Suffolk County is the deadliest traffic county in New York State

Suffolk County led New York State in traffic deaths in 2022 with 164 fatalities. Over the 2015-2024 decade, Suffolk recorded 40,801 crashes, 1,272 fatal crashes, and 1,374 deaths. In 2024 alone, 118 people died in Suffolk traffic crashes. Even after a 29.3% decline from 167 deaths in 2015, Suffolk remains the most dangerous traffic county in New York outside NYC. The reasons are structural: 900+ square miles of geography, high-speed parkways (LIE, Sunrise Highway, Southern State), a sprawling surface-road network (Jericho Turnpike, Middle Country Road, Montauk Highway, Sunrise Highway), and 10 towns from Babylon to East Hampton with different policing and courts.

Suffolk Supreme Court's two campuses. Central Islip for the western towns and Riverhead for the East End, mean plaintiffs can pick venue that matches the accident location. Suffolk juries tend to return solid verdicts when liability is clearly established and the injuries are documented. Our job is evidence preservation, medical-damages development, and trial readiness.

Suffolk's deadliest roads

  • Route 25 (Jericho Turnpike / Middle Country Road). Deadliest Suffolk road. 62 deaths 2016-2020 including 4 bicyclists and 18 pedestrians. Eight fatalities east of Nicolls Road (Selden / Coram) 2019-2023.
  • Long Island Expressway (I-495). Third deadliest NY State road. 42 fatal crashes over five years.
  • Sunrise Highway (Route 27). Fifth deadliest NY State road. 36 fatal crashes over five years. Nine fatalities clustered on North Ocean Avenue 2019-2023.
  • Southern State Parkway (Route 908M). Exit 17-32 stretch nicknamed "Blood Alley."
  • Montauk Highway (Route 27A). East End surface corridor with narrow shoulders and seasonal volume.
  • Straight Path at West Sunrise Highway, Lindenhurst. 2,139 total crashes and 72 fatal/serious crashes over a decade.
  • Veterans Memorial Highway at Old Nichols Road and Suffolk Avenue, Islandia. Heavy commercial traffic feeding Hauppauge Industrial Park.
  • Nesconset Highway (Route 347) at Nicolls Road, Lake Grove. Stop-and-go traffic near Smith Haven Mall.

Where Suffolk car cases are filed

Suffolk County Supreme Court operates from two courthouses. 400 Carleton Avenue in Central Islip serves the western towns (Huntington, Babylon, Islip, Smithtown, parts of Brookhaven). 210 Center Drive in Riverhead serves the eastern towns (Riverhead, Southold, Southampton, East Hampton, Shelter Island, parts of Brookhaven). Both have unlimited civil jurisdiction. Suffolk County District Court handles civil claims up to $15,000 in the five western towns. Appeals go to the Appellate Division, Second Department.

For crashes involving Suffolk County vehicles, town vehicles, school district vehicles, or Suffolk County Transit, a 90-day Notice of Claim under GML 50-e is required, served on the appropriate county or town attorney. For State Police cruisers, parkway defect claims, or state roadway cases, the Court of Claims in Albany applies.

Deadlines and statutes

  • CPLR 214(5). Three-year personal-injury SOL.
  • EPTL 5-4.1. Two years from date of death for wrongful death.
  • GML 50-e. 90-day Notice of Claim for county, town, school district, Suffolk County Transit.
  • GML 50-i / CPLR 217-a. 1 year and 90 days to sue a municipality.
  • Court of Claims Act. State vehicle, parkway, state-roadway cases.
  • Insurance Law 5102(d), 5103. Serious-injury threshold and no-fault PIP.
  • CPLR 1411. Pure comparative negligence.
  • CPLR 208. Infancy tolling until 18.

What to do after a Suffolk County crash

  1. Get medical care. Stony Brook University Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital (West Islip), Huntington Hospital, Peconic Bay Medical Center (Riverhead), Eastern Long Island Hospital (Greenport), Brookhaven Memorial, Southampton Hospital.
  2. Get the police report. Suffolk County Police for most county areas; town PD for East Hampton, Southampton, Southold village; New York State Police for parkways and the LIE.
  3. File the no-fault PIP application within 30 days.
  4. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer.
  5. Photograph everything and preserve dash-cam footage.
  6. Contact a lawyer before signing anything from a risk-management office, body shop, or subrogation unit.

