Time to correct wrong-way driving

A recent rash of drivers going the wrong way on Long Island’s major highways has left government and law enforcement officials perplexed.

One thing is certain: alcohol is a major contributing factor. Authorities have attributed all of the wrong-way incidents that have made news in Nassau and Suffolk counties since late November to drunken driving.

But is alcohol the only answer to the question of why misdirected drivers are creating nightmares for other cars in their destructive paths? Are the current designs of our entrance ramps and highways safe enough?

In 1994, the state Department of Transportation implemented safeguards on highway ramps and travel lanes to help prevent these tragedies. The DOT’s project included the installation of additional signage to alert drivers who are going the wrong way as well as reflective arrows that flash red for those who are headed into oncoming traffic on a ramp.

Elected officials are now calling for more action. In Suffolk, County Executive Steve Levy has unveiled a plan that includes extra nightly patrols, increased DWI checkpoints and a radio public service campaign.

In Nassau County, District Attorney Kathleen Rice asked to meet with DOT leadership to discuss possible solutions to an issue that has generated headlines on a number of occasions. Rice is calling for a change in state traffic laws that would make wrong-way driving a specific offense. Absent a crash, she explained, there is no law that specifically addresses wrong-way driving.

Furthermore, Rice said, the DOT should consider installing rumble strips on exit ramps to alert confused drivers about their misguided decisions. The strips are common on highway shoulders to alert erratic drivers and prevent roadway-departure accidents. According to a report released by the DOT, the installation of rumble strips in various parts of the state, including the Thruway, has led to a reduction in these accidents, which include running off the road as well as head-on collisions.

Some highway entrances are confusing, especially to those who are unfamiliar with the area, and even more so to those who are impaired by medical conditions, alcohol or drugs. Entrance and exit ramps are often right next to each other.

But not all of the recent incidents have involved parkway ramps. Two have occurred on Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow, a route with traffic-lighted intersections and a center median dividing the east- and westbound lanes.

The DOT, which oversees and maintains major highways like the Meadowbrook, Wantagh and Southern State parkways, has said it will assess whether it needs to take additional action on its roadways.

Now is the time for experts to make an extensive evaluation of the safety of our roadways. The lives of drivers everywhere are at stake.