Northern Boulevard: Blood on the Asphalt, Silence in City Hall

A Toyota SUV struck a 66-year-old man crossing 41st Avenue near 147th Street. The impact crushed his head and organs. He died at the scene. The street was dark. The city claimed another life.

A 66-year-old man was killed when a Toyota SUV hit him on 41st Avenue near 147th Street in Queens. According to the police report, the man was crossing the street without a signal when the SUV, traveling east, struck him with its right front bumper. The pedestrian suffered fatal head trauma and internal injuries. The police report lists 'Unspecified' as the contributing factor, with no specific driver error cited. No mention of helmet or signal use appears as a contributing factor. The driver was licensed and continued straight ahead. No injuries were reported among the vehicle occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4624334, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A BMW crashed into a parked sedan on the Long Island Expressway. Metal twisted. The driver, 51, bled from the head but stayed awake. No warning. Blood and glass marked the night. The crash left silence and injury behind.

A BMW sedan, traveling east on the Long Island Expressway, struck a parked sedan. According to the police report, 'A BMW drove east and struck a parked sedan. Metal crumpled. The driver, 51, bled from the head. He stayed conscious.' The driver suffered severe head bleeding but remained alert at the scene. Police listed 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as a contributing factor. The parked sedan was unoccupied. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The crash left blood and glass scattered on the asphalt. The report does not mention helmet use or turn signals as contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4613690, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Lexus sedan hit a 75-year-old woman crossing 47th Avenue. The car struck her head-on. She bled from the head. She died. The driver was distracted. The street stayed silent. The system failed her.

A 75-year-old woman was killed while crossing 47th Avenue near 192nd Street. According to the police report, 'A 75-year-old woman crossed the road. A Lexus came straight, struck her head-on. She was conscious, broken, bleeding from the head. The driver was distracted. The car was fine. She died.' The crash data lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. The driver, operating a 2022 Lexus sedan, went straight and struck the pedestrian with the center front end of the vehicle. The pedestrian suffered fatal head injuries. No other injuries were reported. The driver’s distraction led to the deadly impact. No other contributing factors were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4607655, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Senator John Liu pushes to drop New York’s legal blood alcohol limit from 0.08 to 0.05. Drunk drivers killed 307 people statewide in 2019. The bill aims to cut deaths. Utah saw fatal crashes fall after a similar move. The message: don’t drink and drive.

On February 7, 2023, Queens State Senator John Liu, representing District 16, publicly supported a bill in the State Legislature to lower the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers from 0.08 to 0.05. The bill’s summary states, 'The 0.05 BAC simply says, don’t drink and drive.' Liu, as the bill’s primary sponsor, emphasized that anyone found with a BAC over 0.05 would be charged with DWI. City Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez joined the push, warning, 'Whether they are at 0.06 or 0.12 or 0.20, the consequences can be deadly.' Drunk driving caused 307 deaths in New York State in 2019, nearly a third of all fatal crashes. Utah’s adoption of a 0.05 BAC limit led to a 20% drop in fatal crashes in its first year. The bill is part of a broader effort to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and passengers from impaired drivers.

• City transportation chief joins state push to lower blood alcohol limits, amny.com, Published 2023-02-07

A sedan turns left on Bayside Avenue. A 74-year-old man crosses with the signal. Metal strikes flesh. His shoulder breaks. He falls. The driver stays. The street falls silent.

A 1999 Toyota sedan struck a 74-year-old man crossing Bayside Avenue at 154th Street in Queens. According to the police report, the pedestrian was crossing with the signal when the sedan, making a left turn, hit him. The man suffered a broken shoulder. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor. The driver remained at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The crash shows the danger when drivers fail to yield to pedestrians, even when signals are clear.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4594559, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

City officials push Albany to drop the drunk driving threshold from 0.08 to 0.05 percent. The bill lingers in committee. Drunk drivers killed 42 New Yorkers last year. Messaging still centers on not drinking, not on not driving.

Senate Bill sponsored by John Liu and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon seeks to lower New York’s DWI blood-alcohol threshold from 0.08% to 0.05%. The bill, re-submitted in the last legislative session, remains stuck in committee. At a December 22, 2022 press conference, DOT Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione said, 'There is not really a safe level of drinking and driving, but the law suggests there is.' Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and NYPD’s Kim Royster also spoke, focusing on enforcement and urging drivers to avoid drinking before driving. Advocates like Alisa McMorris of Mothers Against Drunk Driving called for stronger messaging: 'We want people to make choices before they leave their home.' Despite evidence that lowering the threshold could cut traffic deaths by 10%, city messaging still stops short of telling people not to drive to events where they plan to drink.

• How to Cut Drunk Driving — Discourage the Drinking … Or the Driving?, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-12-22

City and state officials want to drop the legal blood-alcohol limit to 0.05. The bill sits in committee. Drunk drivers killed 42 people last year. Officials talk tough but focus on drinking, not driving. The danger remains for those outside the car.

