- January 13, 2024
- Tucker Law
- Vehicle Accidents
Home to several bays and numerous beaches, Long Island is a lovely place to live or visit. But if you are going to spend lots of time in Long Island, you pretty much have to own a car. It doesn’t have the same quality of public transportation as New York City, and it lives up to its name in terms of size. Because you’ll be spending a lot of time in your car when on Long Island, you want to make sure those trips are safe. That means you should try to avoid these roads that are the most dangerous in Long Island.
Southern State Parkway
It almost feels like Southern State Parkway was designed to cause car accidents. The road twists and turns like an out-of-control rollercoaster and runs over several hills. It is even worse at night due to terrible lighting throughout the highway. The worst section, between exits 17 and 32, is so famous for accidents that it is known as “Blood Alley” by the locals.
It isn’t just one of the most dangerous roads in Long Island. Southern State Parkway is one of the most dangerous roads in the country, based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) accident records. This is also a difficult highway to avoid because it is one of the major east-west routes on the island. The two nearest alternatives also appear on this list.
Sunrise Highway
Also known as SR-27, this road is known for both car accidents and pedestrian accidents. Most of the highway has no sidewalk, making it extremely dangerous for pedestrians. To make it even worse, there are long stretches of the highway where streetlight lamps have gone out and nothing has been done about it. This means you could drive for miles with no light other than your headlights to show you what is ahead of you. And since the roadway is as poorly maintained as the streetlights, you could easily hit a giant pothole or road debris without any warning.
The worst part of this road is a stretch near Green Acres Mall, only about a mile from JFK International Airport. Unfortunately, if you need to go to JFK or any location on the south side of the island, it is almost impossible to avoid this highway without adding a significant amount to your travel time.
Hempstead Turnpike
If you think the road conditions of Sunrise Highway are bad, you will be appalled by Hempstead Turnpike. This highway looks like the asphalt hasn’t been repaired since it was first laid. Adding to the danger of this road, it is a state highway that runs through primarily residential sections. Despite this, it has almost no crosswalks, and speed limits are little more than suggestions on this highway.
Even scarier, Hempstead Turnpike runs straight through Hofstra University, which means there are regularly distracted college students crossing at some of the busiest parts of the road. It is a recipe for pedestrian accidents. Unless you are driving to Hofstra, this is thankfully one of the easier dangerous roads to avoid. Unfortunately, unless you divert a few miles north, the other good options are all on this list.
Jericho Turnpike
Also known as SR-25, Jericho Turnpike is the safest road on this list. Sadly, it is still a terrifying trip. It doesn’t look too bad at first. The roads are reasonably well maintained, and there are two lanes in each direction. But that becomes a problem when it gets into commercial districts where the speed limit is 40 miles per hour and there isn’t a traffic light in sight. Turning into or out of parking lots is a nightmare at almost any time of day.
And due to an almost complete lack of crosswalks, pedestrians are effectively playing a real-life game of Frogger. Thankfully, this road is relatively easy to avoid by taking nearby I-495, which parallels it.
Avoiding Dangerous Roads on Long Island
The worst roads in Long Island are all major highways that run east and west. This makes traveling along the length of the island tricky if you want to drive safely.
Thankfully, I-495 is a well-maintained and safe highway that runs almost the entire length of the island. Unfortunately, it runs right down the middle of the island, which means you might be adding a lot of time to your trip if you want to visit locations in the northern or southern parts of the island. SR-25A is a safe alternative on the northern half of the island (even though it twists and bends a lot). But all of the southern options are on this list.
What to Do if You Get into a Car Accident
Even extreme caution can’t prevent all car accidents. If you end up in an accident, contact an experienced Long Island car accident attorney at Tucker Lawyers immediately. Our lawyers will help you navigate the insurance process so that you get the maximum compensation allowed by law. That money is important when you are trying to recover from serious injuries.
Long Island Dangerous Roads
According to the NHTSA, Long Island is one of the deadliest locations in the country for traffic fatalities. This danger makes it all the more important to avoid the worst roads on the island. When traveling east or west, that means you should typically rely on I-495 to minimize your accident risk. It will add time to your trip, usually, but it is worth it if you avoid accidents.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in Long Island Today
If you have been injured in a car accident in Long Island, don’t expect your car insurance company to be on your side. It is more interested in saving money than ensuring you get the medical care and financial support you need to recover.
At Tucker Lawyers, we care about your well-being. If you want support from a lawyer who cares, contact us today at (516) 399-2364 to schedule a free consultation.
Managing Attorney John. J. Tucker, Esq.
John has personally handled thousands of clients who were victims of another’s negligence and fights relentlessly for their rights. John enjoys bringing closure to a client’s matter so that the injured party can move forward with their life. His background enables him to evaluate complex liability related claims and bring resolution to claims in a record time frame. [ Attorney Bio ]