Over 159 Crashes Reported On Long Island Since Storm's Start

YAPHANK, NY — Long Island's two major police departments Nassau and Suffolk were notified of about 159 crashes along roadways during the winter storm that slammed the region Friday into Saturday.

Nassau was noitified of about 63 crashes from about midnight on Saturday, but motorists in only 28 of the cases decided to report them, police said.

Between 9 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday, there were 96 crashes, though none were serious, a police spokeswoman said.

Suffolk police said the storm has not let up and described driving conditions as "still treacherous in the county."

On Saturday morning motorists had been seen pulling over on the Eastbound Long Island Expressway to clean their windshields, and from the west to east, officers from Highway Patrol Bureau, Motor Carrier Safety Section, and Emergency Service Section have been working "non-stop" to help residents on the roadways, police said.

In a news conference in Commack on Saturday morning, Suffolk Police Chief of Department Robert Waring described the county's car crash statistics as "minimal so far."

As of about 8:30 a.m., there were about 57 crashes since the start of the storm. There was only one road closure after a car hit a pole in Melville, but the motorist was able to escape to safety and PSEG responded.

Waring said he now has additional officers assigned to the Long Island Expressway and Sunrise Highway to assist motorists.

"As a reminder to the public, these officers are on the roadway to protect everyone so please be considerate," he said. "If you see them helping someone please move over. We ask that you just use common sense if you don't need to drive please stay home and if you are behind the wheel, use caution."

For a non-emergency police response in Suffolk, call 631-852-COPS.