Senate and Assembly bill, sponsored by Sen. John Liu and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon, seeks to lower New York’s drunk driving threshold from 0.08 to 0.05 percent BAC. Announced at a December 22, 2022 press conference, the bill has stalled in committee for years. The matter aims to redefine DWI: 'driving while intoxicated would be defined as anything above a blood-alcohol content of 0.05 percent.' Simon and Liu back the measure; city DOT and NYPD leaders joined them. DOT Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione said, 'There is not really a safe level of drinking and driving, but the law suggests there is.' In 2021, 42 people died in drunk driving crashes, up 60 percent from previous years. Officials promise enforcement and education, but their messaging targets drinking, not the act of driving. Vulnerable road users remain at risk while the law lags.

• How to Cut Drunk Driving — Discourage the Drinking … Or the Driving?, streetsblog.org, Published 2022-12-22

A BMW tore down the Long Island Expressway. The driver lost control. Metal twisted. Two young women in the back flew from the car. One died on the road. The other was hurt. Speed killed. The night swallowed the rest.

On the Long Island Expressway, a BMW sedan crashed while speeding westbound. According to the police report, 'A BMW tore through the dark. It hit something. Metal crumpled. An 18-year-old girl, no belt, right rear seat, flew from the car. She landed on the cold road. She did not get up.' The crash killed an 18-year-old woman, ejected from the right rear seat without safety equipment. Another 18-year-old woman, also ejected from the left rear seat, suffered serious injuries. The 20-year-old male driver was found unconscious with head injuries. The police report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. The data shows both rear passengers lacked safety equipment, but this is noted only after the driver’s speed error.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4587009, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A BMW tore through a red light on 37th Avenue. Steel met steel. The driver, twenty-five, died at the scene. The night held its breath. Traffic control was ignored. The street stayed silent. One life ended in a flash.

A deadly crash unfolded on 37th Avenue near Parsons Boulevard in Queens. According to the police report, a 25-year-old man driving a BMW westbound ignored a traffic signal and crashed head-on. The driver suffered fatal head injuries and died behind the wheel. The report states: “Traffic Control Disregarded.” No other injuries were specified for the other listed occupants. The data lists no helmet or signal issues. The crash highlights the lethal consequences when traffic controls are ignored. The scene was marked by twisted metal and silence, the cost of a single mistake.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4583557, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

An Audi SUV hit a woman in the crosswalk on Willets Point Boulevard. She crossed with the light. The driver failed to yield. The impact broke her body. Pain followed. The street stayed loud. The right-of-way was hers. It was not given.

A 40-year-old woman was crossing Willets Point Boulevard at 149th Street in Queens with the signal when an Audi SUV struck her. According to the police report, 'She crossed with the light. The Audi came fast, struck her center mass. Her body broke. Pain bloomed. The driver kept straight. The right-of-way was hers. It was not given.' The pedestrian suffered injuries to her entire body and was listed with apparent death at the scene. The driver, a 46-year-old woman, was operating the vehicle eastbound and failed to yield the right-of-way, as noted in both the police report and crash data. The only contributing factor listed is 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.'

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4579141, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Honda sedan veered north on Clearview Expressway. The car ripped open. The 20-year-old driver died, crushed behind the wheel. A 22-year-old passenger was knocked unconscious, head injured. The night was empty. Speed and lane changes left wreckage.

A 2007 Honda sedan crashed while heading north on Clearview Expressway at 2:05 a.m. The left side of the car tore open. According to the police report, the 20-year-old male driver was killed, suffering crush injuries to the head. A 22-year-old male passenger was rendered unconscious with head trauma and internal injuries. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Unsafe Lane Changing' as contributing factors. The sedan was changing lanes before impact, striking on the left front bumper and damaging the left side doors. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The police report confirms the road was empty at the time of the crash.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4573369, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A boy on a bike turned left. An SUV turned right. The view was blocked. Steel struck skin. Blood poured from his leg. He stayed conscious. Pain did not leave him. The street stayed silent.

A 14-year-old boy riding a bike was struck by an SUV on 190 Street. According to the police report, both the cyclist and the SUV driver had their views obstructed. The boy suffered severe lacerations to his lower leg but did not lose consciousness. The SUV, a 2009 Hyundai, was making a right turn while the boy was making a left. The report lists 'View Obstructed/Limited' as the contributing factor for both parties. No other driver errors were noted. The crash left the boy injured, his blood on the street, while the SUV’s right front bumper bore the mark of impact.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4568717, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A 31-year-old man rode an e-scooter on Roosevelt Avenue. Fatigue took hold. He lost control. He flew from the scooter. His head struck the pavement. Blood pooled. He lay semiconscious, alone, bleeding into the city’s noise.

A 31-year-old man was severely injured while riding an e-scooter near 124-02 Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, the rider was 'drowsy on an e-scooter' and was ejected from the vehicle. He struck his head on the pavement and suffered severe bleeding, lying semiconscious at the scene. The report lists 'Fatigued/Drowsy' as the primary contributing factor in the crash. No helmet was worn, as noted in the data, but this detail follows the identification of driver error. The crash left the rider alone and gravely hurt, another victim of the city’s relentless traffic violence.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4560920, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan hit a young woman as she stepped down from a car on Prince Street. Her arm split open. Blood ran. The driver was distracted. She stayed conscious, clutching the wound. The car rolled on, untouched. The street stayed dangerous.

