Want safer roads on Long Island? Change the way you drive.

Thousands of people have been killed on Long Island’s roads, and the tragedy is they didn’t have to die. And August is the riskiest month of all.

In the past 10 years, 2,100 people have been killed and another 16,000 seriously injured, according to Newsday’s yearlong Dangerous Roads series, an in-depth look at why our roads are so deadly.

Most fatalities were caused by driver behavior. Think about that for a moment — thousands of lives lost because of the way people choose to drive. Most of the death and heartache were caused not by bad roads or dangerous conditions, but instead by bad driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 30% of fatal accidents on the roads are caused by drunken drivers. About 29% of fatalities are caused by speeding. Combine other behaviors like driving drugged, aggressive driving and distracted driving, and the result is that more than 90% of road fatalities are caused by human behavior.

But those bad driving behaviors can be changed for the better.

Newsday’s series discovered that in 2023, there were 190 reported driving fatalities, and in 2024, there were 155. That’s progress, although clearly much more needs to be done to make our roads safer for everyone — drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

The tragedies described in the latest Dangerous Roads story about August 2023 — when 32 people died in 26 crashes — are harrowing: three children killed by a drugged driver going more than 100 mph through an intersection; a father and mother on their way home from date night killed by a speeding drunken driver; a 77-year-old man from South Korea killed riding his bicycle when he was struck by a vehicle making a turn; and more.

Whether bad driving is the result of criminal behavior or inexperience, Long Island’s roads can be made safer if motorists simply drive better. Personal responsibility is crucial, but state lawmakers must pass harsher penalties for repeat offenders, which include revoking driving privileges and mandating more driver education and anger management courses, when appropriate. When a driver consciously decides to endanger others, laws must be enacted and enforced to protect the rest of us.

TEENS LACK EXPERIENCE

We’re in the middle of what’s called the 100 Deadly Days of Summer for Teen Drivers. The leading cause of death for 16- and 17-year-olds in New York State is a motor vehicle crash. Nationwide, the leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-old drivers is a crash. Teens and new drivers simply don’t have the experience behind the wheel to avoid every dangerous situation.

According to a study by the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, teen drivers cause crashes because they make mistakes. They drive too fast on ice; they drive distracted; or they don’t know how to predict traffic in front of them and react defensively.

These mistakes can be prevented.

New York State must make driver education more rigorous. Would-be drivers should practice in dangerous situations using realistic simulators. Experience needed for a license should include practice on highways and other difficult driving situations. How many times has a teen who just got their license practiced driving in fog?

And parents must be active in teaching and modeling slower and safer road behavior both before their children  get their full license and even after. Getting a license doesn’t mean learning to drive is over. There is plenty of information online for parents to help them navigate having a new teenage driver in the house. Take advantage of the resources to make our children safer drivers.

DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS

Experienced Long Island drivers generally know what roads and intersections are dangerous in their own community or on their commute. Newsday, as part of its Dangerous Roads series, examined in a June story the five worst intersections on the Island. Statistics are readily available showing more of the most dangerous intersections and roads in every town from Montauk to Malverne.

There are many reasons why some intersections are more dangerous than others, from volume to poor road design to substandard crosswalks, and more.

Government needs to continue to improve Long Island’s roads, highways and parkways, with an immediate emphasis on intersections. Head-on and T-bone accidents are the most dangerous and often occur at intersections. While driver behaviors are still the leading cause of crashes, even at intersections, there are steps that can be taken to mitigate the danger.

Speed limits near high-volume intersections must be lowered. Crosswalks and signage must be improved and clearly marked and illuminated. Speed cameras and artificial intelligence should be used to monitor traffic. And drivers need to be told and retold through social media campaigns that dangerous driving habits put lives at risk.

The mission is clear — to stop death and grief on our roads.

Sign up for the Dangerous Roads newsletter and join the conversation. Tell us how you would make driving safer. We drive these roads together every day. Let’s work together with law enforcement, government and traffic experts to finally make Long Island a safer place to drive.