Children Bleed, Politicians Stall: Demand Safe Streets Now

Mayoral hopefuls hammered Eric Adams for broken bus lane promises. At a transit forum, they called out City Hall’s slow pace. The law demands 30 miles a year. Adams delivered half. Candidates pledged pro-transit reforms. Riders wait. Streets stay dangerous.

On December 3, 2024, a mayoral candidate forum on NYC bus service and transportation policy spotlighted City Hall’s failures. The event, organized by Riders Alliance, saw candidates attack Mayor Eric Adams for not meeting the Streets Master Plan law, which mandates 30 new miles of bus lanes each year. Adams’ administration installed only 15.7 miles last fiscal year. State Sen. Jessica Ramos said, 'The current mayor promised 150 miles of bus lanes and hasn't delivered.' Comptroller Brad Lander promised a 'professional, world-class DOT commissioner.' Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani vowed to resist business interests blocking bus projects. Sen. Zellnor Myrie, mentioned at the forum, made pro-transit promises. The forum exposed how political inaction and broken promises keep streets unsafe for bus riders and pedestrians.

• Mayoral candidates hit Adams on failed promises to boost NYC's bus service, gothamist.com, Published 2024-12-03

Six mayoral hopefuls faced off on transit. They promised bus lanes, free buses, and fair fares. Each slammed the mayor’s record. They called for less fare enforcement, more service. Riders, not drivers, took center stage. Words flew. Streets stayed dangerous.

On December 3, 2024, six candidates for New York City mayor—Brad Lander, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, Jessica Ramos, Scott Stringer, and Jim Walden—spoke at a Riders Alliance forum. The event focused on transit policy. Candidates pledged support for bus lanes, free buses, expanded Fair Fares, and shifting gas tax funds to mass transit. Lander vowed to end subway and street homelessness for the severely mentally ill by connecting them to stable housing. Mamdani promised a world-class bus network. Myrie pushed for citywide bus lanes. Ramos called for automatic Fair Fares registration. Stringer backed more bus routes. Walden opposed fare evasion crackdowns, urging resources go to service instead. All criticized Mayor Adams’ record on bus lanes and congestion pricing. The forum highlighted a united front for safer, more accessible transit, but offered no immediate relief for vulnerable road users.

• Promises, Promises: What the Candidates Said At The Transit Forum, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-12-03

A Chevy van hit a 78-year-old woman head-on on 82nd Street. Blood pooled on the pavement. The driver, distracted, kept going. She lay conscious, head bleeding, the street empty of crosswalks and signals. Impact and indifference marked the night.

According to the police report, a 78-year-old woman was crossing 82nd Street near 37th Avenue in Queens when a 2009 Chevrolet van struck her head-on. The incident occurred at 18:30. The report states the woman was not at an intersection and there were no signals or crosswalks present. She suffered a head injury with severe bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. The driver did not stop and continued driving after the collision. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The report does not attribute any contributing factors to the pedestrian’s actions. The focus remains on the van driver's failure to observe and yield, as well as the act of leaving the scene after impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4774785 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A man clung to a dump truck on Astoria Boulevard. No harness, no shield. He fell, skull to asphalt, blood pooling. The truck rolled on, untouched. The man, forty-seven, left with severe head wounds. The city’s machinery did not stop.

According to the police report, a 47-year-old man was riding on the outside of a dump truck near Astoria Boulevard and 88th Street in Queens. The report states he was 'ejected' and suffered 'severe lacerations' to the head after falling from the moving vehicle. The narrative details: 'A 47-year-old man clung to the outside of a dump truck. No belt. No shield. He fell. Skull met asphalt. Blood pooled. The truck rolled on, untouched. The man did not.' The police report lists the contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The vehicle, a 2005 PTRB dump truck registered in New Jersey, sustained no damage and continued westbound, according to the report. The man was not using any safety equipment at the time, but the report does not cite this as a contributing factor. The focus remains on the systemic danger of unsecured riders and the unchecked movement of heavy vehicles through city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4768345 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Two children died near P.S. 127. Parents begged for help. The city stalled. Jessica Ramos backs a bill for a guard at every school corner. She calls for daylighting, scrambles, and less congestion. The city’s response: not enough. Danger remains.

