Fatalities. Through the end of August, there have been 37 traffic fatalities in Queens in 2017. Some of the neighbors we lost since April included:
- Robert Falk, 89, Pedestrian, killed on May 7 killed at Cross Bay Boulevard and 160th Avenue in the Rockaways (Queens Press)
- Jihne Niu, 67, Pedestrian, killed on May 29 at 46th Ave. near 149th St in Flushing by driver under influence of drugs (109th Precinct) (Daily News)
- Unidentified Female Pedestrian, 73, killed July 1 at Saunders Street at 63rd Avenue in Rego Park (112th Precinct) (Streetsblog)
- Donna Hahl, 70, Pedestrian, killed July 7 at Jamaica and 217th Street in Queens Village (105th Precinct), tow truck failure to yield (105th Precinct) (Streetsblog)
- Kevin Zeng, 25, Pedestrian, killed July 21 at Union Turnpike near Grand Central Parkway in Forest Hills (112th Precinct) (Daily News)
- Unidentified Male Pedestrian, 30s, killed on July 30th at 63rd Drive and Booth Street in Rego Park, Hit and Run (112th Precinct) (DNAinfo)
- Christopher Swanson, 71, Pedestrian, killed August 1 at 120th Street near 85th Avenue in Kew Gardens (102nd Precinct) (DNAinfo)
- Arkadiy Dibin, 29, Pedestrian, killed August 6th at Yellowstone Blvd. near Selfridge St. in Rego Park (112th Precinct) (Daily News)
- Unidentified Male Pedestrian, 36, killed on August 10 on Beach 29th St. and Seagirt Blvd in Far Rockaway by unlicensed driver (101st Precinct) (Daily News)
In the 12 months ending August 2017, there have been 55 overall traffic fatalities in Queens, down 41% from the 93 people killed in 2013, the Vision Zero benchmark year. Citywide, there has been a 26% decline in fatalities.
Injuries. In the 12 months ending in August 2017, there have been 2,636 pedestrians injured in Queens by motor vehicles, a decline of 6% from the Vision Zero benchmark year, 2013. In the same time, there have been 933 injuries to cyclists, a rise of 13% since 2013. Overall, including motor vehicle occupants, there have been 17,867 people injured in motor vehicle crashes in Queens over the past year, up 15% since 2013. Citywide, there has been a 7% increase in injuries over this time. Across the city, there has been a general leveling off of injuries from vehicular crashes since the beginning of the year, a pattern that is seen across every borough. But overall since 2013, 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 16% since 2013, the lowest of all of the boroughs. Citywide, enforcement is up 32%.