Enforcing speed limits could prevent fatalities

I live less than a mile east of the site of the  horrific accident on Sunrise Highway [“Need awareness on road safety,” Editorial, Aug. 9]. My wife and I often drive there and observe constant abuse of the posted speed limits.

One problem is the limit dropping from 55 miles per hour to 40 mph at County Line Road and almost never being observed by cars or trucks. A blind curve by the train overpass doesn’t help.

It is easy to blame road design for such terrible accidents, but this one would have never occurred if speed limits were obeyed.

— Anthony Mattia, Massapequa

Speeders have been a problem for years. Every day, I encounter them along Hempstead Turnpike, the Southern State and Northern State parkways, Sunrise Highway and Long Island Expressway.

On a parkway, I usually drive 60-65 mph. Daily, I see cars passing me at about 80-100 mph, sometimes drag racing with one another. What I don’t see are state troopers or police officers pulling anyone over. Where are they? Our highways have become a free-for-all.

Another problem is tailgating. If I am driving 60 mph in the middle lane of a three-lane highway, why are speeding cars tailgating me? If I suddenly have to brake, it could end up a disaster.

A solution must be worked out — either with more patrol cars or speed cameras.

— Joe Rella, Farmingdale

Speed, intoxication and loss of control were noted as factors in the six fatalities and four crashes in 24 hours.

How many deaths must we experience because we allow car manufacturers to sell cars that can go 160 mph? Congress hasn’t passed a bill to regulate how fast cars can go. During our driver’s test, we aren’t driving 160 mph.

If we don’t take action, who’s to say that in 10 years, they won’t sell cars that can go even faster. The automobile industry and our government are partially responsible for the 12,330 people who were killed in motor vehicle accidents directly attributed to speeding on our roads in 2021.

— John R. Brooks, West Gilgo Beach