No More Dead Kids: Streets Are Killing Us, Not Saving Us

Eighteen Brooklyn officials demand state DOT address BQE’s full deadly stretch. They reject piecemeal fixes. They call out decades of harm. The state’s refusal leaves neighborhoods exposed. The city’s hands are tied. The highway’s danger remains. Vulnerable lives hang in the balance.

On February 10, 2023, eighteen Brooklyn lawmakers issued a joint letter demanding New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) participate in comprehensive planning for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The statement, prompted by a Streetsblog report, reads: "We ask that the NYS DOT remember the daily harms caused by the BQE in its current state—not just the crumbling cantilever section—and join us at the table in search of a solution." The group includes Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Dan Goldman, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, state Sens. Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez, Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Members Bobby Carroll, Maritza Davila, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Marcela Mitaynes, and Council Members Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Crystal Hudson, Jennifer Gutiérrez, and Lincoln Restler. Senator Gounardes called the state’s refusal to join the city’s visioning process “unacceptable and irresponsible.” The lawmakers stress that the BQE’s harms—crashes, pollution, division—stretch from Bay Ridge to Greenpoint. Without state action, only city-owned segments see attention. The city’s efforts are limited. The state’s inaction leaves systemic danger unaddressed.

• Brooklyn Pols Demand the State ‘Come to the Table’ on the BQE, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-02-10

Senate bill S 3304 aims to keep cars out of bike lanes. Photo devices would catch violators. Sponsors say it’s time to protect cyclists. The bill stands at the sponsorship stage.

Senate bill S 3304, sponsored by Brad Hoylman-Sigal with co-sponsors Jabari Brisport, Kristen Gonzalez, Liz Krueger, and Julia Salazar, was introduced on January 30, 2023. The bill is in the sponsorship stage. It seeks to 'establish in the city of New York a bicycle lane safety program to enforce certain restrictions on the use of protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices.' The measure targets drivers who block bike lanes, aiming to keep space clear for cyclists. No safety analyst note is available. The bill has not yet advanced to committee or vote.

• File S 3304, Open States, Published 2023-01-30

A concrete mixer turned right on 24th Avenue. Its bumper struck a 62-year-old woman on her bike. She flew from the saddle. She died on the cold street. Heavy steel met flesh. The city’s streets took another life.

A 62-year-old woman riding a bicycle east on 24th Avenue in Queens was killed when a concrete mixer truck turned right and struck her with its front bumper. According to the police report, 'A concrete mixer turned right. A 62-year-old woman pedaled east. The truck’s bumper struck her head. She flew from the bike. No helmet. No chance. She died alone on the cold street.' The crash data lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors beyond the truck’s right turn. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but this detail appears only after the sequence of impact. The collision underscores the deadly risk for cyclists sharing space with massive trucks on city streets.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4595961 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A cement truck driver turned right and struck a woman on a Citi Bike in Astoria. She died at the scene, less than a mile from home. This marks the fourth cyclist killed in the area in under three years. Streets remain deadly.

On January 5, 2023, a cement truck driver fatally struck 62-year-old Tamara Chuchi Kao as she rode a Citi Bike in Astoria, Queens. The driver turned right from 24th Avenue onto 29th Street, hitting Kao and killing her instantly. Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani called the crash 'absolutely heartbreaking,' noting Kao was the fourth cyclist killed in Astoria in 2.5 years. State Senator Kristen Gonzalez blamed 'poorly designed streets,' saying, 'traffic violence is the outcome of poorly designed streets and is a solvable problem.' The area has almost no protected bike lanes. In 2022, Community Board 1 saw 1,979 crashes, injuring 120 cyclists and 163 pedestrians. Politicians and residents demand safer streets, better enforcement, and an end to car dominance. The deadly toll continues.

• BREAKING: Cement Truck Driver Fatally Strikes Woman on Citi Bike in Astoria, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2023-01-05

A sedan struck a motorcycle head-on at 40th Avenue and 12th Street. The rider, unlicensed and helmetless, was thrown from his bike and died on the pavement. The crash left a mark under the gray Queens sky.

