Rockaway Bleeds While City Sleeps

• Driver Fatally Doors Cyclist in Queens Yet is Not Charged, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-10-28

Oct 23 - Truck driver hit the back of an eastbound bus on Beach Channel Dr at Beach 48 St in Queens. Two rear passengers and a driver hurt. Police recorded Following Too Closely.

A truck driver rear-ended an eastbound bus on Beach Channel Drive at Beach 48 Street in Queens. The crash injured two rear passengers and a driver, who reported back and internal injuries. According to the police report, both vehicles were traveling east. The bus was struck at the center rear, and the truck showed center-front damage. According to the police report, police recorded Following Too Closely by the driver. Other occupants were listed with minor or unspecified injuries. This was a rear-impact crash into a bus carrying riders, and the force went through the passenger space.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4853716 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Oct 10 - Two drivers collided while turning at Beach 96 St and Rockaway Freeway. Police recorded Turning Improperly. A 36-year-old driver suffered abdomen and pelvis injuries. Another driver and a front passenger were listed with unspecified injuries.

Two drivers collided at Beach 96 St and Rockaway Freeway in Queens at 11:15 p.m. The driver of a 2010 Hyundai sedan was making a right turn. The driver of a 2017 Nissan sedan was making a left turn. Impact was to the right‑turning driver’s center front end and the left‑turning driver’s left side doors. A 36‑year‑old woman driving was injured in the abdomen and pelvis. Another driver and a 52‑year‑old front passenger were listed with unspecified injuries. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Turning Improperly.” Police recorded Turning Improperly for both drivers.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4849375 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

• Driver charged after woman directing traffic around expressway killed in Queens hit-and-run, ABC7, Published 2025-09-20

• Suspect who allegedly intentionally ran over, killed Queens teen is in the country illegally, ICE says, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-18

• Man struck and killed by two vehicles while trying to cross Belt Parkway in South Ozone Park: NYPD, amny, Published 2025-09-16

Sep 15 - A westbound driver on Beach Channel Dr hit a 35-year-old man near Beach 101 St in Queens. Police recorded failure to yield by the driver. The man bled from an arm and hand. Morning rush. Another pedestrian down.

On Beach Channel Dr at Beach 101 St in Queens, a westbound driver going straight hit a 35-year-old man outside an intersection. The driver’s right front bumper made impact. The man suffered arm and hand injuries, bled, and was in shock. “According to the police report, police recorded Failure to Yield Right-of-Way by the driver.” The crash was logged at 8:19 a.m. The location falls within the 100th Precinct, ZIP 11694. It is recorded as collision ID 4842621. Vehicle type was not reported. No other contributing factors were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4842621 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

• Teenage girl fatally struck by SUV in Queens, suspect in custody, CBS New York, Published 2025-09-13

• MTA got busy with second phase of Queens bus network redesign this weekend, amny, Published 2025-09-01

• Second phase of Queens bus network redesign goes into effect, NY1, Published 2025-08-31

Aug 28 - Taxi and sedan drivers collided at Beach 75 St and Beach Channel Dr. The crash also hit a parked pickup. A front-seat passenger suffered a head contusion. Police recorded driver inattention and passenger distraction.

A taxi driver heading east on Beach Channel Dr and a westbound sedan driver crashed front to front at Beach 75 St in Arverne. The collision also damaged a parked pickup. A front passenger, 45, suffered a head contusion. According to the police report, both vehicles were going straight and both points of impact were at the center front. Police recorded driver inattention/distraction by the drivers. They also recorded passenger distraction.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4841117 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Aug 14 - Int 1347-2025 orders TLC, NYPD and DOT to use a compliance checklist and levy maximum fines on unlicensed commuter vans. Punitive enforcement may cut informal transit, push riders to cars and ride‑hail, and raise vehicle volumes that endanger pedestrians and cyclists.

Bill: Int 1347-2025. Status: Sponsorship; sits in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Introduced and referred August 14, 2025. The matter: "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to enforcing violations against unlicensed commuter vans." Primary sponsor Nantasha M. Williams; co-sponsors Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Mercedes Narcisse, and Chris Banks. The law orders TLC, with NYPD and DOT, to maintain a checklist and requires officers to issue maximum fines for each violation. It takes effect 120 days after enactment. A safety assessment warns this punitive approach may reduce informal transit in underserved areas, shift trips to private cars and ride‑hail, and increase traffic volumes that endanger pedestrians and cyclists; it adds policing without system-wide safety gains.

• File Int 1347-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 14 - Int 1347-2025 orders TLC, NYPD and DOT to cite unlicensed commuter vans and levy maximum fines. It will likely shrink shared rides in transit deserts. Trips will shift to private cars and ride-hail. Pedestrians and cyclists face more exposure on the street.

