Whether driving through neighborhood side street or on highways, there seems to regularly be a car crash witnessed on Long Island. Deadly and dangerous crashes occur every day on Long Island on almost every busy road and even side streets. According to Newsday, “More than 2,100 people were killed and 16,000 seriously injured in Long Island crashes over a decade.” But what is being done to stop this?
Representative Laura Gillen announced a sweeping road safety strategy for some of the most dangerous roadways, including Sunrise Highway and the Southern State Parkway on April 11, 2025. Gillen called for specific infrastructure upgrades, counting on the construction of more roundabouts on highways or parkways to reduce intersection fatalities. These implementations are targeted at roads with high risk of fatalities. While these strategies have not yet been implemented, they are proposed to ensure the safety of all drivers and passengers.
As the death toll rises from accidents, more parents are concerned for their teens’ safety when learning how to drive on these dangerous roads. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA) Auto Club, “There are 8,000 crashes involving teen drivers on Long Island every year. This is often due to intoxication of drugs, marijuana, or alcohol.” Teen crashes rise significantly during the summer months when teens are off for summer break. With respect to the dangerous roads on Long Island, senior Emily Ioannou said, “The roads are pretty good. It’s just the other drivers who are very impatient and cause crashes.” Senior Kaitlin Manasakis said, “The roads are fine and safe; it’s just some people are bad drivers.”
Thirty-three-year-old Michael DeAngelo of Lindenhurst admitted to a judge that he was both high and intoxicated with a cocktail filled with cocaine and fentanyl while speeding down Sunrise Highway in Massapequa on August 6, 2023. A father and his two children were struck by DeAngelo and became victims and tragically lost their lives. In an interview with CBS News, the victim’s wife and children’s mother, Tasha Hamilton Huntley, said, “This has impacted my life forever. I can’t get my children back. I will never be a grandmother.” She added, “Everybody’s life has shifted because of this, and the laws need to change.” Family members and relatives of the Huntley family have advocated for safer driving regulations and longer punishments for drivers involved in causing chaos and death on the roads.
According to Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (www.itsmr.org), “Law enforcement agencies in Nassau issued 55,939 tickets for aggressive driving in 2019.” In Suffolk County, police officers are making the roads safer by taking dangerous drivers off the roads and patrolling more often. “Illegal car meets put lives at risk and are an overall nuisance on our roadways. We will continue to investigate these incidents and hold those responsible accountable while keeping our roadways safe,” said Suffolk Police Commissioner Kavin Catalina in an interview with Newsday. Catalina has been praised for cracking down on dangerous drivers. Catalina and his Street Takeover Task Force have broken up 92 illegal meets and takeovers, issued 8,656 summonses, made 65 arrests, and impounded vehicles since November 2024.
It is important for young drivers to be cautious and aware when driving on Long Island roads. While getting a junior license or permit may be exciting, caution and safe driving need to be kept in mind when driving on the busy roads of Long Island.
