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Reckless Driving Among Young Long Island Drivers: More Than Just a Ticket

  • Kumer Dey
  • 3 days ago
  • 3 min read
A roadside memorial with sunflowers and a photo rests by a highway. Cars pass on an overcast day, conveying a somber mood.

Across Long Island, a dangerous trend is emerging—and it’s costing lives. More and more younger drivers, many barely out of high school, are getting caught for excessive speeding, tailgating, swerving through traffic, and even using the shoulder to bypass everyone else. You don’t have to look far to see the aftermath—just glance at the roadside memorials lining the Southern State Parkway.


The Culture of Speed: What’s Happening on Long Island Roads

On roads like the Southern State, LIE, and Sunrise Highway, it’s become all too common to see cars weaving across lanes, drivers tailgating at 70+ mph, sudden cuts through gaps in traffic, and vehicles illegally using the shoulder to pass. Often, the vehicles are piloted by young drivers who believe quick reflexes and horsepower are enough to get by.

But law enforcement data and public outcry tell another story:


  • Traffic fatalities in Nassau and Suffolk Counties have increased more than 40% since 2019.

  • Aggressive driving behaviors—including speeding, tailgating, unsafe lane changes, and shoulder driving—are leading contributors.

  • The Southern State Parkway has become so notorious it’s been dubbed "Blood Alley" by locals.


Online communities echo the frustration:


"They're driving like this consistently... Southern State is a PvP-enabled zone." (A gamer term meaning everyone for themselves—chaos allowed.)


Why It’s More Than Just Inexperience

Some of it comes down to overconfidence. Some never got the proper behind-the-wheel instruction. And some just don’t realize how fast things can go wrong—until they do.

There’s another growing concern: many of these teens are behind the wheel of brand-new, high-performance vehicles. These cars—designed with powerful engines, tight suspensions, and fast acceleration—demand a level of control and discipline that most new drivers simply don’t have yet. Without proper training, the combination of speed and inexperience becomes a recipe for disaster.


But there’s also a cultural element:

  • Dangerous habits are reinforced by peers and social media.

  • Speeding, weaving, and driving on the shoulder become rites of passage instead of red flags.

  • Risk is downplayed until something goes horribly wrong.


The Real Consequences

Too often, these high-risk behaviors don’t end in a ticket—they end in trauma.

  • Injury or fatality is far more likely at speeds over 60 mph, especially when paired with erratic lane changes or shoulder driving.

  • Memorial markers line the shoulders: a cross here, flowers there. A photo tucked into the grass. These aren't statistics—they’re someone’s child, someone’s best friend, someone who should still be here.

  • Ripple effects impact everyone involved—passengers, families, first responders, and entire communities.


What All Care Driving School Teaches Differently

At All Care, we believe in preparing students for real-world conditions, not just the road test.


Our approach includes:

  • Practical highway driving instruction, including proper merging and lane discipline.

  • Defensive driving techniques that emphasize space, timing, and risk awareness.

  • Conversations about responsibility—not just rules.

Our instructors don’t just teach how to drive—they teach why it matters.


A Message for Parents

Your involvement makes a difference:

  • Ride along. Talk through decisions. Reinforce good habits.

  • Set boundaries—no speeding, no aggressive driving, no shoulder use.

  • Consider installing a dash cam or GPS monitor. Not to spy, but to stay connected.


Your voice and presence can shape the way your teen sees the road—and their role on it.


The goal isn’t to control—it’s to create a safety net until safe driving becomes second nature.


Memorials Shouldn’t Be the Lesson

We see the tributes. We pass them every day. And we know: behind each one is a story that didn’t need to end this way.


Driving isn’t a game. It’s a responsibility. And it starts with how we teach, how we model, and how we hold one another accountable on the road.


Want to help your teen build real confidence behind the wheel?

Contact All Care Driving School to ask about our defensive driving lessons and teen training packages:


Hicksville: (516) 605-0033

Ronkonkoma: (631) 724-3488

 
 
 

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