On September 27, 2024, State Senator Jessica Ramos, representing Queens District 13, called for urgent action after two students were killed in traffic near P.S. 127. The matter, titled 'Queens parents struggle to get crossing guards after 2 students killed in traffic,' highlights a dire shortage: only 1,500 crossing guards citywide, down from 2,600 in 2019. Ramos supports a bill mandating a crossing guard at every school corner and urges investment in pedestrian scrambles, daylighting, and congestion reduction. She said, 'You would think that this is one of the most basic ways to protect the safety of our children. And yet that seems like an insurmountable task.' Ramos’s advocacy comes as parents face bureaucratic stonewalling and city officials offer piecemeal fixes. The city’s measures—stop signs, bollards, and cement blocks—fall short. Ramos demands full funding and systemic change to protect children on their way to school.

• Queens parents struggle to get crossing guards after 2 students killed in traffic, gothamist.com, Published 2024-09-27

A turning SUV cut across 72nd Street. A motorcycle slammed into its side. The young rider, helmetless, flew from the seat, legs shattered, blood pooling on the pavement. The road bore witness to violence and error, not mercy.

According to the police report, a Station Wagon/Sport Utility Vehicle was making a left turn from 72nd Street near Northern Boulevard in Queens when a motorcycle traveling straight collided with the SUV's right side doors. The 21-year-old motorcycle rider was ejected from his seat, suffered severe bleeding, and sustained serious injuries to his legs. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as contributing factors. The SUV driver’s failure to yield during the turn is explicitly cited. The motorcycle rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this detail appears after the primary driver errors. The crash unfolded at 3:19 p.m., leaving the rider incoherent and gravely hurt, underscoring the lethal consequences of driver mistakes on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4758181 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Lexus veered off 94th Street, metal shrieked, and a 33-year-old man died behind the wheel. Evening light fell on twisted steel and silence. Driver inattention ended a life in Queens, leaving only wreckage and unanswered questions.

According to the police report, a Lexus sedan traveling north on 94th Street at the corner of 60th Avenue veered into two parked sedans. The report states, 'A Lexus veered into two parked sedans. Metal tore. A 33-year-old man slumped behind the wheel, lap belt tight, head struck. Evening light caught the silence. He did not move again.' The sole occupant and driver, a 33-year-old man, suffered fatal head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police identified 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The parked vehicles, a Kia and a Honda, were unoccupied at the time. The crash underscores the lethal consequences of driver distraction, as cited in the official report. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4756153 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Steel crumpled on the Long Island Expressway. An SUV slammed into another from behind. The young driver’s neck snapped forward, pain blooming beneath the belt. He stayed awake, but something inside broke, crushed by inexperience and speed.

A collision occurred on the westbound Long Island Expressway involving two SUVs, according to the police report. A young man driving an SUV struck another SUV from behind, causing significant front-end damage to his vehicle and rear-end damage to the other. The driver suffered neck injuries described as whiplash and remained conscious at the scene. The report explicitly lists 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor. The narrative states, 'His neck snapped forward. The belt held. He stayed awake. But something inside gave way, crushed beneath steel and inexperience.' Two occupants were injured, both suffering whiplash, and both were wearing lap belts and harnesses. No other contributing factors or victim behaviors are cited. The focus remains on the inexperience of the driver as the primary cause of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4753996 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Honda SUV hit an eight-year-old girl as she crossed 111th Street. Her foot split open. Blood pooled on the sidewalk. The SUV rolled on, unscathed. She stayed conscious, pain sharp and real, the street marked by violence.

According to the police report, a northbound Honda SUV struck an eight-year-old girl as she crossed 111th Street near 47th Avenue in Queens. The report states that the collision occurred while the girl was 'crossing, no signal, or crosswalk.' The impact caused a severe laceration to her foot, splitting it open and leaving blood on the sidewalk. The girl remained conscious after the crash, with injuries to her lower leg and foot described as 'severe lacerations.' The SUV, a 2019 Honda, showed no visible damage and continued north. The police report lists the contributing factors as 'unspecified,' offering no details about driver attentiveness or speed. The narrative centers the violence of the impact and the vulnerability of the young pedestrian, while the vehicle and its occupants were unharmed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4752265 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A taxi reversed without warning at 111th Street and 55th Avenue. The cab struck a 60-year-old man’s leg as he stood off the roadway. Bone crushed. He did not cry out. The cab bore no mark. The street swallowed the pain.

According to the police report, a taxi backed up at the corner of 111th Street and 55th Avenue in Queens, striking a 60-year-old man who was standing off the road. The report states the man suffered crush injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot, and was left in shock. The collision occurred at 17:57. Police cite 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Backing Unsafely' as contributing factors. The man was not in the roadway at the time of impact. The taxi showed no visible damage. The report does not list any pedestrian actions as contributing factors. The focus remains on the driver’s failure to pay attention and the unsafe backing maneuver that led to the severe injury.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4751423 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A 15-year-old moped rider collided with a Ford SUV on 32nd Avenue. He flew from the seat, helmetless, body torn and bleeding, screaming awake. Speed and alcohol shadowed the crash. The street bore witness to another young life shattered.

