Five Dead, Sixteen Broken—Queens Needs Safe Streets Now

A Ford turned left on Northern Boulevard. A cyclist rode straight. Metal struck flesh. The rider flew, hit pavement, leg torn open. Blood pooled. He stayed awake, helmet on, pain sharp in the night.

A crash at Northern Boulevard and Steinway Street in Queens left a 31-year-old cyclist badly injured. According to the police report, a Ford car made a left turn while the cyclist traveled straight. The impact threw the cyclist to the ground, causing severe lacerations to his leg. The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The cyclist was ejected from his bike but remained conscious, helmet on, as blood pooled on the street. No other injuries were reported. The driver’s actions created a deadly risk at the intersection, exposing the cyclist to grave harm.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4565916, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A man on an e-bike sped down Maurice Avenue. He lost control. He flew from the bike. His helmet struck the street. The road was empty. He died there. Speed and inexperience marked his last ride.

A 48-year-old man riding a FLY E-BIKE southbound on Maurice Avenue was killed after losing control and being ejected from his bike. According to the police report, 'Maurice Avenue — A 48-year-old man on a FLY E-BIKE sped south, lost control, and was thrown. He wore a helmet. His head struck the street. The road was empty. The bike lay still. He did not move again.' The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The rider wore a helmet, but the impact proved fatal. No other vehicles or people were involved. The crash left the street silent, marked only by the fallen bike and the man who did not rise.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4559904, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A scooter slammed into a turning sedan on Greenpoint Avenue. The rider flew, his leg ripped open. Blood pooled on the street. He screamed, helmet cracked. Both drivers distracted. Metal twisted. Pain and sirens filled the air.

A violent crash unfolded on Greenpoint Avenue near 47th Street in Queens. According to the police report, a Honda scooter struck a turning Ford sedan. The scooter rider, a 29-year-old man, was ejected and suffered severe lacerations to his knee and lower leg. He was conscious, his helmet cracked, blood on the asphalt. Both vehicles had one occupant each. The report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as a contributing factor for both drivers. The Ford was making a left turn when the collision occurred. The scooter rider wore a helmet, as noted in the report, but distraction behind the wheel led to chaos and injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4559364, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A hit-and-run killed Be Tran in Queens. State Sen. Michael Gianaris and advocates demand swift action. They want signals, not studies. The city waits for blood before it moves. Residents, tired of carnage, rally for change. The toll mounts.

On August 17, 2022, State Senator Michael Gianaris called for urgent pedestrian safety improvements after a deadly hit-and-run in Queens. The incident, which killed 74-year-old Be Tran at Myrtle and Seneca Avenues, triggered public outcry. Gianaris criticized the city’s process, saying, 'They have to wait until that happens to get the score high enough to realize that an intersection needs protection.' He joined activists from the Ridgewood Tenants Union and Transportation Alternatives, demanding new signals and better street design. Gianaris said he contacted the Department of Transportation a year earlier with no result. The city claims over 20 traffic control approvals in Ridgewood, but residents and advocates say it’s not enough. The call comes as pedestrian deaths and injuries continue to climb citywide.

• Dangerous pedestrian crashes in Queens prompt calls for protections, gothamist.com, Published 2022-08-17

A man on a motorcycle slammed into the rear of a box truck on Queens Boulevard. He was thrown from his bike and crushed. He died on the pavement. The truck rolled on, untouched. The crash left one dead, others unhurt.

A 42-year-old man riding a motorcycle westbound on Queens Boulevard struck the rear of a box truck. According to the police report, 'A 42-year-old man on a motorcycle struck the rear of a box truck. No helmet. Ejected, crushed, killed. His body broke on the pavement. The truck rolled on, untouched.' The crash killed the motorcyclist. The box truck driver and passenger were not injured. The police report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor in the crash. The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause cited is improper lane usage. No injuries were reported for the truck occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4554092, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

SUV turned left on Roosevelt. E-bike kept straight. The bumper struck. Rider, thirty-two, flew and hit the ground. Head split open. He lay conscious, blood pooling under streetlights. Driver failed to yield. Distraction played its part. No helmet listed.

An SUV making a left turn on Roosevelt Avenue struck an e-bike traveling straight. The e-bike rider, a 32-year-old man, was ejected and suffered severe head injuries. According to the police report, 'An SUV turned left. An e-bike kept straight. The bumper hit center mass. The rider, 32, flew. No helmet. Head split. He lay conscious, bleeding under the yellow hush of streetlights.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The e-bike rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the data, but the primary causes remain the driver’s failure to yield and distraction.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4546649, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Ford chassis cab struck a man on Maurice Avenue near 54th. The truck did not stop. Bones broke. The man, 38, died in the street. No screech. No dent. Only silence and loss.

A 38-year-old man was killed when a Ford chassis cab struck him on Maurice Avenue near 54th Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, 'he stepped into the road. The Ford cab kept straight. No screech, no dent. Bones broke under wheels. A man, 38, crushed whole. He lay there. The truck did not stop.' The pedestrian suffered fatal crush injuries to his entire body. The driver, a 42-year-old man, continued straight and did not remain at the scene. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors such as failure to yield or distraction are noted in the data. No mention of helmet use or signaling appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4539794, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A box truck stood still on Laurel Hill Boulevard. An e-bike hit its rear. The rider, 33, flew forward, helmet on, blood streaming from his eye. He landed hard, conscious, half-thrown. Distraction and speed cut through the afternoon.

