front bumper of the SUV and the right front bumper of the sedan. The report highlights driver distraction as the primary factor, with no contributing factors attributed to the victim's behavior.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4736371 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

City hall wants to strip red tape from open streets. The plan slashes insurance demands and trains new groups. Advocates say high costs and paperwork choke car-free events. The move could revive lost corridors and let more New Yorkers reclaim the road.

On June 18, 2024, Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu released a report proposing major reforms to New York City's open streets program. The plan, highlighted in the report 'Realm of Possibility,' aims to 'lift some of the bureaucratic and cost hurdles faced by the largely volunteer open streets groups.' Key elements include lowering or waiving liability insurance for small events, standardizing maintenance agreements, and launching a 'Public Space Academy' to train organizers. Jim Burke, organizer for 34th Avenue, called for removing barriers to make the program equitable. Gib Veconi of Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council and Jackson Chabot of Open Plans both praised the reforms, citing burdensome permit processes and high costs as threats to open streets. The proposal responds to advocates' warnings that city policies have stifled car-free spaces, risking the loss of vital corridors for pedestrians and cyclists.

• Someday, You May be Able to Activate Open Streets with Fewer City Hurdles, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-06-18