No More Dead Ends: Demand Safe Streets Now

Oct 19 - On the Long Island Expressway in Queens, a driver followed too close and hit a car ahead. A 5-year-old boy in the back seat suffered a head injury and whiplash. Both drivers were heading east and going straight.

In Queens, on the Long Island Expressway, two eastbound sedans were going straight when a driver hit the rear of the car ahead. A 5-year-old boy in the right-rear seat suffered a head injury and complained of whiplash. Other occupants were listed with unspecified injuries. According to the police report, police recorded Following Too Closely by the drivers. Vehicle damage notes front-end damage to one sedan and rear-bumper damage to the other.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4850829 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

• More than a dozen hurt after two MTA buses collide in Queens: NYPD, NY1, Published 2025-10-13

• Bronx man accused of chopping off dog owner’s fingers with machete arrested in Queens hit-and-run, NY Daily News, Published 2025-10-12

• Boy, 15, driving SUV on LIE, rear-ends motorcyclist in deadly Queens collision: NYPD, NY Daily News, Published 2025-09-28

Sep 27 - Merging SUV driver hit a northbound sedan on 164 Street at the Long Island Expressway in Queens at 8:00 p.m. Police recorded unsafe lane changing and improper lane use by drivers. An 18-year-old rear passenger was injured.

An SUV driver merging north on 164 Street at the Long Island Expressway in Queens hit a northbound sedan at 8:00 p.m. on Sept. 27, 2025. The sedan’s left-side doors took the impact; the SUV’s right front quarter was damaged. An 18-year-old rear passenger in the sedan was injured with a shoulder bruise and remained conscious. According to the police report, the SUV driver was merging while the sedan was going straight ahead. Police recorded Unsafe Lane Changing and Passing or Lane Usage Improper by drivers. Both drivers were licensed. No pedestrians or cyclists were reported injured. The crash involved a 2017 Hyundai SUV and a 2012 Toyota sedan, both registered in New York.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4845461 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

• Queens DA: Motorist arraigned after hit-and-run collision that left on-duty construction worker dead on Nassau Expressway, amny, Published 2025-09-21

• Nude Queens man indicted for kicking bike riders, attacking 3 NYPD officers, NY Daily News, Published 2025-09-18

• 2 children struck by driver in Queens, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-15

• 16-year-old girl struck and killed in Queens, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-13

• Queens teen with autism fatally struck by car after going missing from LI school, NY Daily News, Published 2025-09-05

Sep 1 - The driver of a 2010 Lexus sedan disregarded traffic control and struck a 14‑year‑old boy on a bicycle on 73 Ave at 197 St in Queens. The boy suffered whole‑body abrasions and remained conscious. Police recorded Traffic Control Disregarded.

According to the police report, the contributing factor was "Traffic Control Disregarded." The driver of a 2010 Lexus sedan was traveling north on 73 Avenue, going straight, when he struck a 14-year-old male bicyclist at 197 Street in Queens. The bicyclist suffered whole-body abrasions, reported pain across his body, and remained conscious at the scene. Police noted center-front damage to the Lexus consistent with a direct impact. Driver error recorded in the report is Traffic Control Disregarded. The record lists the bicyclist as injured; no vehicle occupants are recorded as injured.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4838981 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Aug 30 - Two eastbound SUVs slowed on Horace Harding. One closed too fast. Metal kissed bumpers. Both drivers hurt. One lost consciousness. Following too closely wrote the script.

Two eastbound SUVs collided near 190-02 Horace Harding Expy in Queens. Both vehicles were slowing or stopping. Two male drivers were injured; one reported pain, the other was unconscious with arm injuries. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Following Too Closely.” The impact landed on the Ford’s right front bumper and the Jeep’s left rear, consistent with a rear-end strike. These driver errors—Following Too Closely—are cited for involved parties. No pedestrians or cyclists were listed in the data. No helmet or signal issues were recorded.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4838798 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Aug 29 - An SUV turned off Francis Lewis onto the LIE. Impact to the left front. Airbags popped. The passenger took a head hit and bruised. The driver burned. Night, Queens. Metal wins. Flesh pays.

A Ford SUV, traveling south and making a right turn from Francis Lewis Boulevard toward the Long Island Expressway, struck with its left front bumper. A front-seat passenger suffered a head injury and a driver sustained a minor burn. According to the police report, contributing factors for both occupants were listed as “Unspecified.” The vehicle was making a right turn, and the point of impact was the left front bumper, indicating a turning crash. No pedestrians or cyclists were reported. Driver errors explicitly listed are limited to Unspecified; no other contributing factors were recorded.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4838450 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Aug 15 - The driver of a sedan turned right and hit a standing motorized rider at 75 Ave and 181 St. The 26-year-old rider was ejected, suffered a head injury, and was semiconscious with minor bleeding. Two small children were in the car and reported unhurt.

