Precinct 102 traffic accidents: street safety, Vision Zero updates

Feb 5 - A man slammed his Mercedes into a stopped car on the Whitestone Expressway. The impact threw an MTA worker onto the pavement. The driver ran. The worker died. Police found the abandoned car. The driver had no license.

NY Daily News reported on February 5, 2025, that James Vennitti, 63, was arrested for a deadly hit-and-run on the Whitestone Expressway in Queens. On February 10, 2024, Vennitti allegedly rear-ended David Berney, 43, after Berney and another driver stopped in the middle lane following a minor collision. The crash threw Berney from his car, killing him at the scene. The other driver was injured. Vennitti, unlicensed, abandoned his Mercedes and fled on foot. Police arrested him a year later. A grand jury indicted Vennitti for leaving the scene of a fatal crash and driving without a license. The case highlights the lethal risk of unlicensed driving and the dangers of stopped vehicles on high-speed roads.

• Unlicensed Driver Flees Queens Fatal Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-02-05

Jan 27 - A taxi passenger and driver suffered upper arm injuries and whiplash in a Queens crash. The accident involved improper lane usage by the taxi driver. Both occupants were conscious and restrained. The collision caused vehicle damage but no ejections.

According to the police report, a crash occurred at 17:05 in Queens near 104-32 94 Avenue involving a taxi. The taxi driver contributed to the crash through 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper,' a critical driver error cited in the report. The taxi was initially parked before the crash. Two occupants were injured: a 40-year-old male driver and a 34-year-old female passenger. Both suffered upper arm injuries and whiplash, were conscious, and properly restrained with lap belts and harnesses. The driver was seated in the middle front seat, and the passenger was in the left rear seat. The taxi sustained unspecified damage, and no occupants were ejected. The report highlights driver error as the primary cause, with no contributing victim behaviors noted.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4788728 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 25 - SUV hit sedan’s right side on Atlantic Avenue. Rear passenger suffered neck whiplash. Police cite driver inattention. Streets in Queens left another vulnerable rider hurt.

According to the police report, a Jeep SUV traveling west on Atlantic Avenue in Queens struck the right side of a southbound Nissan sedan at 16:41. The impact injured a 58-year-old woman seated in the sedan’s right rear seat. She suffered a neck injury, described as whiplash, and was conscious and restrained by a lap belt and harness. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. Both drivers were licensed and traveling straight ahead. No victim actions contributed to the crash, according to the police report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4788405 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 24 - A 58-year-old man suffered knee and lower leg injuries after an SUV failed to yield while making a left turn. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the vehicle’s right front bumper struck him, causing contusions and shock.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 7:01 AM in Queens on 101 Avenue near 102 Street. A female driver operating a 2012 SUV was making a left turn when she failed to yield right-of-way to a 58-year-old male pedestrian crossing with the signal at the intersection. The vehicle struck the pedestrian with its right front bumper. The pedestrian sustained injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, including contusions and bruises, and was reported to be in shock. The report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for the crash, emphasizing driver error. The vehicle sustained no damage. The pedestrian’s crossing with the signal is noted but not listed as a contributing factor. The collision highlights the dangers posed by driver failure to yield at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787936 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 23 - A 62-year-old woman crossing 86th Road in Queens was struck by a sedan making a left turn. The driver’s inattention caused impact to the pedestrian’s lower leg and foot. The victim suffered abrasions but remained conscious at the scene.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling northwest on 86th Road in Queens struck a 62-year-old female pedestrian at an intersection. The driver was making a left turn when the collision occurred, with the point of impact on the vehicle’s left front bumper. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The pedestrian was crossing without a signal or crosswalk and sustained injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, including abrasions. She remained conscious after the crash. The vehicle sustained no damage. The driver was licensed and operating a 2017 Honda sedan with two occupants. This crash underscores the dangers posed by distracted driving during turning maneuvers in busy urban intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787886 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 22 - A Toyota RAV4 jumped the curb on 90th Avenue, slammed into a garage, and collapsed the structure. The driver, Mamadou Barry, was trapped. First responders pulled him out, but he died at the hospital. No other injuries reported.

