Veterans Memorial Highway is a short highway that runs for just under 14 miles. It’s a major thoroughfare that runs from Commack to Holbrook, passing by hotels, restaurants, and MacArthur Airport. It’s also been the site of two deadly accidents involving pedestrians over the last month.
The first accident involved three vehicles hitting the same man.
On Monday, February 20, a tragic incident took place in Bohemia. The victim was crossing the highway in front of the Applebee’s along the highway. He headed northbound across the highway.
As he did so, a 2003 Honda Civic struck him. The driver slowed down, only to watch in horror as two more vehicles struck the man. Those vehicles did not stop; they kept on driving after striking the man.
Emergency responders pronounced the man, whose name the authorities have not announced, dead at the scene of the tragic accident.
The second Veterans Memorial Highway accident killed a 63-year-old.
The second incident happened in Commack on Wednesday, March 8. A 63-year-old man was walking southbound on the highway when he was struck. Authorities have not said whether or not the man was on the road itself. All we know is that a Kia SUV struck him.
Authorities responded just after 10:30 p.m. They found the man and took him to St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown. There, medical personnel pronounced him dead. His name was Julio Monteiro.
Is Veterans Memorial Highway safe for pedestrians?
Pedestrian safety is a serious concern on Long Island; in fact, it’s a concern across the whole country! After the NHTSA released a report recently showing that pedestrian deaths are on the rise across the country, many locales are taking action. Long Island is no exception, having significantly improved State Route 25 for pedestrian traffic. The island also has an initiative called Walk Safe Long Island that aims to help pedestrians travel more safely. These incidents are a sobering reminder that we still have a long way to go.