Related analysis from our team

References

New York State DMV. Suffolk County Crash Statistics, 2015-2024.

https://dmv.ny.gov/statistic

News 12 Long Island. "Long Island Home to 4 of the Deadliest Roads in the State."

https://longisland.news12.com/long-island-home-to-4-of-the-deadliest-roads-in-the-state

Newsday Traffic Fatality Database.

https://projects.newsday.com/long-island/traffic-fatalities/

New York Civil Practice Law and Rules §§ 208, 214, 217-a, 1411.

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP

New York Insurance Law §§ 5102(d), 5103.

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/ISC

New York General Municipal Law §§ 50-e, 50-i.

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/GMU/50-E

New York Estates, Powers and Trusts Law § 5-4.1.

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EPT

New York Court of Claims Act.

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CTC

Frequently Asked Questions

How dangerous is driving in Suffolk County?

Suffolk County recorded 40,801 crashes over the 2015-2024 decade with 1,272 fatal crashes and 1,374 deaths. In 2024 alone, 118 people died in Suffolk traffic crashes, a 29.3% decline from 167 deaths in 2015 but still the highest county-level traffic fatality count in New York State outside of NYC. Suffolk led New York State in traffic deaths in 2022 with 164 fatalities.

Where are Suffolk County car accident lawsuits filed?

Suffolk County Supreme Court at 400 Carleton Avenue in Central Islip and 210 Center Drive in Riverhead handles civil cases with unlimited jurisdiction, the correct venue for any serious injury claim. Suffolk County District Court handles civil claims up to $15,000 in the western towns (Huntington, Babylon, Islip, Smithtown, Brookhaven). Appeals go to the Appellate Division, Second Department. For claims against Suffolk County or its municipalities, a 90-day Notice of Claim under GML 50-e is required.

What are the most dangerous Suffolk County roads?

Route 25 (Jericho Turnpike) is the deadliest road in Suffolk County with 62 deaths between 2016-2020, including 4 bicyclists and 18 pedestrians. The Long Island Expressway (I-495) is the third deadliest road in New York State with 42 fatal crashes over five years. Sunrise Highway (Route 27) ranks fifth deadliest with 36 fatal crashes, including multiple fatalities on North Ocean Avenue between Sunrise and the LIE. The Southern State Parkway's section between exits 17-32 is known as 'Blood Alley.' Straight Path at West Sunrise Highway in Lindenhurst is among the five deadliest intersections with 72 serious-injury/fatal crashes over a decade.

What is the statute of limitations for a Suffolk County car accident?

Three years from the accident date for personal injury under CPLR 214(5). Two years from date of death for wrongful death under EPTL 5-4.1. No-fault PIP benefits must be applied for within 30 days. For crashes involving Suffolk County vehicles, town vehicles (Huntington, Babylon, Islip, Smithtown, Brookhaven, Southold, Southampton, East Hampton, Shelter Island, Riverhead), or Suffolk County Transit, a 90-day Notice of Claim under GML 50-e is required. The lawsuit must commence within 1 year and 90 days.

How does New York no-fault apply in Suffolk County?

New York Insurance Law 5103 requires your own auto insurer to pay up to $50,000 in medical expenses and lost wages regardless of fault. You may only sue for pain and suffering if your injury meets the 'serious injury' threshold in Insurance Law 5102(d): significant disfigurement, fracture, permanent loss of a body organ, permanent consequential limitation, significant limitation, or the 90/180-day category. Highway-speed Suffolk crashes easily clear the threshold.

What compensation is available in a Suffolk County car case?

Past and future medical expenses, lost wages and future earning capacity, pain and suffering, permanent impairment, loss of consortium, and in wrongful death cases pecuniary loss to the statutory distributees under EPTL 5-4.3. Recent reported Suffolk outcomes include a $950,000 verdict for a rear-end crash on Nesconset Highway and Old Town Road in Brookhaven, a $450,000 settlement in a Suffolk Supreme Court commercial-truck case, and a settlement for a passenger injured when a Suffolk County Police car struck the private vehicle causing fractures and scarring.

What should I do after a Suffolk County car accident?

Get medical care at Stony Brook University Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, Huntington Hospital, Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead, Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport, Brookhaven Memorial, or Southampton Hospital. Get the police report: Suffolk County Police for most crashes, town PD in some towns (East Hampton, Southampton), New York State Police for parkways and the LIE. File no-fault PIP within 30 days. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer.

Does my own fault bar my Suffolk County car accident claim?

No. New York applies pure comparative negligence under CPLR 1411. A jury can assign you a percentage of fault, but your recovery is reduced by that percentage, not eliminated. Even a plaintiff found 90 percent at fault is entitled to 10 percent of the damages.