According to NY Daily News (2025-01-22), Mamadou Barry, 63, was driving his Toyota RAV4 along 90th Ave. in Jamaica, Queens, around 5:20 a.m. when he lost control, hopped a curb at 143rd St., and crashed into a detached garage. The impact caused the garage to collapse onto both his SUV and a parked, unoccupied Prius. Police said Barry was trapped and later died at Jamaica Hospital. The article notes, 'he lost control of the SUV, which went crashing into a detached garage in Queens, police said.' Family members stated Barry had no known medical issues. The cause of the crash remains unclear. No other injuries were reported. The incident highlights the dangers faced by drivers and bystanders in residential areas where structures sit close to the street.

• Uber Driver Dies in Queens Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-01-22

Jan 17 - A moped traveling south on 91 Ave struck another vehicle’s center back end. The unlicensed driver and a 15-year-old passenger suffered whiplash and injuries to face and lower leg. Both remained conscious but were seriously hurt in the collision.

According to the police report, a 2023 ZHEN moped, driven by a 19-year-old unlicensed male, was traveling south on 91 Ave when it collided with the center back end of another vehicle. The moped's left front bumper sustained damage. The driver, wearing a helmet, suffered whiplash and facial injuries, classified as injury severity 3. A 15-year-old female passenger seated on the left rear of the moped also sustained whiplash and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, with injury severity 3. Both occupants were conscious and not ejected from the vehicle. The report does not list any contributing factors from the driver or victim, but the driver’s unlicensed status is a critical factor. No pedestrian or cyclist was involved, and no victim behaviors were cited as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4787259 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 15 - A 19-year-old motorcyclist collided with a Ford’s front on Lefferts Boulevard near 84th Avenue. His arm bled through torn fabric. The bike’s rear folded in. Driver inexperience and following too closely left no time to stop.

A 19-year-old motorcycle driver was injured when he struck the front of a Ford vehicle on Lefferts Boulevard near 84th Avenue in Queens at 11:00 a.m., according to the police report. The report states the motorcyclist suffered severe bleeding to his arm and was conscious at the scene. The crash narrative describes the motorcycle’s rear folding in from the impact. Police cite 'Driver Inexperience' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. The report also notes 'View Obstructed/Limited' as a factor. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, according to the police report. The collision’s point of impact was the motorcycle’s center back end and the Ford’s center front end. The data highlights driver error and systemic danger as central to this crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4786048 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 8 - Two SUVs slammed together on 111 Street. Both drivers blew past traffic controls. A 68-year-old man took neck injuries and whiplash. Metal twisted. Danger rose from driver disregard.

According to the police report, two station wagons/SUVs collided at 20:39 on 111 Street near 95 Avenue in Queens. Both drivers, a 68-year-old man from New York and a woman from Pennsylvania, went straight ahead and disregarded traffic controls. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as the contributing factor for both vehicles. The male driver suffered neck pain and whiplash but remained conscious at the scene. The impact struck the left front bumper of his SUV and the center front end of the other. Both vehicles sustained damage. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4784839 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 7 - A sedan making a left turn collided with an eastbound bicyclist on Metropolitan Avenue in Queens. The cyclist suffered knee and lower leg bruises. Police cited driver failure to yield and inattention as key factors in the crash.

At 18:23 on Metropolitan Avenue in Queens, a sedan traveling westbound made a left turn and struck an eastbound bicyclist, according to the police report. The bicyclist, a 30-year-old male, sustained contusions and bruises to his knee and lower leg but was conscious and not ejected from his bike. The report identifies 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors attributed to the sedan driver. The impact occurred at the center front end of both vehicles, with damage to the sedan’s right front bumper and the bike’s center front end. No contributing factors related to the bicyclist were noted in the report. The collision highlights driver errors in yielding and attentiveness during left turns as central causes of injury to vulnerable road users.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4784395 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Jan 5 - Van turned wrong, slammed into parked SUV. Woman in back seat thrown partway out. She suffered back injuries, shock, pain. Intersection danger, driver error, real harm.

