Senator Proposes Tougher Laws for Drivers With Suspended Licenses

NEW YORK—Northern Boulevard in Queens has been a death trap for children this year.

On Friday, 8-year-old Noshat Nahian was walking to his school, PS 152 and was struck and killed by an unlicensed truck’s back wheels. He was crossing six-lane Northern Boulevard.

The truck driver, Mauricio Osorio-Palaminos, had a suspended license with a history of dangerous driving.

State Sen. Michael Gianaris said today that such deaths could have “very easily been avoided.”

The senator is proposing new legislation that would make it a felony for drivers to kill or seriously injure someone when driving with a suspended license. 

Current laws mean drivers like Osorio-Palaminos who struck and killed Nahian, only get a misdemeanor.

Gianaris is also proposing a bill where license plates would be immediately taken away from vehicles upon finding a driver with a suspended license.

“I am hopeful that these bills will become law and help prevent more tragedies like this one,” Gianaris said. 

He hopes the bills will be passed next year. 

A local mother, Afsana Choudhury, said if there was a street guard at the crossing the accident wouldn’t have happened.

“I’m still upset, I’m scared for my kids, everybody’s kids,” she said.

Her 10-year-old son goes to the same school as Nahian went to.

“The tragic accident is a stark reminder that we must redouble our efforts to make our streets safer, including bringing chronically reckless drivers to justice,” Gianaris said.