Who Pays for Complacency? Bellerose Bleeds, Leaders Stall

Jul 31 - A driver turning left struck an oncoming SUV on Hillside Ave at Manor Rd in Queens. A 55-year-old male driver sustained a head abrasion. Police recorded "Turning Improperly." Two SUVs were damaged; other occupants were not reported injured.

According to the police report, one SUV was making a left turn and collided with an oncoming SUV that was going straight on Hillside Ave at Manor Rd in Queens. A 55-year-old male driver was injured, listed with a head abrasion and conscious. Police recorded "Turning Improperly" as the contributing factor. The turning vehicle sustained damage to its left-side doors; the other vehicle sustained front-end damage at the right-front bumper. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. Other occupants in the vehicles were not reported injured in the records provided.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4831877 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jul 23 - Two girls, 13 and 11, were injured when an SUV and two sedans collided near 245-19 Jericho Turnpike in Queens. They suffered leg and back injuries and were conscious after the crash.

An SUV and two sedans collided near 245-19 Jericho Turnpike in Queens. Two girls who were passengers were injured. According to the police report, "a 13-year-old girl in the front seat suffered abrasions to her leg and foot. An 11-year-old girl in the rear seat reported back pain and nausea. Both were conscious after the crash." The police report lists no specific driver errors and marks all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' Vehicle records show multiple parked vehicles and damage to right front panels and a roof. No ejections were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4830684 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jul 22 - The driver of an SUV rear-ended a sedan on Cross Island Parkway. The sedan's 32-year-old driver was injured, reporting whole‑body pain and whiplash. Police recorded 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Following Too Closely'.

The driver of an SUV hit a sedan from behind on Cross Island Parkway northbound at Hillside Avenue. The sedan's driver, a 32-year-old man, was injured across his entire body and complained of whiplash; he was conscious and restrained with a lap belt. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Following Too Closely' were listed as contributing factors. Both drivers were traveling straight when the SUV struck the sedan's center front end; the SUV sustained center back end damage. The report lists the crash as a rear-end collision and cites driver error as the primary cause. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4829557 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jul 20 - A quadricycle and an SUV collided on 86 Ave at Commonwealth Blvd in Queens. Three men inside the quadricycle suffered neck and back injuries and contusions. According to police, driver inexperience was a contributing factor.

A quadricycle and an SUV collided on 86th Avenue at Commonwealth Boulevard in Queens. Three people inside the quadricycle were injured: the 20-year-old driver and two male passengers, ages 21 and 30. All three were conscious and suffered neck or back injuries and contusions. According to the police report, "Driver Inexperience" was listed as a contributing factor. Both vehicles were traveling west and both drivers were going straight ahead when the impact occurred. The SUV shows left front bumper damage; the quadricycle shows center back end and right rear quarter panel damage. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4828970 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jul 20 - Four sedans crashed eastbound on Grand Central Parkway. A 35-year-old male passenger suffered chest trauma and whiplash. Other occupants reported unspecified injuries. Police list contributing factors as 'Unspecified.'

Four sedans collided eastbound on Grand Central Parkway in Queens. According to the police report, "a 35-year-old male passenger suffered chest injuries and whiplash." He was conscious and not ejected. He was seated in the middle front seat and wore a lap belt. Other occupants sustained unspecified injuries. The report shows heavy front and rear impact across multiple vehicles. Police recorded contributing factors as 'Unspecified' and did not name driver errors. Vehicle records list drivers as licensed. All four sedans were traveling straight ahead with impacts at center front and center back ends.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4828969 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-02

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes use bus lanes and double-park to help passengers. More vehicles in bus lanes, more double-parking. Vulnerable road users face tighter, riskier streets.