According to the police report, a van making a right turn near 112-20 Atlantic Ave in Queens struck the left front bumper of a parked SUV at 13:55. The van driver committed the error of "Turning Improperly." A 47-year-old woman, seated in the right rear passenger seat of the SUV, was partially ejected and suffered back injuries. She was in shock and complained of pain or nausea. The report lists no contributing factors from the victim. Both vehicles sustained front bumper damage. This crash shows the danger of improper turning, with serious injury to a passenger.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4783999 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 29 - SUV driver, distracted and inattentive, struck a refrigerated van while both moved south on Van Wyck Expressway. Impact left SUV driver with neck whiplash. Systemic danger, not chance, shaped the crash.

According to the police report, a Station Wagon/SUV traveling south on Van Wyck Expressway collided with a refrigerated van that was merging in the same direction. The SUV's right side hit the van's front, injuring the 46-year-old SUV driver with neck whiplash. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor. No victim actions contributed. The crash damaged both vehicles and left the SUV driver conscious but hurt. Systemic driver error and limited visibility led to the impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4782479 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 26 - A 64-year-old man was struck by a northbound sedan on Jamaica Avenue in Queens. The pedestrian suffered contusions and lower leg injuries. The driver’s inattention caused the collision outside an intersection, leaving the victim bruised but conscious.

According to the police report, a sedan traveling northbound on Jamaica Avenue in Queens struck a 64-year-old male pedestrian who was not at an intersection but engaged in other actions in the roadway. The pedestrian sustained contusions and injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, classified as injury severity level 3. The report explicitly cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor to the crash, repeated twice for emphasis. The point of impact was the center front end of the vehicle, which was going straight ahead. There was no vehicle damage reported. The pedestrian was conscious after the collision. No victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. The crash occurred at 5:45 p.m., highlighting the dangers posed by distracted driving in urban traffic environments.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4782714 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 19 - A 26-year-old woman crossing with the signal was struck by a northbound sedan making a left turn. The driver failed to yield right-of-way and was inattentive. The pedestrian suffered bruises and lower leg injuries but remained conscious.

According to the police report, a 26-year-old female pedestrian was injured while crossing 102 Street at Atlantic Avenue in Queens around 6:57 PM. The report states the sedan driver, a licensed female, was making a left turn northbound when the collision occurred. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal, but the driver failed to yield right-of-way and showed signs of inattention or distraction. The point of impact was the center front end of the vehicle, which sustained no damage. The pedestrian suffered contusions and injuries to her knee, lower leg, and foot, classified as injury severity level 3, but remained conscious. The report explicitly cites driver errors—failure to yield and driver inattention—as contributing factors, with no mention of pedestrian fault or equipment.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4780113 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 19 - A 49-year-old man crossing with the signal was struck at an intersection in Queens. The vehicle, traveling straight ahead, hit the pedestrian with its center front end. Unsafe speed and driver distraction contributed to the crash, causing back injuries.

