Gillen Wants Hearing To Address 'Sudden Rise' In Fatal LI Crashes

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY — With a dramatic increase in deadly traffic accidents across on Long Island, Congresswoman Laura Gillen (D-NY 04) is calling for a hearing on road safety.

"The sudden rise in deadly accidents on Long Island’s streets is deeply alarming and demands action," Gillen said. "Every seven minutes, a crash causing death, injury, or significant property damage occurs on our roads."

Sunrise Highway, Gillen said, is one of the roads where crashes are prevalent.

"The failure to secure our roads has led to thousands of lives being cut short, families tragically ripped apart and a terrible void left in too many of our communities," she said at a news conference on Friday.

Gillen sent a letter to the Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman to examine road safety on Long Island, "as we enter negotiations for the surface transportation reauthorization bill that Congress will vote on later this year."

The congresswoman is also pushing for infrastructure investments that prioritize safety, not speed.

"Residents have long voiced safety concerns about the Southern State Parkway, Sunrise Highway, and other routes, which have a disproportionate share of roadway injuries and fatalities on Long Island," Gillen said.

She is also drafting legislation "that incentivizes states and localities to build roundabouts, which make intersections safer."

Another way staying safe on road, Gillen said, is by reducing the number of impaired drivers.

“Many road safety groups have endorsed lowering our drunk-driving limit to a blood alcohol content of .05. There’s strong evidence that lowering this limit reduces crashes and saves lives," she said. "It’s time for local, state and federal authorities to come together to improve our roadways and increase safety for drivers and pedestrians."