Int 1347-2025 is at SPONSORSHIP and sits with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure after introduction on August 14, 2025. The matter is titled, "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to enforcing violations against unlicensed commuter vans." Primary sponsor Nantasha M. Williams introduced the bill. Co-sponsors Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Mercedes Narcisse, Chris Banks, and Farah N. Louis joined her. The bill orders TLC, with NYPD and DOT, to maintain a compliance checklist and requires officers to issue maximum penalties for every listed violation. Analysts warn punitive enforcement and steep fines will likely reduce shared transit options in transit deserts, push trips to private cars and ride-hail, and increase traffic exposure for pedestrians and cyclists, prioritizing policing over safer operations or street redesign without clear system-wide safety gains.

• File Int 1347-2025, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-08-14

Aug 12 - A speeding car tore through a stop sign in Astoria, struck a parked coffee truck, killed two men on foot, and left wreckage and grief behind.

ABC7 reported on August 12, 2025, that an 84-year-old driver sped through a stop sign at 19th Avenue and 42nd Street, crashing into a parked coffee truck and striking two men. Both pedestrians, ages 41 and 70, died. The Toyota then spun and hit a Volvo making a U-turn. Witness George Giakoumis said the car was "going at least 60+ miles an hour just right through the stop sign." The crash highlights persistent speeding and dangerous driving at this Astoria intersection. The article notes the area is "prone to speeding and racing," raising questions about street safety and enforcement.

• Speeding Car Slams Coffee Truck, Kills Two, ABC7, Published 2025-08-12

Aug 8 - A driver in an SUV and a motorcyclist collided on Beach 67 at Rockaway Beach Blvd after each turned improperly. The 42-year-old rider suffered an arm abrasion and was conscious. Police recorded turning improperly by both drivers.

A collision on Beach 67 Street at Rockaway Beach Boulevard in Queens injured the lone motorcyclist. The driver of the motorcycle, a 42-year-old man, suffered an abrasion to his elbow/arm and remained conscious. The driver of the motorcycle had been making a left turn. The driver of the SUV had been making a right turn. According to the police report, both vehicles were "Turning Improperly" before the collision. Police recorded turning improperly by the drivers as contributing factors. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet. No other injuries or contributing factors were specified.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4833828 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Aug 8 - Businesses sued to block protected bike lanes on 31st Street. DOT stands firm. Two killed, 190 injured here since 2020. The street stays dangerous. The fight is over space, speed, and who gets to survive.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-08-08) reports that Astoria businesses sued to stop a DOT project adding protected bike lanes and traffic calming to 31st Street. The suit claims the redesign would "jeopardize" safety and hinder emergency access, despite DOT data showing 190 injuries and two deaths in the area since 2020. DOT says the project targets "unpredictable vehicle movements" and double parking, with design elements "found on streets across the city." The agency says it incorporated feedback from 90% of local businesses. The legal fight spotlights tension between safety improvements and business concerns, as the corridor ranks among Queens' most crash-prone.

• Astoria Bike Lane Lawsuit Challenges Safety, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-08-08

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.

"signage as a 'small step' and 'low-hanging fruit,'" -- Donovan J. Richards

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 car struck and killed a 23-year-old man on 101st Street. The driver sped off after an encounter at the window. Police found the victim with severe trauma. He died at Jamaica Hospital.

According to the New York Post (2025-08-01), a 23-year-old man died after being run over on 101st Street and Liberty Boulevard in Queens. The article reports, "Sonalall approached the driver's side window and flashed what appeared to be a gun, startling the motorist, who then drove off, striking Sonalall." The Queens District Attorney's Office did not charge the driver, citing fear for his life. The incident highlights the lethal risk when vehicles are used in moments of conflict. No charges were filed, raising questions about how self-defense is interpreted in car-related deaths.

• Man Killed By Driver In Queens Street, New York Post, Published 2025-08-01

Jul 29 - Two sedans collided at Beach 69 Street and Thursby Avenue in Queens. Both drivers, women, were injured. Police listed glare and failure to yield right-of-way. Children were present in the vehicles. Morning light. Metal and pain.

"According to the police report," two drivers, both women, were injured when their sedans collided at Beach 69 Street and Thursby Avenue. One driver suffered shoulder and upper-arm injuries; the other suffered elbow and lower-arm injuries. Police listed "Glare" and "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" as contributing factors. Both drivers were recorded as going straight ahead. Damage was recorded to the center front of one sedan and the right-side doors of the other. Children were reported to be present in the vehicles. The report does not list any pedestrians or cyclists as involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832304 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03

Jul 27 - A driver in a sedan turned left and hit a 64-year-old woman at Beach 54 Street and Beach Channel Drive in Queens. Police recorded failure to yield by the driver. She suffered knee, lower leg, and foot injuries and was in shock.

A driver in a sedan made a left turn at Beach 54 Street and Beach Channel Drive in Queens. The driver hit a 64-year-old woman in the intersection. "According to the police report, the driver failed to yield the right-of-way." Police recorded "Failure to Yield Right-of-Way" as the contributing factor. The left front bumper was the point of impact. The woman suffered injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot and was in shock at the scene. The driver was licensed and had no reported injuries. Another occupant was also uninjured. No other causes were cited.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4832019 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-03