A violent collision unfolded at 32nd Avenue and 107th Street in Queens when a moped, operated by a 15-year-old boy, slammed into the left front quarter panel of a Ford SUV, according to the police report. The report states the moped rider was 'partially ejected,' suffering severe lacerations to his entire body, and was found conscious and screaming at the scene. 'Unsafe Speed' is cited as a contributing factor in the crash, with 'Alcohol Involvement' also listed in the police data. The teen wore no helmet, as documented in the report. The Ford SUV was traveling west, while the moped headed north; both were reportedly going straight ahead before impact. The police narrative describes the aftermath in stark terms: 'Blood spread. He was awake. He screamed.' The crash underscores the lethal consequences of speed and alcohol on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4743180 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A motorcycle, throttle stuck, careened off 37th Avenue and struck a woman on the sidewalk. Metal crushed bone. She died, conscious, legs shattered. The street spat her out. She never had a chance. The machine did not stop.

According to the police report, a motorcycle with a defective accelerator veered off 37th Avenue near 90th Street in Queens and struck a 44-year-old woman who was standing on the sidewalk. The impact hit her center-front, shattering her legs and causing fatal injuries. The report states she was conscious after the collision but ultimately died from her wounds. Police cite 'Accelerator Defective' as the contributing factor, pointing to a mechanical failure that led to the loss of control. The pedestrian was not in the roadway and was not crossing at an intersection, according to the report. No driver errors by the victim are listed. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when vehicle defects intersect with public space.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4731762 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A young moped rider slammed into a parked car, then crashed head-on into a Volvo. He flew from the wreck, struck the pavement, and bled from the head. He lay unconscious as dawn broke on 35th Avenue.

A 20-year-old moped rider suffered severe head injuries after a violent crash on 35th Avenue near 83rd Street in Queens. According to the police report, the moped first struck a parked Ford sedan, then collided head-on with a Volvo. The rider was ejected from his vehicle, landing unconscious and bleeding from the head. The report lists his helmet status as unknown. The moped was described as 'demolished.' The Volvo involved was driven by an unlicensed operator, according to the police report. No contributing factors beyond 'unspecified' were cited in the report. The crash underscores the lethal risks faced by vulnerable road users amid systemic dangers on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4727580 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Metal screamed at 88th and 35th. A chassis cab, distracted, slammed into a sedan’s rear. A 72-year-old woman, alone, belted, conscious, lost a limb. The belt held. Distraction shattered. The street bore witness to another preventable wound.

A violent collision unfolded at the corner of 88th Street and 35th Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, a chassis cab traveling west struck the rear quarter panel of a southbound sedan. The impact tore metal and left a 72-year-old woman, the sedan’s sole occupant, with an amputation injury. She was conscious and restrained by a lap belt. The police report cites 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor. The driver of the chassis cab failed to maintain focus, resulting in catastrophic harm to the sedan’s occupant. No evidence in the report attributes any contributing actions to the victim; the only cited factor is the inattention of the chassis cab driver. The crash underscores the systemic danger posed by distracted driving on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4728430 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A moped tore into a sedan’s side at 62 Drive and 97 Place. Glass shattered. A young rider’s face split open. Blood streaked steel. He stayed awake, clutching his wounds. Distraction behind the handlebars. The city’s metal edge did not yield.

A violent collision unfolded at the corner of 62 Drive and 97 Place in Queens when a moped struck the side of a sedan, according to the police report. The 21-year-old moped rider suffered severe facial injuries and heavy bleeding after his face hit the sedan’s glass. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the primary contributing factor in the crash. Both vehicles were reportedly traveling straight before the impact, with the moped hitting the center front end and the sedan absorbing the blow on its right side doors. The report notes the moped rider wore no helmet, but this detail is mentioned only after the cited driver error. The crash left the rider conscious but bloodied, underscoring the relentless danger posed by distraction and inattention on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4719160 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A young man lies semiconscious on Roosevelt Avenue, blood pooling from his head. His e-bike’s back end is crushed. The street is silent, the damage plain. Alcohol is involved. No helmet. The city holds its breath.