Int 1339-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced July 14, 2025 by Council Member Linda Lee. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' lets ambulettes drive, park, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Lee sponsored the bill. If passed, more vehicles will block bus lanes and sidewalks, squeezing pedestrians and cyclists. The city’s most vulnerable will face more danger at the curb.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and park in bus lanes. Double-parking allowed to help passengers. Streets grow tighter. Danger for walkers and riders rises.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced July 14, 2025, by Council Members Julie Menin and Linda Lee, it would 'exempt ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allow them to double park to assist passengers.' The bill grants ambulettes the right to drive, stop, and double-park in bus lanes while helping passengers. Menin and Lee sponsor the measure, which was referred to committee on July 14. No safety analysis was provided. The change would squeeze vulnerable road users, making sidewalks and crossings riskier.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes. More vehicles in bus lanes mean more risk for people walking, biking, and waiting at curbs. Danger grows where curb chaos reigns.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since July 14, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code...exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' would let ambulettes drive, stop, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Council Member Julie Menin sponsors, joined by Linda Lee, Frank Morano, Eric Dinowitz, Lynn C. Schulman, Kamillah Hanks, Carlina Rivera, and Chris Banks. Allowing more vehicles to double-park and block bus lanes increases risk for pedestrians and cyclists at the curb. The city’s most vulnerable will face more conflict and less safe space.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes use bus lanes and double-park to help passengers. More vehicles in bus lanes, more double-parking. Vulnerable road users face tighter, riskier streets.

Int 1339-2025, now in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was introduced July 14, 2025 by Council Member Linda Lee. The bill, titled 'A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to exempting ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allowing them to double park to assist passengers,' lets ambulettes drive, park, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Lee sponsored the bill. If passed, more vehicles will block bus lanes and sidewalks, squeezing pedestrians and cyclists. The city’s most vulnerable will face more danger at the curb.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Streets narrow. Danger grows for walkers and riders. Vulnerable users pay the price.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced July 14, 2025, by Council Member Linda Lee, it would 'exempt ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allow them to double park to assist passengers.' Lee sponsored the measure, which was referred to committee the same day. The bill lets ambulettes drive, park, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers board and deboard. No safety review was provided. The move risks more blocked lanes and sightlines, putting pedestrians and cyclists in harm’s way.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 14 - Council bill lets ambulettes drive and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers. Streets narrow. Danger grows for walkers and riders. Vulnerable users pay the price.

Bill Int 1339-2025 sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced July 14, 2025, by Council Member Linda Lee, it would 'exempt ambulettes from certain bus lane restrictions and allow them to double park to assist passengers.' Lee sponsored the measure, which was referred to committee the same day. The bill lets ambulettes drive, park, and double-park in bus lanes to help passengers board and deboard. No safety review was provided. The move risks more blocked lanes and sightlines, putting pedestrians and cyclists in harm’s way.

• File Int 1339-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-07-14

Jul 7 - Carlos Oliver, 15, fell from a train at Queensboro Plaza. Paramedics found him on the tracks. He died at Bellevue Hospital. Another teen fell last month. The rails remain deadly for the young.

NY Daily News reported on July 7, 2025, that Carlos Oliver, 15, died after falling from the top of a subway train at Queensboro Plaza in Queens. Police said it was unclear if he fell while climbing or lost balance as the train entered the station. The article notes, 'He was shy and quiet but at the end of the day he started hanging out with the wrong crowd.' Last month, another teen was critically injured in a similar incident. The report highlights ongoing risks for youth on city transit, but does not cite driver error. The incident underscores the dangers present in the subway system for young riders.

• Teen Dies Subway Surfing In Queens, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-07

Jul 5 - BMW lost control, flew divider, struck two cars. Fire trapped five. Two critical. Belt Parkway shut. Metal twisted. Lives changed in seconds.

According to NY Daily News (2025-07-05), a 24-year-old BMW driver lost control near Cross Bay Blvd on the Belt Parkway. The car hit a divider, went airborne, and crashed into a Honda and a Hyundai. The article states, "their out-of-control luxury car vaulted into oncoming traffic... slamming into two unsuspecting motorists in a fiery crash." Two BMW occupants were critically injured; three others had minor injuries. Both drivers of the struck vehicles were hospitalized. NYPD's Collision Investigation Squad closed the westbound lanes to probe the cause. The crash highlights the dangers of high-speed loss of control and the risk posed to all road users.

• BMW Vaults Divider, Slams Oncoming Cars, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-05

Jul 4 - A 15-year-old fell from a No. 7 train at Queensboro Plaza. He lay on the tracks, lifeless. Paramedics rushed him to Bellevue. He died. Subway surfing kills. The city counts the bodies. The system endures.

