Driving on Long Island's dangerous roads

Long Island roads are dangerous for several reasons “Our roads are deadly. Now what?”, Editorial, April 6] .

First is law enforcement, not only by police, but courts must issue strong penalties on aggressive and impaired drivers.

Another problem is road conditions. They are riddled with potholes and uneven patches. Even roads recently resurfaced seem to be using poor materials that do not last.

Also, the paint for many lanes does not appear to have reflective properties anymore. Other parts of New York are better. Where is oversight of contractors?

— Jerry Trapani, North Great River

A more accurate and compelling cover headline than “Dangerous roads” [March 30] would have been “Dangerous drivers.” The real issue is not the condition of our roads but the reckless behavior by many behind the wheel.

Statistics show that the vast majority of crashes are caused by human error — speeding, distracted driving, and impaired judgment.

While it is essential to maintain and improve our road infrastructure, the crux of the problem lies in how drivers choose to behave.

— Sally Doulton, Glen Head

Maybe Gov. Kathy Hochul needs to rethink who her Department of Transportation commissioner should be. We have a crisis on Long Island with such a high number of traffic deaths, and Transportation Commissioner Marie Theresa Dominguez was unavailable to answer a few questions from Newsday? That’s unacceptable and a disgrace.

It appears that our commissioner may be sleeping at the wheel as lives are lost. She needs to step up and explain to our communities what her short- and long-term plans are or step down. Too many lives are at stake.

— John Roche, South Setauket

It’s not always the driver’s fault. Some pedestrians and others on our roads are also reckless, and sometimes their actions cause crashes, too.

— Nick Ziino, Ridge

New York City adopted in 2014 Vision Zero, a global initiative to eliminate traffic death and serious injury. Its three tenets are engineering, education, and enforcement. They’re proven to reduce crash factors such as speed, drug use, and ill-designed roads.

The federal DOT created the “safe systems approach,” stating that responsibilities must be shared, safety is proactive, and redundancies are crucial because people do make mistakes. The DOT aims to have safe roads, speeds, vehicles, and people, and improved post-crash care. Everyone from school-aged children to seniors, health care and law enforcement must accept the need to save lives and make driving, walking and biking safer. This combination of commitments is the way to do it. Safety must match the needs of all road users.

Micromobility such as those using bicycles and scooters must be included. Let’s commit to change these tragic outcomes. Crashes are preventable.

— Cristina Furlong, Jackson Heights, Queens

The writer is cofounder of Make Queens Safer.

More than 2,100 have been killed and 16,000 seriously injured in Long Island crashes over a decade, not counting many more nationwide [“Years of death, injury and heartbreak,” News, March 30]. Much of this was from impaired drivers.

Let’s stop having a wimpy, lenient legal system and increase penalties — a minimum of 10 years in prison. But what do we do instead? We make pot legal and increase the chances of more accidents.

— Thomas Sarc, Central Islip

To help limit some accidents, all new applicants for drivers’ licenses should be required to have a test in a simulated video of the driver’s car. The car would be the same type used in arcades where a driver navigates a course.

This simulation would be programmed to teach drivers the causes of accidents by young or inexperienced drivers.

The first part of the program would have the driver experience what happens under the influence of alcohol. It would have the simulated car swerving as the applicant tries to maintain control of the car. This should instruct the driver to never drink and drive.

The second part would show drivers what happens while speeding on slick and icy roads.

The simulations can be based on information from crash statistics over recent years. The program might also show the injuries suffered by the driver and passengers and the damage to other cars involved.

Airlines require pilots to learn on simulations, and it is time to teach new drivers the perils of driving when impaired and/or speeding.

Besides new applicants, the course can be mandatory for drivers in danger of losing their licenses because of traffic infractions.

— William Pastarnack, Glen Cove

Newsday’s interactive “Long Island crash map” is invaluable. The fears of those concerned about the congestion that an enormous casino resort at the Nassau Coliseum hub would bring are well-founded. That area is already at the center of a major car crash hot spot. The three-mile radius around the hub already sees collision rates that outpace all other areas by good measure and includes some of the deadliest roads and intersections in the state.

Now, imagine what would happen if we added another 10 million annual visitors to the area, most arriving by car, including those leaving the casino after a night of Vegas-style partying.

Are the collisions and traffic fatalities among the hidden costs of this project being given proper consideration?

— George Krug, Garden City

Repeat offenders should have their cars confiscated. How often do we read after a crash occurs that the driver had a license suspended multiple times. Also, speed limits are unrealistic. Few drivers travel at 55 mph. I would go back to the 65 limit.

— Roy Sperrazza, Northport