Astoria (North)-Ditmars-Steinway: Traffic Crash Statistics

Recent severe crashes

1. Northbound sedan hits two pedestrians on 42 St 2025-08-12T08:36:00+00:00
   42 ST
   A northbound sedan struck two men outside the crosswalk on 42 St near 19 Ave. Both pedestrians died. A driver in a left‑turning SUV was involved. The sedan driver, 84, was also killed. Parked cars were damaged at the scene.
   Two pedestrians were killed after a northbound sedan struck them on 42 St near 19 Ave in Queens. According to the police report, contributing factors were listed as "Unspecified." The report records the sedan as "Going Straight Ahead" and the SUV as "Making Left Turn." Two men — one age 70 and one listed with unknown age — died of crush injuries. The 84‑year‑old driver of the sedan is also recorded as killed. Parked vehicles sustained damage from secondary impacts. Police data show no pedestrian contributing factors assigned in the report.
2. SUV Runs Signal, Moped Driver Killed 2025-07-07T02:48:00+00:00
   37 ST
   The driver of an SUV ran traffic control and struck a moped on 37 St at 23 Ave in Queens. The 39-year-old moped driver was ejected and killed, suffering fatal head injuries. Police cite driver inattention and traffic-control disregard.
   A driver in an SUV collided with a moped on 37 St at 23 Ave in Queens. The moped driver, 39, was ejected and suffered fatal head injuries. According to the police report, the crash involved a station wagon/SUV and a moped. The report lists "Traffic Control Disregarded" and "Driver Inattention/Distraction" as contributing factors. The moped’s record shows the rider was unlicensed and was riding east when struck. Police recorded the point of impact on both vehicles as left front quarter panels. The crash ended with the moped driver killed. No pedestrians were reported involved.
3. Unlicensed Motorcyclist Killed Passing Taxi Fast 2025-02-01T08:50:00+00:00
   GRAND CENTRAL PKWY
   A 38-year-old unlicensed rider sped west on Grand Central Parkway. He passed a taxi, struck its front, and was thrown from his bike. The motorcycle shattered. He died on the asphalt. The taxi stopped. The road bore the mark.
   According to the police report, a 38-year-old man riding a motorcycle westbound on Grand Central Parkway attempted to pass a taxi at high speed. The report states he was unlicensed but wore a helmet. The motorcycle struck the taxi's right front quarter panel, causing the rider to be ejected and thrown onto the roadway. The motorcycle was demolished. The taxi, operated by a licensed driver, stopped after the collision. The police report lists 'Driver Inexperience' as a contributing factor. The rider died at the scene, suffering injuries to his entire body. The report does not cite any contributing victim behavior beyond helmet use. The crash underscores the lethal consequences when unlicensed, inexperienced drivers operate powerful vehicles on city roads.
4. Bus Crushes Woman Crossing Ditmars Boulevard 2025-01-02T08:05:00+00:00
   DITMARS BLVD
   A bus struck a 53-year-old woman head-on at Ditmars Boulevard and 31st Street. Her body broke beneath the wheels. She died in the street. The bus rolled on into the morning. The city’s machinery did not stop for her.
   A 53-year-old woman was killed at the corner of Ditmars Boulevard and 31st Street when a 2009 bus struck her head-on, according to the police report. The report states the woman was crossing against the signal at the intersection when the collision occurred. The bus, traveling straight ahead, hit her with its center front end. The force of the impact crushed her body beneath the wheels, resulting in her death at the scene. The police report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' and 'View Obstructed/Limited' as contributing factors. The narrative notes the bus continued on after the collision. The report centers the fatal outcome for the pedestrian, with systemic danger underscored by the presence of a large vehicle moving through a busy intersection.
5. Left-turn disregard injures Queens cyclist 2025-08-11T03:00:00+00:00
   HAZEN ST
   A southbound driver turned left at Hazen Street and 19th Avenue and blew the signal. The westbound cyclist rode straight. Metal met flesh. The rider went down with head wounds and deep cuts. The street failed him. The driver failed the law.
   A crash at Hazen Street and 19th Avenue in Queens injured a 31-year-old male bicyclist. According to the police report, the contributing factor was “Traffic Control Disregarded.” The southbound turning vehicle was making a left while the cyclist was traveling west, straight ahead. The cyclist suffered head injuries and severe lacerations and was listed as injured and conscious. Driver error led the sequence: Traffic Control Disregarded during a left turn. Only after that does equipment appear: the report notes “None” for the cyclist’s safety equipment. No other factors are cited beyond the listed driver violation and unspecified factors for the cyclist.