A 22-year-old woman was struck by a southbound Honda sedan while getting out of a vehicle near 37-20 Prince Street in Queens. According to the police report, the driver was distracted at the time of the crash. The impact tore open the woman’s arm, causing severe bleeding, but she remained conscious at the scene. The police report lists 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as the contributing factor. No damage was reported to the vehicle. Other occupants in the vehicles were not injured. The crash highlights the ongoing threat to pedestrians from inattentive drivers on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4557754, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

Steel buckled on the Long Island Expressway. A 2022 Acura crashed into the rear of a 2013 Toyota. Three men suffered head injuries. Blood pooled. The night was silent. Speed killed the calm. The road bore the scars.

A 2022 Acura struck the rear of a 2013 Toyota on the Long Island Expressway at 2:35 a.m. Three men were injured, all suffering head wounds. According to the police report, 'A 2022 Acura slams into the rear of a 2013 Toyota. Steel buckles. A 29-year-old man, bleeding from the head, sits conscious in the wreckage.' The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as the contributing factor. One driver and a front passenger were left with whiplash, while the other driver suffered severe lacerations. The crash left the vehicles mangled and the victims conscious but wounded. The data shows no other contributing factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4552190, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Ducati struck a Honda’s rear as the car changed lanes on Clearview Expressway. The rider, 43, flew from the bike. He wore a helmet. Internal injuries ended his life on the asphalt. The crash left passengers shaken, but alive.

A deadly crash unfolded on Clearview Expressway when a Ducati motorcycle slammed into the back of a Honda sedan mid-lane change. According to the police report, the motorcycle rider, 43, was ejected and suffered fatal internal injuries to his abdomen and pelvis. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' as a contributing factor. The Honda, driven by a 31-year-old man with two passengers, was changing lanes when the impact occurred. The motorcyclist was helmeted, as noted in the report, but the force of the collision proved fatal. No other serious injuries were reported among the sedan’s occupants. The crash highlights the lethal consequences of unsafe speed on city highways.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4549645, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Chevy SUV hit a northbound moped at 168th Street and 69th Avenue. A 16-year-old boy flew from the back seat. His head struck the pavement. Blood pooled on the asphalt. He was awake. His skull was open.

A Chevy SUV collided with a northbound moped at the corner of 168th Street and 69th Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, the SUV struck the moped, ejecting a 16-year-old passenger. The boy suffered severe head lacerations after his head hit the pavement. The report states, 'A Chevy SUV hit a northbound moped. A 16-year-old boy flew from the back seat. No helmet. His head struck pavement. Blood on the asphalt. He was awake. His skull was open.' The listed contributing factor is 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' The passenger was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this is mentioned only after the driver error. No other injuries were specified for the drivers or other occupants.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4545526, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Dodge sedan tore down Clearview Expressway before dawn. It hit head-on. The front passenger, thirty, died in the wreck. Two others were hurt. Unsafe speed and driver distraction left bodies broken and the road silent.

A deadly crash struck Clearview Expressway in the early morning. According to the police report, a Dodge sedan traveling south at unsafe speed crashed head-on. The front passenger, age 30, died at the scene. Two other occupants, including the driver and a rear passenger, suffered injuries to their entire bodies. The report lists 'Unsafe Speed' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' as contributing factors. No safety equipment was used by those injured or killed. The crash left one dead and two injured, all due to reckless driving behaviors documented in the official report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4539798, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A sedan hit an e-scooter on Parsons Boulevard. The rider flew off, blood streaming from his head. The scooter twisted, metal bent. The car’s bumper bore the mark. Streets ran with danger. The driver failed to yield.

A sedan traveling south on Parsons Boulevard struck an eastbound e-scooter at Cherry Avenue. The 32-year-old scooter rider was ejected and suffered a head injury with severe bleeding. According to the police report, 'A sedan struck an eastbound e-scooter. The rider, 32, was thrown off, conscious, blood pouring from his head. The scooter crumpled. The car’s bumper carried the wound.' The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as the contributing factor for the sedan driver. No other contributing factors were noted for the e-scooter rider. No helmet use was listed as a factor. The crash left the vulnerable rider injured and exposed the risks faced by those outside steel and glass.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4534008, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15

A Lexus merged on Northern Boulevard. Its bumper hit a 62-year-old e-bike rider. He fell. Blood pooled from his head. He lay conscious, bleeding in the sun. Unsafe lane change. Passing too close. The street stayed silent.

A crash on Northern Boulevard involved a Lexus SUV merging west and an e-bike traveling straight. The SUV's right front bumper struck the e-bike's side. According to the police report, the e-bike rider, a 62-year-old man, suffered a head injury and severe bleeding but remained conscious at the scene. The report lists 'Unsafe Lane Changing' and 'Passing Too Closely' as contributing factors. The SUV was driven by a 61-year-old woman. The e-bike rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary causes cited are driver errors. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4529005, NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-06-15