QUEENS, NY \u2014 New York City traffic deaths have dropped significantly so far in 2026, with Queens among the boroughs contributing to the citywide decline, according to a new Department of Transportation report. <\/p>\n
Last year saw fewer traffic deaths overall, with the DOT report documenting 20 percent year-over-year declines in fatalities involving both pedestrians and motor vehicle occupants. <\/p>\n
Through the first quarter of 2026, there have been 42 traffic fatalities \u2014 the third fewest on record since data collection began in 1910. Only 2015 and 2018 saw fewer deaths at this point, officials said. <\/p>\n
Find out what’s happening in Queensfor free with the latest updates from Patch.<\/p>\n
Officials cited several initiatives likely driving these trends, including street safety redesigns launched under Vision Zero and New York City’s automated enforcement network. <\/p>\n
To sustain Vision Zero progress, they also highlighted the need for “Super Speeders” legislation requiring intelligent speed assist technology for repeat offenders, now under consideration elsewhere in the state. <\/p>\n
Find out what’s happening in Queensfor free with the latest updates from Patch.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew York City leads the nation in reducing traffic deaths, with progress driven by targeted, data-informed street redesigns and targeted enforcement against speeding, red-light running, and other dangerous driving behaviors,\u201d said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut our work is far from done\u2014because one death is one too many. Under Mayor Mamdani, we\u2019re building on the success of Vision Zero by thinking boldly and acting with urgency to redesign our streets and use every available tool to keep New Yorkers safe,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n
DOT fatality statistics for Queens dating back to 2013 show the borough has generally tracked citywide trends in recent first-quarter deaths. <\/p>\n
For example, Queens saw a twenty-three percent decline last year, dropping from seventy-four traffic deaths in 2024 to fifty-seven in 2025. In southern Queens, NYPD data shows a forty-two-point-nine percent decrease in traffic fatalities so far this year. <\/p>\n
New DOT safety data highlights how Queens\u2019 recent street redesigns contribute to the citywide improvements. Projects like the 2023 Seagirt Boulevard overhaul and the ongoing Queens Boulevard redesign show how strategic lane reductions, bike protections and added signals are cutting injuries and crashes across the borough. <\/p>\n
Since completion, pedestrian injuries dropped 25 percent and crashes with injuries fell seven percent, according to the report. <\/p>\n
The borough has also expanded its bike network and launched e-scooter service to eastern Queens for the first time. <\/p>\n
In 2023, DOT added 2.5 miles of protected bike lanes on 11th Street, Jackson Avenue, and 44th Drive in Long Island City. <\/p>\n
The following year, the agency completed the final phase of the Queens Boulevard<\/a> redesign, adding protected bike lanes in Sunnyside and Long Island City along what was once dubbed the \u201cBoulevard of Death.\u201d <\/p>\n