If you’re from the Long Island area, you likely remember the disastrous accident that occurred just before Christmas of 2012, causing a 35-car pileup that closed both eastbound and westbound lanes of the Long Island Expressway (LIE). The accident occurred when a tractor-trailer lost control of his rig near the William Floyd Parkway exit and hit multiple cars in the eastbound lane, creating a domino effect that ultimately resulted in 33 injured and the death of a 68-year-old woman whose Toyota Camry was hit.
Unfortunately, this accident is not an anomaly. Aggressive and reckless driving, issues with the construction of the LIE, and other problems cause a wide range of serious accidents on Long Island each year: from multi-car pile ups to crashes resulting in severe injuries. Below I’ll tell you more about the reasons behind these crashes and recap some of the most common accident types. Remember, if you are injured in an accident, a New York car accident attorney at Buttafuoco & Associates may be able to help. Get in touch for a free consultation at 1-800-NOW-HURT.
A Long History of Serious Long Island Accidents
The Long Island Expressway has a long history of serious issues when it comes to driver safety–in fact, the area has recently been named the top location for traffic deaths in the state of New York.
The issue of dangerous accidents isn’t specific to New York, however: across the United States, motor vehicle accidents have long been among the top causes of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, New York accident rates are even more problematic. Since 2019, fatal vehicle accidents in New York have been on the rise. While the rest of the country has seen an increase of 17 percent concerning fatal accidents, in New York driving-related deaths have increased by nearly 26 percent. What’s worse, even as fatal accidents declined across the nation in 2022, in New York they continued to increase.
On Long Island, the numbers are even more alarming–traffic deaths have increased 40 percent since 2019, with Long Island claiming 20 percent of all New York fatalities caused by auto accidents. Over 250 people died in accidents in Suffolk and Nassau counties in 2022.
Top Causes of Long Island Expressway Accidents
There is no single cause of accidents on the Long Island Expressway. Some of the most serious causes run parallel to New York State trends. They include:
1. Speeding
In 2022, one-third of motor vehicle deaths in New York were due to speeding. Since the pandemic, speeding has increased across the state and Long Island is no exception. With Long Island’s many windy roads and sharp turns, racing drivers are much more likely to cause dangerous accidents. In fact, speeding is among the most serious problems officials notice among young drivers on Long Island. Like the rest of the state, reckless and aggressive driving, including speeding, has been a major cause of crashes since 2019. In Suffolk County in particular, a significant number of recent crashes have involved distracted or drunk drivers as well as speeding.
2. Driving Under the Influence
Traffic deaths involving driving under the influence have been increasing significantly in recent years. One third of accidents in the state involved drivers above the federal legal limit for Blood Alcohol Content. Even worse, between 2019 and 2022, the state saw a 45 percent increase in fatalities involving drivers under the influence–12 percent higher than the national average. Long Island struggles with the same issues as the rest of the state.
3. Teen Drivers
Long Island residents have noted in recent years that accidents caused by teen drivers have been on the riser for some time. In 2023, Long Island saw the most deaths ever of drivers from 16 to 20 years old. Some experts claim that this is because many teens learned to drive during COVID, when they were allowed to complete much of their training online.
4. Lack of Road Maintenance on Long Island
Although the statistics on Long Island are grim when it comes to traffic accidents on the LIE, there is some hope in terms of repairs. In 2022, the State of New York announced plans to repair key areas of the Long Island Expressway to make the road safer for drivers, with Governor Kathy Hochul stating that she will contribute nearly $1.6 billion. One major issue they are hoping to address is potholes, which riddle roadways across Long Island, and which residents claim cause a huge number of accidents.
What to do if You’re in an Accident on Long Island
Long Island Expressway accidents are all too common, and many are serious–resulting in severe injuries, costly medical bills, and the need for rehabilitation and other forms of medical and financial support. Whether another driver’s negligence, an unmaintained roadway, or something else was the cause of your accident, it is often in your best interest to seek help from a car accident attorney serving New York.
Call 1-800-NOW-HURT for a free case review.