A sedan collided head-on with a motorcycle at the corner of 40th Avenue and 12th Street in Queens. The 37-year-old motorcycle rider was ejected and killed, suffering fatal head injuries. According to the police report, 'A sedan struck a motorcycle head-on. The unlicensed rider, 37, wore no helmet. He flew from the bike, landed headfirst on the pavement, and died beneath a gray Queens sky.' The police report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' as a contributing factor. The sedan driver was licensed and traveling north; the motorcycle was heading east. The rider was unlicensed and wore no helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause cited is the sedan driver's failure to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4572051 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A sedan blew through the light at East 25th and 1st. It struck a motorcycle head-on. The rider flew from the seat, hit the ground hard. Blood pooled. He lay semiconscious, head split open. The street fell silent. Steel and flesh, broken.

A sedan traveling west on East 25th Street collided head-on with a northbound motorcycle at the corner of 1st Avenue. According to the police report, 'A sedan ran the light. Head-on with a motorcycle. The rider, 34, flew from the seat. No helmet. Head bleeding. Semiconscious on the asphalt.' The crash left the motorcycle rider ejected and severely injured, suffering head trauma and severe bleeding. The report lists 'Traffic Control Disregarded' as a contributing factor, indicating the sedan driver failed to obey the signal. The motorcycle rider was not wearing a helmet, as noted in the report, but the primary cause remains the sedan driver's disregard for traffic control.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4561688 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

StreetsPAC called for voters to oust State Sen. Kevin Parker. They backed Kaegan Mays-Williams for her push on protected bike lanes and bus network redesign. Parker ignored safety questions. StreetsPAC praised other candidates who fight for safer streets and transit.

On August 9, 2022, StreetsPAC, New York City's safe streets political action committee, issued an endorsement urging Central Brooklyn voters to retire State Sen. Kevin Parker. The group backed Kaegan Mays-Williams, citing her support for redesigning Brooklyn's bus network and expanding protected bike lanes. StreetsPAC Executive Director Eric McClure said, 'She supports redesigning Brooklyn's bus network to simplify routes and speed commutes.' Parker did not respond to StreetsPAC's request for information and has a record of negative incidents. Mays-Williams stressed the need for dependable public transit and safer cycling. StreetsPAC also highlighted the safety records of Andrew Gounardes, Angel Vasquez, Jabori Brisport, Rajiv Gowda, Christian Amato, and Kristen Gonzalez, noting their support for speed cameras, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and transit improvements. The endorsement signals a clear push for candidates who prioritize vulnerable road users.

• StreetsPAC to Central Brooklyn Voters: Retire State Sen. Kevin Parker Now!, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2022-08-09

A Porsche SUV hit a man on a Ninebot scooter at Vernon Boulevard and 44th Drive. The rider, unlicensed and helmetless, was ejected. His skull shattered. He died at 30. The scooter lay wrecked. The street stayed silent.

A deadly crash unfolded at Vernon Boulevard and 44th Drive in Queens. According to the police report, a Porsche SUV collided with a Ninebot e-scooter. The scooter rider, a 30-year-old man, was unlicensed and wore no helmet. He was ejected on impact, suffered fatal head injuries, and died at the scene. The SUV’s right front bumper struck the scooter’s right side. The report lists contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' The scooter was demolished. No injuries were reported for the SUV occupants. The police report offers no further details on driver actions or errors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4549374 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Honda sedan sat parked on 34th Avenue. Its front left was crushed. Inside, a 37-year-old woman lay dead. No other car. No skid marks. Just a body, a wrecked shell, and the silence of late morning in Queens.

A 37-year-old woman was found dead inside a parked Honda sedan near 12-20 34th Avenue in Queens. According to the police report, the car’s front left was crushed. No other vehicles were involved. The report states, 'No skid marks. No other car. Just a body, a crumpled shell.' The woman was the only occupant and driver. The contributing factors are listed as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors or external causes are identified in the data. No mention of helmet or signal use appears in the report.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4517566 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

A Toyota sedan crashed head-on on Humboldt Street near Meeker Avenue. Four inside. The right front was crushed. One man in the back bled from the head. The car reeked of alcohol. No airbags. No belts. Night, metal, blood.

A 2007 Toyota sedan crashed head-on on Humboldt Street near Meeker Avenue at 3:16 a.m. Four people were inside. According to the police report, the right front of the car was crushed. One man in the back seat suffered a head injury and severe bleeding but was conscious. The report states, 'The car reeked of alcohol.' Alcohol involvement was listed as a contributing factor for the driver and all passengers. No airbags deployed. Some occupants wore no seat belts. The crash data highlights 'Alcohol Involvement' as the primary driver error. No other contributing factors were listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4493256 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04