According to the police report, 'View Obstructed/Limited' was listed as a contributing factor. The driver of a 2021 Mercedes sedan made a right turn on 75 Ave at 181 St and struck a standing motorized rider. The 26-year-old rider was ejected, suffered a head injury, was semiconscious, and had minor bleeding. Police recorded the point of impact as the sedan's right front quarter panel and the sedan's pre-crash action as Making Right Turn. The sedan carried three occupants; two young children in the car were recorded with no reported injuries. No other contributing driver violations are listed in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4835294 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Aug 13 - A driver struck a man crossing 155th Street near JFK. The driver fled. The man died at Jamaica Hospital. Police search for answers. Seventeen killed in Queens South this year. The toll climbs.

Gothamist (2025-08-13) reports a 52-year-old man was killed crossing 155th Street and South Conduit Avenue near JFK Airport at 2:30 a.m. The driver fled. Police said, "the driver hit the 52-year-old man as he crossed" and left the scene. No vehicle description was released. NYPD data shows 17 traffic deaths in Queens South this year, up from 13 last year. The incident highlights ongoing risks for pedestrians and the persistent issue of hit-and-run drivers in the area.

• Hit-And-Run Kills Pedestrian Near JFK, Gothamist, Published 2025-08-13

Aug 12 - A speeding car tore through Astoria. The driver struck two men at a coffee cart. All three died. Parked cars blocked sightlines. The street was narrow. Danger came fast and left devastation.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-08-12) reports an 84-year-old driver sped onto 42nd Street in Astoria, hitting two pedestrians and a coffee cart. The crash killed the driver and both men. Streetsblog notes, 'The block has several auto repair shops that leave cars parked all over the sidewalk, limiting visibility.' The article highlights the city's power to lower speed limits to 20 mph, granted by the state legislature, but points out that local officials did not mention this in their initial responses. The crash underscores the risks of speeding and poor street design.

• Speeding Driver Kills Two Pedestrians in Astoria, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-12

Aug 8 - Flash floods swamped Cross Island Parkway. Leaders demanded flood signage and storm fixes. Signs may warn drivers but do little for pedestrians and cyclists. Only real infrastructure will cut the risks they face.

"called for city, state, and federal agencies to act and criticized the Trump administration for cutting federal funding for flood protection." -- John Liu

Action: infrastructure request (no bill number). Status: public call on August 8, 2025; not advanced to committee or vote. The matter was described as a "call for flood-related street signage and storm mitigation efforts." Queens Borough President Donovan J. Richards called signage a "small step" and "low-hanging fruit." Council Member Vickie Paladino urged signs to warn drivers unfamiliar with the area. State Sen. John Liu pressed city, state and federal agencies and criticized federal funding cuts. Safety analyst note: "Flood warning signage may help alert motorists but does little to address the underlying risks to pedestrians and cyclists... only comprehensive infrastructure improvements would yield significant safety benefits for vulnerable road users."

• Queens leaders call for flood signage and infrastructure in Bay Terrace, AMNY, Published 2025-08-08

Aug 1 - A teen drove a BMW at 100 mph without a license. He lost control. The car hit a truck. Fourteen-year-old Fortune Williams was ejected and killed. The driver now faces prison. Parents faced charges too.

Gothamist (2025-08-01) reports an 18-year-old Queens resident was sentenced to up to four years for a 2023 crash that killed 14-year-old Fortune Williams. The teen, unlicensed and speeding at over 100 mph in a 30-mph zone, lost control and struck a parked UPS truck. Prosecutors said he only had a learner's permit and had been previously ticketed for unlicensed driving. His parents, who gave him the BMW, were convicted of child endangerment. DA Melinda Katz called it 'a landmark case where both an unlicensed teenage driver and his parents were held responsible.' The case highlights failures in supervision and enforcement.

• Unlicensed Teen Driver Kills Passenger, Gothamist, Published 2025-08-01

Jul 29 - City and business leaders back a $3 million study to overhaul 14th Street. The plan aims to carve out space for walkers, bikers, and buses. Cars lose ground. Streets grow safer. The city bets on change.

On July 29, 2025, Christopher Bonanos reported a sweeping proposal to remake 14th Street. No council bill number or committee is listed. The Adams administration, local BIDs, and the NYC Economic Development Corporation pledged $3 million for a 24-month study. The plan, described as 'transformative' and 'generational,' aims to create a 'complete street' for pedestrians, cyclists, delivery workers, and transit. Mayor Eric Adams and city officials support the move. According to safety analysts, such overhauls, especially when led by city and business groups, often yield safer, more equitable streets for vulnerable users.

• Everyone Wants to Fix 14th Street, New York Magazine - Curbed, Published 2025-07-29

Jul 18 - A speeding sedan hit two teen cyclists at 61-24 190 St. Both boys were hurt. Police cite unsafe speed and traffic control ignored. Metal met flesh. The street did not forgive.

Two teenage boys riding a bike were struck by a sedan at 61-24 190 St in Queens. Both cyclists, ages 14 and 15, suffered injuries. According to the police report, the crash involved unsafe speed and disregard for traffic control. The sedan, driven by a 39-year-old woman, hit the cyclists as both vehicles went straight. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. Neither cyclist wore safety equipment, but the primary causes remain driver error. The crash left bruises and pain. The street became a site of harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4828474 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02