NY Daily News (2025-07-04) reports a 15-year-old boy died after falling from the top of a No. 7 train at Queensboro Plaza. Police found him unconscious on the tracks at 2:45 a.m. and said he was 'either riding the top of a No. 7 train entering the station or attempting to get onto the top.' The article notes six people, mostly teens, died subway surfing last year. This year, three have died. The MTA and NYPD have launched campaigns and drone patrols to deter such incidents, but the deaths continue. No driver error is cited; the focus is on systemic risk and enforcement.

• Teen Dies Falling From Subway Train, NY Daily News, Published 2025-07-04

Jun 30 - Council orders swift removal of abandoned, derelict cars. Streets clear in 72 hours. No plates, no stickers, no excuses. Police and sanitation must act. Safer crossings for all who walk, ride, or wait.

Bill Int 0857-2024, now at the Mayor's desk, passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and full Council on June 30, 2025. The bill, titled "A Local Law to amend the administrative code...in relation to vehicles reported as abandoned to the department of sanitation," requires the Department of Sanitation to remove derelict vehicles within 72 hours of report. The NYPD must tow cars lacking valid plates or stickers. Prime sponsor Selvena N. Brooks-Powers led, joined by Crystal Hudson, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, and others. The law targets street hazards, clearing blocked sightlines and crosswalks. It aims to cut risks for pedestrians and cyclists by removing abandoned vehicles fast.

• File Int 0857-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-06-30

Jun 23 - A pickup fleeing police struck Amanda Servedio on her bike. The crash hurled her thirty feet. She died at the scene. The driver, Bekim Fiseku, ran. Police chased him through residential streets. Eight months later, they made an arrest.

According to NY Daily News (2025-06-23), Amanda Servedio, 37, was killed when a Dodge Ram pickup, fleeing NYPD officers, struck her at 37th St. and 34th Ave. in Queens. The driver, Bekim Fiseku, was wanted for burglary and had tape over his license plate. Police chased him nearly a mile through residential streets. A witness said, "She went airborne. She flew like 30 feet. It was a lot of force." The article highlights concerns about NYPD's pursuit tactics, quoting the victim's father: "It was probably not the place to be doing a high-speed chase, in the residential neighborhood." Fiseku faces murder and manslaughter charges. The case raises questions about the risks of police chases in dense city neighborhoods.

• Police Chase Ends With Cyclist Killed, NY Daily News, Published 2025-06-23

Jun 17 - Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-17

Jun 17 - Senate passes S 8344. School speed zone rules in New York City get extended. Lawmakers make technical fixes. The bill keeps pressure on drivers near schools. Streets stay a little safer for kids.

Bill S 8344, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repealer,' moved through the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. Sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes, the bill passed Senate votes on June 12 and June 13, and cleared the Assembly on June 17. The measure extends and corrects school speed zone laws in New York City, repealing outdated provisions. Gounardes led the push, with strong support from most Senate Democrats and a split Assembly. The bill's technical fixes aim to keep protections in place for children and other vulnerable road users near schools. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 8344, Open States, Published 2025-06-17

Jun 16 - White Plains gets speed cameras near schools. Lawmakers move fast. Most vote yes. Cameras catch drivers who endanger kids. Program ends 2030. Streets may slow. Danger faces children every day.

Senate Bill S 7678, sponsored by Shelley Mayer, establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in White Plains. The bill passed the Senate on June 11, 2025, and the Assembly on June 16, 2025. The matter reads: 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the city of White Plains; repeals authorization of program December 31, 2030.' Mayer led the push. Most senators and assembly members voted yes. The bill aims to catch speeding drivers near schools, a known threat to children and families. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 7678, Open States, Published 2025-06-16

Jun 16 - Senate passed S 7785. The bill carves out large Mitchell-Lama housing from bus traffic rules. Lawmakers voted yes. The carve-out weakens enforcement. Streets grow less safe for people on foot and bike.

Bill S 7785, titled 'Relates to bus operation-related traffic regulations,' passed the Senate and Assembly in June 2025. The measure, sponsored by Senator Jamaal Bailey, excludes violations in cooperative housing developments with at least 10,000 Mitchell-Lama units from bus operation traffic regulations. The bill advanced through committee and received broad support in both chambers. By exempting these large complexes, the law weakens traffic enforcement where thousands live. This move increases risk to pedestrians and cyclists, stripping away protections that save lives. Vulnerable road users lose another layer of safety in dense city streets.

• File S 7785, Open States, Published 2025-06-16