According to the police report, a 21-year-old man was found semiconscious beside his e-bike near 97-06 Roosevelt Avenue in Queens at 4:30 a.m. The report describes blood pooling from his head and notes severe bleeding and head injury. The e-bike’s center back end was crushed. The police report lists 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor, along with 'Unspecified' causes. No helmet was present, but the report does not cite helmet use as a contributing factor. The narrative paints a stark scene: the street is still, the silence heavy. The focus remains on the crash’s violence and the systemic dangers faced by vulnerable road users, especially in the early hours when streets are empty and oversight is thin.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4716058 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A moped veered on Roosevelt Avenue, slamming into a sedan’s front. The 21-year-old rider, helmeted, was ejected, bleeding, and incoherent. Alcohol lingered in the air. Metal screamed. A parked car caught the wreck’s tail. Sirens came slow.

According to the police report, just after midnight on Roosevelt Avenue, a moped rider, age 21, collided with the front quarter panel of a sedan while changing lanes. The report cites 'Alcohol Involvement' as a contributing factor. The moped rider was ejected, suffering severe facial bleeding and incoherence, despite wearing a helmet. The crash’s force spun the moped into a parked car, damaging its rear quarter panel. The sedan was traveling straight ahead when struck. The narrative states, 'Alcohol lingered. Steel screamed. A parked car caught the wreck’s tail.' The police report does not cite any contributing factors for the sedan driver or the parked vehicle. The focus remains on the danger created by alcohol involvement and the violent impact that followed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4716068 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A pickup driver with a record killed an 8-year-old in Queens. He pleaded not guilty. The court let him keep his license. He still drives. The boy’s family mourns. Politicians and advocates demand action. Streets stay deadly. Children pay the price.

On March 18, 2024, Jose Barcia, a pickup truck owner with a long history of unlicensed driving, pleaded not guilty to criminally negligent homicide after fatally striking 8-year-old Bayron Palomino Arroyo and injuring his brother in Queens. At arraignment, Barcia was released without surrendering his license. The Queens District Attorney’s office did not seek revocation. State Sen. Jessica Ramos led a rally, citing 'reckless drivers who refuse to yield to pedestrians' and called for stronger pedestrian safety, saying, 'driving is a privilege that can, and should be, taken away.' Adam White, a lawyer for crash victims, said the DA should have insisted Barcia not drive. The rally highlighted rising road deaths—48 killed citywide in early 2024—and called out the city’s failure to protect its most vulnerable. Vision Zero’s mission, Ramos argued, has been 'desecrated.'

• Driver Who Cops Say Killed Queens Boy is Still on the Road After Not Guilty Plea, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-18

A pickup truck turned left at 31st Avenue and 100th Street. An eight-year-old boy crossed with the signal. The truck’s bumper struck him. He died at the scene. Failure to yield. A child’s life ended in the crosswalk.

According to the police report, a pickup truck made a left turn at the intersection of 31st Avenue and 100th Street in Queens at 16:15. An eight-year-old boy was crossing at the intersection with the pedestrian signal when the truck’s right front bumper struck him. The report states the child suffered crush injuries to his entire body and died at the scene. The police report explicitly cites 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. The boy was crossing with the signal, as documented in the report. The driver’s failure to yield during a left turn directly led to the fatal collision. The report centers the driver’s actions as the primary cause of this deadly crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4709403 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A pickup driver killed an 8-year-old and injured his brother on 100th Street. The driver rushed a left turn, trying to beat traffic. Charges followed. State Sen. Ramos called for speed limits, fewer cars, and safer streets. The avenue is a known danger.

On March 13, 2024, in East Elmhurst, Queens, a pickup truck driver killed 8-year-old Bayron Palomino Arroyo and injured his 10-year-old brother as they crossed 100th Street. The driver, Jose Barcia, rushed a left turn from 31st Avenue and struck the children, according to NYPD Chief of Transportation Philip Rivera. Barcia faces charges of criminally negligent homicide, failure to yield, failure to exercise due care, and speeding. State Senator Jessica Ramos responded, calling for passage of 'Sammy's Law' to let the city set its own speed limits. Ramos said, 'I fight so hard for improved public transit because there are too many cars on the road, particularly SUVs and pickup trucks that do not allow for full visibility in city streets.' She urged fewer cars, especially large vehicles, and stressed the need for pedestrian safety in the budget. 31st Avenue, where the crash happened, saw 74 crashes and 47 injuries last year, far more than nearby, mostly car-free 34th Avenue.

• HORROR IN QUEENS: Child Killed, Another Injured by Reckless Driver, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2024-03-13