Last weekend in Queens, New York, five people were killed in car accidents, including a 5-year-old boy. Even though the year 2024 is not even halfway through, it has already become the deadliest year in Queens since the implementation of the “Vision Zero” initiative.
On Saturday night, a 25-year-old female driver of a Honda CRV struck and killed a 5-year-old boy outside the Poppenhusen playground in College Point. The female driver was pulling out from a parking spot when the boy ran between two parked cars and was hit by her vehicle. The driver was not arrested.
On Sunday morning, a police officer from the New York City Police Department hit and killed a 22-year-old man while driving across the Van Wyck Expressway after responding to a 911 call.
Also on Sunday morning, on 57th Avenue in Elmhurst, a silver Volkswagen hatchback lost control and crashed into two parked cars, hitting two motorcyclists traveling in the opposite direction, resulting in a fatal collision. One of the motorcyclists died at the scene, and the other succumbed to injuries at the hospital. The driver fled the scene. Earlier this year, at the same intersection, a truck driver from the Department of Environmental Protection was arrested for fatally striking a pedestrian.
In another incident on Sunday morning at the intersection of Grand Central Parkway and Central Park Avenue, a car overturned, killing one person and injuring two others.
The 5-year-old boy who was hit and killed on Saturday is the fifth child to die in a car accident this year and the 111th child to be killed since the implementation of the “Vision Zero” initiative. The area where the accident occurred lacks southbound crosswalks and sufficient lighting, with cars parked along the playground making it unsafe for pedestrians to cross from the south side of the park.
The organization “Transportation Alternatives” issued a statement, describing this year as particularly deadly. According to data, traffic fatalities citywide are 17% higher than the average since the implementation of the “Vision Zero” initiative, with Queens surpassing the average by 43%. Earlier this year, Queens became the first administrative district to exceed 750 fatalities since the implementation of the “Vision Zero” initiative.
Danny Harris, the Executive Director of “Transportation Alternatives,” stated in the release that reducing traffic flow and redesigning streets to improve visibility can save lives. He urged the government to advance safety measures such as protected bike lanes, car-free pedestrian spaces, and bus lanes, stating, “We need Mayor Adams to commit to getting the streets of New York City back on track to saving lives.”