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Series of fatal crashes prompts proposal for more safety on Long Island roadways

Lawmakers have proposed bringing speed cameras to Long Island roads after one tragic event on the Southern State Parkway back in July. It was when beloved husband, father and grandfather Richard Riggs was killed in a car wreck.

News 12 Staff

Oct 23, 2021, 2:34 AM

Updated 1,138 days ago

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A string of fatal crashes is leading to a call for change on Long Island.
Lawmakers have proposed bringing speed cameras to Long Island roads after one tragic event on the Southern State Parkway back in July. It was when beloved husband, father and grandfather Richard Riggs was killed in a car wreck.
State police told News 12 at least two people inside a stolen Range Rover were racing against a Jeep and were erratically weaving in and out of traffic - causing the fatal collision near Exit 38.
"What we've seen on the Southern State Parkway is far too many severe accidents," state Sen. John Brooks said.
Just this week, there have been five fatal car accidents across Long Island. Brooks is now poised to introduce legislation to make state roads safer with a multi-prong plan.  It includes strengthening the penalties for aggressive and reckless driving as well as state troopers setting up safety zones with additional patrols and speed cameras in the biggest problem areas.
"We probably need to put speed cameras up in the middle of the night when they're doing 97 miles an hour," Brooks added. "We're not chasing them. Tomorrow morning, they can get a ticket at their door."
Triple AAA's Robert Sinclair says vehicular related deaths were 10.5% higher in the first quarter of this year compared to the same time last year.
"If you could just get people to slow down and to obey the speed limit, to and stop driving drunk and high, we'd probably cut fatalities on our road 50-60%," he said.
Some say there's another way to reduce all the reckless driving. That would be Enterprise Park at Calverton.
Members of the group Long Island Needs A Drag Strip believe if you build a strip there, they will come there instead of hitting the streets. That includes John Cozzali.
"There are thousands of people on Long Island that want to race," he said. “Drag racing is done with safety officials and ambulances and what not. Safety is very important."