On Laurel Hill Boulevard near 58th Street, a box truck was stopped in traffic. An e-bike, traveling straight, struck the back of the truck. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' contributed to the crash. The e-bike rider, a 33-year-old man, was partially ejected and suffered a severe eye injury with heavy bleeding. He was wearing a helmet and remained conscious. No injuries were reported for the truck's occupants. The data lists driver inattention as a key factor, with no mention of errors by the e-bike rider beyond the helmet, which is only noted after driver actions.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4540072, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Metal screamed at 69 Lane and 57 Drive. Two sedans crashed. A young man took the hit to his head. He sat stunned, blood pounding. The street fell silent. The city marked another wound.

Two sedans collided at the corner of 69 Lane and 57 Drive in Queens. According to the police report, metal tore as the cars struck. A 24-year-old male driver suffered head injuries and crush trauma. He was not ejected and wore a lap belt and harness. The report notes he was in shock. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. Both vehicles had only the drivers inside. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors were recorded in the data. The crash left one young man hurt, the street quiet, and the city unchanged.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4538155, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan turned right on Flushing Avenue. A cyclist rode straight. Metal struck flesh. The cyclist flew, hit the pavement, head bleeding. He was conscious but hurt. The car’s side was smashed. The bike twisted, silent in the street.

A sedan and a cyclist collided at Flushing Avenue and Troutman Street in Queens. According to the police report, the sedan turned right while the cyclist went straight. The cyclist, a 30-year-old man, was ejected and suffered a head injury with severe bleeding. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The sedan’s right side was damaged; the bike’s front end was crushed. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are the driver’s failure to yield and inattention. The crash left the cyclist injured and the scene marked by twisted metal and blood.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4539372, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Tesla crashed headlong into a parked box truck on Rust Street. The roof caved. The driver, 67, was found slumped and bleeding from the head. The street was quiet. Police cited driver inattention. No other injuries reported.

A 67-year-old man driving a Tesla struck a parked box truck on Rust Street near 59th Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, the sedan drove straight into the truck, crushing the roof. The driver was found unconscious, bleeding from the head, and wearing a seatbelt. Police listed 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No other occupants or bystanders were injured. The box truck was unoccupied and parked at the time of the crash. The report does not mention any other contributing factors or violations.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4536274, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A distracted e-bike rider struck a 5-year-old boy crossing Skillman Avenue with the signal. The child bled from the head but stayed conscious. The bike’s front end bore the mark. The crash left the street stained and silent.

A 5-year-old boy was hit by a westbound e-bike while crossing Skillman Avenue at 47th Street in Queens. According to the police report, the child was crossing with the signal when the e-bike rider, distracted and inattentive, struck him. The boy suffered a head injury and severe lacerations but remained conscious at the scene. The e-bike’s front end showed damage from the impact. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No other errors or factors were cited. The crash underscores the danger posed to pedestrians, especially children, by inattentive riders on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4531561, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Dodge SUV turned left at 48th Street and Northern Boulevard. Its bumper hit an 89-year-old woman crossing with the signal. She fell. Blood pooled. Her head struck the ground. She never woke up.

An 89-year-old woman was killed at the corner of 48th Street and Northern Boulevard. According to the police report, a Dodge SUV made a left turn and its bumper struck the woman as she crossed with the signal. The impact caused her to fall, resulting in head trauma and internal injuries. She was found unconscious and did not survive. The police report lists the contributing factor as 'Unspecified.' The data shows the pedestrian was following the signal at the intersection. No driver errors are specified in the report. No mention of helmet or signal use is listed as a factor.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4521828, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Seven cars crashed on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. One flipped. Metal screamed. A 21-year-old man bled from his arm, half-ejected. Two others hurt. Speed drove the chaos. The road did not forgive. The city counted the wounded.

Seven vehicles collided eastbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. According to the police report, 'Seven cars collided. One flipped. Metal shrieked. A 21-year-old man, half-thrown from his seat, bled from his arm. He stayed awake. Speed was the cause. Speed, again.' Three people were injured: a 21-year-old male driver suffered severe bleeding and partial ejection; a 28-year-old female front passenger and a 53-year-old female driver both reported pain and nausea. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor for both primary vehicles. No other driver errors or helmet or signal issues were cited. The crash left twisted metal and pain in its wake.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4510754, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Ford SUV crashed into a parked tractor-trailer on Booth Street. The driver’s leg was crushed. He stayed conscious, belted in. The truck did not move. Night air held the sound. Metal met metal. The street did not forgive.

A Ford SUV struck the rear of a parked tractor-trailer on Booth Street in Queens. According to the police report, the SUV driver’s leg was crushed in the crash. He remained conscious and was wearing a lap belt and harness. The tractor-trailer was stationary and unoccupied at the time. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as contributing factors. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. Other occupants in the SUV were not seriously hurt. The impact was severe, crushing the driver’s lower leg. The report makes clear: driver error and disregard for traffic control led to this violent collision.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4507857, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 17-year-old boy crossed 37th Avenue in Queens. An SUV struck him head-on. His leg split open. Blood marked the street. The driver was distracted. The boy stayed conscious. The car showed no damage.

A 17-year-old pedestrian was struck by a westbound Toyota SUV while crossing 37th Avenue near 71st Street in Queens. According to the police report, the boy was in a marked crosswalk when the SUV hit him head-on, causing severe lacerations to his leg. The report states, 'The driver was distracted.' The crash left blood on the pavement, but the vehicle showed no damage. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The boy remained conscious after the impact. No injuries were reported for the driver or other occupants. The data does not mention any other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4500733, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15