According to the police report, a 49-year-old male pedestrian was injured while crossing with the signal at an intersection on 80 Road near Kew Gardens Road in Queens at 10:42 AM. The pedestrian suffered internal complaints and back injuries classified as severity level 3. The vehicle involved was traveling straight ahead and struck the pedestrian with its center front end, sustaining damage in the same area. The report cites 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors to the collision. The pedestrian's crossing with the signal is noted but not listed as a contributing factor. The crash highlights driver errors, specifically unsafe speed and distraction, as central causes of the injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4780112 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 17 - A sedan making a left turn collided with a westbound bus in Queens. Both drivers suffered injuries, including head and leg trauma. Police cited driver inattention and distraction as contributing factors in the crash.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 14:52 in Queens near 97-17 95 Avenue. A 30-year-old female sedan driver, licensed in New York, was making a left turn when her vehicle's right rear quarter panel struck the left front quarter panel of a westbound bus. The bus driver and a 59-year-old female passenger were also involved. Both the sedan driver and the bus passenger were injured, with the driver sustaining head injuries and the passenger suffering knee, lower leg, and foot injuries. Both occupants were wearing lap belts and were not ejected. The report explicitly lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for both drivers. No victim behaviors were noted as contributing factors. The collision highlights the systemic danger posed by driver distraction during critical maneuvers like left turns.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4779553 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 17 - A sedan traveling north on 122 St struck a 17-year-old male pedestrian crossing with the signal at Jamaica Ave. The pedestrian suffered elbow and lower arm contusions. The crash resulted from the driver’s failure to yield right-of-way at the intersection.

According to the police report, a sedan proceeding straight ahead on 122 St in Queens collided with a 17-year-old male pedestrian at the intersection with Jamaica Ave around 8:00 AM. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the vehicle impacted him with its center front end. The pedestrian sustained contusions and bruises to his elbow and lower arm and remained conscious after the collision. The report explicitly cites the driver’s failure to yield right-of-way as a contributing factor to the crash. No other driver errors or victim behaviors were listed as contributing factors. The vehicle was damaged at the center front end, confirming the point of impact. This collision highlights the dangers posed by driver negligence at intersections.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4779554 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 13 - A moped driver suffered serious leg injuries after a collision on Woodhaven Blvd in Queens. The crash involved improper lane usage by the moped operator, who was partially ejected and fractured his lower leg. The sedan involved showed no damage.

According to the police report, the crash occurred on Woodhaven Blvd near Forest Park Dr in Queens at 14:40. The moped driver, a 43-year-old male with a permit license, was changing lanes improperly when his vehicle's right side doors collided with the left front bumper of a sedan traveling straight ahead. The report cites 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the primary contributing factor. The moped driver was partially ejected and sustained a fracture and dislocation to his knee and lower leg, resulting in serious injury. The sedan, which had no occupants and no reported damage, was not cited for any driver errors. The report emphasizes the moped driver's lane change error as the cause of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4779544 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 9 - A 17-year-old male pedestrian was struck at a Queens intersection while crossing with the signal. The driver, traveling southbound, failed to pay attention, causing a collision that injured the teen’s lower leg and foot with bruising.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 14:50 on 104 Street near Atlantic Avenue in Queens. The pedestrian, a 17-year-old male, was crossing with the signal when he was hit. The driver was traveling straight ahead southbound and struck the pedestrian with the center front end of the vehicle. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The pedestrian sustained injuries to the knee, lower leg, and foot, including contusions and bruising. The vehicle showed no damage. The report explicitly attributes the crash to driver errors, specifically inattention and lack of experience, without any contributing fault on the pedestrian.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777551 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18

Dec 4 - A 36-year-old man suffered a severe shoulder fracture after an SUV struck him at a Queens intersection. The driver, making a left turn, failed to yield and was distracted. The pedestrian was crossing with the signal when hit.

According to the police report, the crash occurred at 11:40 PM on Woodhaven Blvd near 101 Ave in Queens. A Station Wagon/SUV traveling north was making a left turn when it struck a 36-year-old male pedestrian crossing with the signal at the intersection. The pedestrian sustained a fractured and dislocated upper arm and remained conscious after the impact. The report identifies 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as contributing factors. The SUV's left front bumper was the point of impact, indicating the driver failed to yield to the pedestrian legally crossing. No contributing factors related to the pedestrian's behavior were noted. The driver's errors directly caused the collision and serious injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4777119 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-09-18