Ridgewood: Traffic Crash Statistics

Recent severe crashes

1. Queens driver crushes man on scooter 2025-10-26T18:30:00+00:00
   PALMETTO ST
   On Palmetto Street a car driver turned right and crushed a man on a standing scooter, leaving him with crush injuries as traffic pressed in around them in the dark Queens evening.
   A woman driving a Honda sedan north on Onderdonk Avenue turned right onto Palmetto Street and hit a man operating a standing motorized scooter that was going straight. The scooter driver, 49, suffered crush injuries to his entire body. According to the police report, officers recorded “Turning Improperly” and “Driver Inattention/Distraction” for both drivers. The police report also lists the scooter driver as unlicensed. The report classifies the scooter operator as “Other Motorized” and marks his injury severity as serious. The sedan driver is listed as an occupant with no reported injury. The crash took place in the 104th Precinct in Queens.
2. Unsafe speed at Forest and Catalpa injures two 2025-09-07T12:20:00+00:00
   FOREST AVE
   Two drivers in sedans collided at Forest and Catalpa in Queens. A 24-year-old driver suffered head and crush wounds. A 75-year-old front passenger was hurt. Police recorded unsafe speed. Two parked cars were damaged.
   Two drivers in sedans collided at Forest Ave and Catalpa Ave in Queens around midday. A 24-year-old male driver suffered head and crush injuries. A 75-year-old female front passenger was also hurt. The crash damaged two parked sedans. According to the police report, “Unsafe Speed” was a contributing factor. Police recorded both drivers as going straight ahead before impact. Points of impact show front-end damage to one sedan and right-side damage to the other. The record lists one driver as injured and another with unspecified injuries. No pedestrian or cyclist injuries were reported.
3. Driver's U-Turn Hits Moped on Fresh Pond Road 2025-08-03T18:45:00+00:00
   FRESH POND RD
   Driver swung a U-turn across Fresh Pond Road at Linden. Hit a moped going straight. Rider, 30, bled from a leg and was partly ejected. Police recorded Turning Improperly and Failure to Yield.
   A driver in an SUV made a U-turn on Fresh Pond Road at Linden Street in Queens and hit a southbound moped going straight. The moped driver, a 30-year-old man, suffered a serious leg injury with severe bleeding and was partially ejected. "According to the police report, the SUV driver was making a U-turn when he hit the moped." Police recorded Turning Improperly and Failure to Yield Right-of-Way by the driver. Impact was to the SUV’s front and the rear of the moped. Records show the SUV driver held a permit. The rider wore a helmet, as noted in the report.
4. Moped Driver Injured in Queens Collision 2025-07-20T08:23:00+00:00
   RENE CT
   A moped and sedan collided on Rene Ct near Metropolitan Ave. The moped driver suffered crush injuries. Both vehicles showed front-end damage. Streets in Queens again prove unforgiving.
   A moped and a sedan crashed on Rene Ct off Metropolitan Ave in Queens. According to the police report, the moped was traveling east and the sedan was making a left turn westbound. The 25-year-old moped driver was partially ejected and suffered crush injuries to his lower leg and foot. He was wearing a helmet. The sedan driver, age 85, was not ejected and reported no injuries. The report lists 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion' as a contributing factor. Both vehicles sustained damage to their front ends.
5. Taxi Turns Right, Cyclist’s Leg Crushed on Fresh Pond Road 2025-01-21T11:37:00+00:00
   FRESH POND RD
   A taxi swung right on Fresh Pond Road. A cyclist turned left. Steel struck flesh. A 23-year-old man’s leg shattered on cold pavement. No helmet, no warning, just the sharp snap of bone and the city’s indifference.
   According to the police report, a collision occurred at Fresh Pond Road and Gates Avenue in Queens when a taxi made a right turn and a cyclist turned left. The report states, 'A taxi turned right. A bike turned left. Steel struck bone.' The 23-year-old cyclist was thrown to the pavement, suffering crush injuries to his knee, lower leg, and foot. The police narrative describes the aftermath: 'his leg crushed. No helmet. No horn. Just pain, shock, and cold January light.' The only contributing factor cited in the report is 'Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Other Pedestrian Error/Confusion.' The report notes the cyclist was not wearing a helmet, but lists no driver errors or additional contributing factors. The crash highlights the lethal consequences when turning vehicles and vulnerable road users cross paths in New York City’s chaotic streets.