Suffolk to push enforcement of red-light stops
A red light is monitored by camera, located at Merrick Road and Park Blvd. in Massapequa Park. (Aug. 6, 2009) Credit: Danielle Finkelstein
Drivers might want to press a little harder on the brake this month when they come to a red light in Suffolk County.
The Suffolk County Police Department said Tuesday it will participate in National Stop on Red Week, from Sunday to Aug. 7, a campaign that urges stricter enforcement for drivers who run red lights.
The campaign aims to reduce the number of drivers who run red lights and the fatalities and injuries that occur as a result, police said in a news release. The campaign's goal also is to inform and educate the public about the "seriousness of running red lights."
"Suffolk County police will utilize officers from the Highway Patrol Bureau, including the Motorcycle Section, the Community Oriented Police Enforcement (COPE) units, as well as precinct patrol units, in both marked and unmarked cars, during this national campaign," the news release said.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy said drivers who violate the law can expect to be ticketed. "Drivers who run red lights create a danger to everyone on the road," Levy said in the release.
Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer said studies show nearly 1,000 people are killed and another 165,000 are injured annually in red-light crashes.
"The Suffolk County Police Department is committed to reducing that number to ensure the safety of Suffolk residents," Dormer said in the release.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
