Long Island has a high traffic volume, serving commuters, residents, and visitors across busy highways and local roads. Unfortunately, the higher the number of drivers on the road, the higher the number of accidents. Car accidents are a common, concerning, and ongoing issue on Long Island.
Staying informed about the most common causes of car accidents on Long Island can help you drive defensively and avoid accidents. Driving safely and identifying when someone else is not can help make Long Island’s roads safer for everyone.
Leading Causes of Accidents on Long Island
A wide variety of driver behaviors and external factors can result in a car accident. While it’s never possible to completely remove the risk of an accident, staying aware of the common causes of car accidents helps you steer clear of unsafe conditions and notice drivers engaging in risky behavior. This is especially important on Long Island, which a recent report from the Office of the New York State Comptroller found to have the highest number of accident-related fatalities in the state.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is one of the main causes of car accidents. It’s always dangerous for a driver to take their eyes off the road, whether due to texting, phone calls, in-car technologies, or other factors.
Long Island is no exception when it comes to accidents caused by distracted driving. In 2022, Suffolk County had the highest number of fatal crashes involving distracted drivers in New York State.
Cell phones are a particularly common cause of distracted driving accidents. A 2022 study from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research found that Long Island accounted for 13 percent of cell phone-related tickets and 15 percent of cell phone-related crashes that led to injuries or fatalities.
In response, New York has passed hands-free laws targeting distracted driving. Using cell phones and other portable electronic devices while driving is illegal in New York. A conviction for using a cell phone while driving can add five points to your driving record. Accumulating 11 points within 18 months can result in the suspension of your driver’s license.
Speeding
Speeding significantly increases the likelihood of severe car accidents. The increased force of a collision when speeding can turn a fender-bender into a fatality. Speeding accounted for 32 percent of all fatal crashes in New York State in 2022. In that year, Suffolk County had the highest number of fatal crashes involving speeding in the state.
Known hot spots for speeding on Long Island include the Southern State Parkway, Jericho Turnpike on Route 25, and Sunrise Highway on Route 27. These areas saw high rates of speeding-related accidents and can be particularly dangerous to drivers.
Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
We are aware that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal. However, many don’t fully appreciate the high risks associated with this behavior. DUI accidents are frequently serious due to an intoxicated driver’s lack of situational awareness.
Drivers who operate a vehicle under the influence can also face a wide range of serious criminal penalties. In New York, basic DUI convictions result in a mandatory fine of $500 to $1,000 and a six-month revocation of the driver’s license. Aggravated DUIs can lead to significantly higher penalties.
In 2022, drivers on Long Island were responsible for 17 percent of all DUI accidents in New York that led to injury or death. Long Island also accounted for 13 percent of impaired driving arrests in the same year.
Failure To Obey Traffic Signals
Running red lights, rolling through stop signs, and failing to yield to pedestrians or oncoming traffic are all examples of failure to obey traffic signals. Traffic signal violations contribute to high accident rates in New York City. As of September 2024, red light violations alone led to 36,969 moving violation tickets in the city.
New York State has many laws specifically addressing traffic signals. Nassau and Suffolk counties have also created light camera programs to combat traffic light violations. These programs enforce traffic laws by photographing the license plate numbers of violators.
Weather Conditions
Dangerous weather, such as rain, snow, fog, and flooding, contributes to hazardous driving conditions. Sometimes, these conditions result in accidents beyond a driver’s control. However, driving safely in adverse weather is still important to minimize the risk of accidents. Driving slowly, increasing the distance between vehicles, using headlights, avoiding flooded roads, and other precautions can help drivers stay safe in dangerous weather.
Certain parts of Long Island are particularly vulnerable to flooding during storms and high tides. Flooding can make roads impassable or hazardous, especially in coastal and low-lying areas. Snow, sleet, and rain during winter storms cause low-visibility conditions and hazards like black ice. These factors contribute to high rates of accidents among Long Island drivers.
Aggressive Driving
Aggressive driving, such as tailgating, weaving, cutting off other drivers, excessive honking, and engaging in confrontations, are all dangerous. Road rage, which may include trying to run another driver off the road, is more common than you may think.
If you see a driver behaving erratically, staying calm and giving that vehicle space is important. If you can determine the make and model of the car or the license plate number, you can pull over when safe and report it to the police.
Inexperienced Drivers
Young or newly licensed drivers are often more prone to accidents. These accidents may result from inexperience, risk-taking behavior, and other factors. Drivers aged 16 to 20 are particularly overrepresented in crashes.
In 2020, the number of persons killed or injured in New York crashes involving young drivers was highest in Suffolk and Nassau counties. Suffolk accounted for 2,212 deaths in accidents involving young drivers (14 percent of all young driver collisions). Nassau County had the second-highest number of youth-related driving fatalities at 1,821 deaths (11 percent of all cases).
Drivers under 18 are subject to specific licensing restrictions under New York’s Graduated Driver License Law. In Long Island, drivers with junior licenses must be accompanied by a person aged 21 or older who is either a parent, a driver’s ed teacher, or a person the licensee’s parent has approved in writing as a supervising driver.
Contact the Long Island Car Accident Lawyers at Chopra & Nocerino
No matter the cause of your accident, our Long Island car accident lawyers are here to ensure you know your full legal rights and options. Our legal team at Chopra & Nocerino is made up of dedicated professionals with extensive experience handling car accident cases in Long Island and throughout the state. Contact us online or call (855) NYC-HURT to schedule your free consultation.
