Long Island fatal crashes: Database shows human toll

Newsday is launching a database its journalists created that tracks fatal crashes as part of a yearlong series on Long Island's dangerous roads. The first-of-its-kind database for Nassau and Suffolk crashes provides a searchable resource that gives a sense of the human loss on the Island.

Unlike official data, which typically is finalized about 10 months after the end of the calendar year, Newsday's database will be updated on a daily basis. It is based on articles and police press releases about crashes.

For each crash, the database includes the ages and genders of the people who died and says whether they were a driver or passenger in a vehicle, or pedestrian, cyclist or "other," which includes riders of scooters and skateboards. Readers can follow the links provided to read a Newsday article about each crash.

The database is not comprehensive. Some deaths are not documented as traffic-related until the official data is finalized. Media and police reports may not cover deaths that occur days or weeks after a crash. As of April 2, the database contained 190 fatal crashes in 2023, 155 fatal crashes in 2024 and 29 fatal crashes so far this year.

Readers can also access an interactive map showing the locations of all reported crashes on Long Island from Jan. 1, 2022, to the end of 2024, and weigh in with their own experiences to tell us what they think makes driving Long Island's roads so dangerous.

More coverage from the Dangerous Roads series can be found at newsday.com/dangerousroads.