What Are the Most Dangerous Roads on Long Island... and How Can You Stay Safe?
If you live in the tri-state area, you might believe the most dangerous roads are in the New York City Metro area and around places like Queens and Manhattan. In fact, studies show that several Long Island roads are the most dangerous in the area.
Which Long Island roads are the most dangerous?
While there are several roads on Long Island that have been identified as dangerous, one road has consistently been ranked as the most dangerous road for years: Route 25. The road spans the entire length of Long Island and it sees multiple fatal crashes every year.
But it isn’t only vehicle crashes that occur on the route. Incredibly, around half of all pedestrian fatalities involving motor vehicles on Long Island occur on Route 25.
The reason the road sees so many accidents each year is due to it being a high-volume route for both residential and commercial areas within Long Island.
The other most dangerous roads on Long Island include:
Route 1.
Route 24.
Route 27.
Montauk Point State Highway.
Sunrise Highway.
Hempstead Turnpike.
County Road 39.
Merrick Road.
Wicks Road.
Middle Country Road.
Interestingly, many of those roads aren’t highways. You may presume more accidents would happen on the highways, but a road like Northern State Parkway, for example, may have a high speed limit, of 55mph, but the road is straight and no pedestrians are permitted.
On the other hand, roads like Wicks Road have lots of crosswalks, center turning lanes, and intersections, which make them more open to potential accidents involving drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists.
Consult an Expert Long Island Lawyer if You’re Involved in an Accident
Hopefully, you won’t be involved in a car accident on Long Island, but if you are, then you should contact an attentive team of lawyers in the local area.
If you sustain injuries from a road accident that isn’t your fault, you could claim compensation to cover the cost of things like medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Though, you can reduce your chances of being involved in an accident on Long Island in the first place when you remember to always drive safely.
How to Stay Safe on Long Island Roads
To stay safe when driving on Long Island roads, you should be extra cautious in pedestrian areas, such as driving near shopping centers.
You should also never use your phone while driving, as distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents in the U.S. So, if you want to make a call or bet on your phone, wait until you have stopped the car.
And make sure you use caution in middle lanes. Some of the roads listed above have merging lanes between the flows of traffic that enable cars to enter or exit. You shouldn’t use them to pass other cars and you should be very cautious when merging back into the main road.
Other ways of staying safe when driving on Long Island roads include:
Always observing the speed limit.
Avoiding tailgating.
Being extremely careful when passing bicyclists and motorcyclists.
Slowing down at bus stops.
Slowing down at every crosswalk.
As a pedestrian, you need to be careful too. You should:
Always walk on sidewalks, but if there isn’t one, you should walk against the flow of traffic.
Use crosswalks when crossing streets.
Be visible when you walk through parking lots.
Avoid looking at your phone, especially when crossing streets and walking in parking lots.
Refrain from wearing headphones because they could prevent you from hearing oncoming vehicles.
