Cyclist In Critical Condition After Being Struck By SUV Driver In Queens

A cyclist is in critical condition after he was struck by an SUV driver in Queens early this morning—less than 24 hours after two other cyclists were killed by truck drivers on New York City streets.

The unidentified 28-year-old was riding along Woodhaven Boulevard near Jamaica Avenue when he was hit by the driver of a 2019 Nissan SUV, according to police. The victim was found at around 1 a.m. this morning lying unresponsive in the road, with severe bodily trauma, police said.

The cyclist is believed to be clinging to life at Jamaica Hospital. Police say the driver was not immediately charged, and an investigation is ongoing.

Another cyclist was also said to have been struck by a driver in Jackson Heights, Queens earlier this morning.

And another cyclist was thrown from his bike on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan by a hit-and-run driver, according to witnesses.

A spokesperson for the NYPD did not have any immediate information about either of the two most recent incidents.

The string of crashes come mere hours after a 58-year-old cyclist—whose name is being withheld—was killed by a box truck driver in Greenpoint. Earlier in the day, Alex Cordero, 17, was fatally struck by a tow truck driver while riding his bike in Staten Island.

The back-to-back tragedies bring the total cyclist deaths to 17 this year, up from 10 in all of 2018. Both cyclist injuries and total traffic injuries are up slightly from this time last year, according to police data. At least 59 pedestrians have been killed this year so far, compared with 60 at the same point last year.

"These crashes are tragic examples of what happens in a city that purports to welcome cyclists but fails to dedicate protected space for bikes on the vast majority of its streets," said Tom DeVito, a senior director of advocacy at Transportation Alternatives.

After three cyclists were killed in the span of a week earlier this month, Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged to "jolt the situation" with a major enforcement blitz on drivers blocking bike lanes. He also promised a new cyclist safety plan, which is expected to be released by the end of the week.

Advocates are demanding a "comprehensive blueprint" for safe streets, including commitments to build out at least 100 miles of protected bike lanes in the next two years, a bike corridor pilot, an overhaul of the community engagement process, and support for legislation such as the Reckless Driver Accountability Act and Corey Johnson's Master Plan.

TransAlt is also calling on the mayor to "join us on a bike ride so he can experience firsthand the reality New York City cyclists face every day."

A spokesperson for the Mayor's Office said a plan would be released "soon."