“Fatal Traffic Accidents on the Rise in Queens, Prompting Calls for Increased Safety Measures”

According to the most recent analysis by the entities Alternative Transportation and Families for Safer Streets, 51 individuals have lost their lives in the city in this first quarter of the year due to traffic accidents. The majority of cases are in Queens, with 18 deaths.

“Sometimes it’s part that one is to blame and sometimes it’s the drivers who sometimes don’t respect the vehicular path of people who are walking,” said Glenda Portillo, a resident of Far Rockaway.

During this period, nine cyclists have died. This figure is higher than the first quarters of 2014, 15, 16 and 17 combined.

The intersection of Mott Avenue and Beach Channel Dr. is one of the most critical points in terms of traffic in Queens.

Some residents in Far Rockaway said they feel abandoned by the city and suggest, for example, more traffic officers to cross the streets, better lighting at night and on rainy days to prevent so many accidents and deaths:

“They should set a limit of 20 miles per hour so that cars can go more slowly, because there is a lot of pedestrian confluence here,” said Gustavo Rodríguez. “That is the reason they tell him that this corner is very dangerous, one of the more dangerous I think in this area of ​​Far Rockaway, and maybe here in Queens.”

“They don’t respect the lights, you have the doll to pass and the motorists don’t respect them,” said Janeth Meléndez. “That there would be more security, that there would be more police on the streets checking the vehicular traffic.”

Last week, the City Council approved a legislative package aimed at improving safety, especially for the most vulnerable such as pedestrians and cyclists.

Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers chairs the Transportation committee but her district, according to the report, tops the list for fatal crashes in the first quarter.

“While they’ve been standing here, they see the traffic and the congestion that occurs and that’s just one example of why we need to push for more investment in terms of infrastructure in the outer boroughs and communities of color,” the council said. “We are working to make sure that the administration does the right thing and that we achieve the Vision Zero goals.”