Here's how to stop LI's reckless drivers
The eastbound lanes of the Southern State Parkway were closed at Exit 31 last month due to a crash investigation, State Police said. Credit: Jim Staubitser
Kevin Catalina has been Suffolk County police commissioner for five months, and he could learn a lot from longtime Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder.
Catalina’s Street Takeover Task Force has issued summonses to 4,652 drivers from November to June 11 [“Aggressive on LI: Reckless drivers take safety toll,” News, June 29]. But it has arrested only 26 and impounded only 46 of the 4,652 recklessly driven vehicles — one out of every 100!
Ryder told Newsday, “We are focused on getting them off the road, and we will impound your car” because “sometimes that is the only way you’re going to send a message to teach this person to slow down.” Ryder said traffic tickets often are not enough to get bad habits to change, but seizing their car gets their attention.
Catalina should learn this important lesson from Ryder.
— Richard Siegelman, Plainview
Nothing can be done about aggressive driving without proper law enforcement. Unlike years ago, I hardly ever see state police or county highway patrol stopping speeders, drivers making excessive lane changes, or tailgaters.
In the traffic courts, it appears they are more interested in revenue generation than actually punishing bad drivers. Everyone seems to be given an opportunity to plead down to a lesser offense so long as they’re willing to pay a fine.
A repeat offender who ignores stop signs can continuously plead to an equipment violation and never get points on his or her license.
Thus, the insurance company is not notified of the potential risk from that driver, and each time that person appears before a judge, the judge is unaware of the previous offense.
As long as there is no fear of consequence of increased insurance premiums and hefty fines, I don’t see anyone having a reason to slow down, start signaling, or stop tailgating. And without these consequences, we will not see reckless driving decrease on our roads.
— Ted D. Gluckman, Rockville Centre
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