Tracking Progress: October 2016

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Fatalities. Since we last reported in June, there have been 25 traffic fatalities in Queens. Some of the neighbors we lost included:

  • Mary Alice D’Amico, 76, Pedestrian, struck on May 14 at Myrtle Avenue and Fresh Pond Road in Ridgewood (104th Precinct), died in early July (Streetsblog).
  • Unnamed Pedestrian, female, 61, struck on May 17 at Mott Avenue and Beach Channel Drive in Far Rockaway (101st Precinct) by an oversized tractor-trailer, died in early July (Queens Tribune)
  • Antonio Flores, 59, Cyclist, struck on July 7 at Broadway and Baxter Avenue (110th Precinct), and died later from injuries (Queens Chronicle)
  • Terrence Montrose, 26, Pedestrian, killed on July 24 on Rockaway Point Boulevard in Breezy Point (100th Precinct) (Streetsblog)
  • Roberts Nukheimra, 29, Pedestrian, killed July 27 on the Van Wyck Expressway service road near 115th Ave. in South Ozone Park (106th Precinct), hit and run (Daily News)
  • Martin Smith, 50, Pedestrian, killed August 14 at Springfield Boulevard at Murdock Avenue in Queens Village (105th Precinct) (Streetsblog)
  • Michael Schenkman, 78, Cyclist, killed on August 24 on Northern Boulevard near 223rd Street in Bayside (111th Precinct) (Streetsblog)
  • Arline Smeal, 80, Pedestrian, killed August 30 on sidewalk by empty van at Broadway and 32nd Street in Astoria (114th Precinct) (Streetsblog)
  • Unnamed Male Cyclist, killed on September 5 on 111 Street near Grand Central Parkway, East Elmhurst (115th Precinct) (Streetsblog)
  • Dian McLean, 54, Pedestrian, struck on September 19 on Rockaway Boulevard and 144th Terrace, Springfield Gardens (105th Precinct), died later from injuries (The Aqueduct Blog)
  • Jun Hiu Liu, 70, Pedestrian, killed on September 27 on Centreville Street in Jamaica (103rd Precinct) (WPIX 11)
  • Unidentified Pedestrian, female, 36, killed on September 29 on Rockaway Freeway at Beach 59 Street (100th Precinct) (Rockaway.com)
  • Unidentified Pedestrian, male, 67, killed on October 6 on Van Wyck Expressway near Atlantic Avenue in Jamaica (103rd Precinct) (Queens Chronicle)
  • Unidentified Pedestrian, male, 79, killed on October 16 on Northern Blvd. at Prince Street in Flushing (109th Precinct) (Daily News)
  • Jazmine Marin, 13, Pedestrian, killed October 24 on Cross Bay Boulevard at 149th Avenue, Ozone Park (106th Precinct) (Streetsblog)
  • Navraj Raju, 8 months, Pedestrian, killed on sidewalk on October 28 on Astoria Blvd. near 92nd Street in East Elmhurst (115th Precinct), unlicensed driver (Streetsblog)

In the 12 months ending October 2016, there have been 72 overall traffic fatalities in Queens, down 23% from the 93 people killed in 2013, the Vision Zero benchmark year. Citywide, there has been an 18% decline in fatalities.

Injuries. In the 12 months ending in October 2016, there have been 2,609 pedestrians injured in Queens by motor vehicles, a decline of 7% from the Vision Zero benchmark year, 2013 (but an increase of 7% from the year ending in October 2015).  In the same time, there have been 879 injuries to cyclists, a rise of 6% since 2013. Overall, including motor vehicle occupants, there have been 17,532 people injured in motor vehicle crashes in Queens over the past year, up 13% since 2013. Citywide, there has been a 5% increase in injuries over this time. Across the city, there has been a general upswing in injuries from vehicular crashes in recent months, a pattern that is seen across every borough. Part of this is likely due to an underlying citywide increase in traffic and pedestrian activity.  But this contributing factor notwithstanding, Queens has seen the greatest percent increase in traffic-related injuries of any of the five boroughs.

Enforcement. Overall, while enforcement of speeding, red light running, and not giving right of way to pedestrians remains significantly higher than pre-Vision Zero levels, tickets issued for illegal cell phone use, an important contributor to distracted driving, remains sharply down. Overall, enforcement across all four categories in Queens is up 2% since 2013. Citywide, enforcement is up 18%.

Overall, the level of enforcement according to these measures has be declining in Queens, and we have been watching for the promised surge in enforcement efforts timed with the beginning of the school year.  This only materialized in a few scattered locations in September, but in October we finally began to see the enforcement numbers begin to increase.  We encourage the NYPD to remain focused on this.

Noteworthy precincts.  Overall, the 109th, 110th and 114th precincts show sharply reduced enforcement relative to 2013, while the 100th, 102nd, 104th, 112th, and 113th precincts have seen enforcement levels increase more than the citywide average (18%).  The 103rd, 105th, 106th, 109th, 113th and 114th precincts show significantly increased traffic injuries, and only the 100th, 110th and 115th Precincts has seen small reductions traffic injuries.

Click here to download our full detailed report.