In an attempt to cut down the number of traffic-related injuries and accidents, Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto, and Councilmen Angelo A. Delligatti and Joseph D. Muscarella, are calling for a major police crackdown on speeding and dangerous driving along the 3.2 mile stretch of Broadway and North Broadway in Massapequa and North Massapequa.

And according to Venditto, the police department's initial response has been excellent. "They will be conducting an intensive crackdown on speeding," he said.

The crackdown comes in response to the approximately 70 injuries, 130 traffic accidents, and 275 damaged vehicles that occurred from Jan. 1 to June 30, according to recent accident statistics provided by the Nassau County Police Traffic Safety Unit.

Massapequa residents Venditto and Delligatti, and North Massapequa resident Muscarella, said they routinely witness drivers speeding up to 50-miles-per-hour or more despite numerous signs clearly posting the 30-mile-per-hour town speed limit on Broadway and North Broadway, which runs north of Sunrise Highway in Massapequa and south of Boundary Avenue on the North Massapequa/South Farmingdale border.

"I've seen the terrible aftermath of violent accidents where vehicles have driven through storefronts, struck homes, hit trees and slammed into other vehicles," Venditto said.

Muscarella said speeders pose a particular threat to students at Lockhart School in Massapequa and Albany Avenue School in North Massapequa. He said several intersections along Broadway appear to be particularly dangerous with a large number of accidents, including Sunrise Highway, Jerusalem Ave., Commonwealth Ave., Baltimore Ave., N. Cedar St. and N. Pine St.

"Dangerous drivers also threaten the safety of the elderly who rely on the local stores to do their shopping and Long Island Rail Road commuters who routinely cross Broadway at the Massapequa train station," added Muscarella.

Venditto said he has been in contact with members of the Nassau County Police Department and the Nassau County Department of Public Works Traffic Engineering Division. He expects to be meeting with them in the next week to map out a joint comprehensive plan to combat the problems of speeding motorists. He added that he hopes they can come up "with short-term measures that can be implemented expeditiously and long-term solutions to allow for a safer road in the years to come."

The three officials said they will ask the police and traffic engineers to institute several traffic safety measures along Broadway and North Broadway, including, highly visible police patrols, more undercover police cars, more radars and possibly the use of police decoys. Town officials are also suggesting the use of portable signs which monitor speeds and instantly display to drivers how fast they are traveling and improved synchronization of traffic lights for better control of traffic speed.

"What was once a safe neighborhood road used primarily for local driving since the 1940s has turned into a major thoroughfare complete with dangerous speeders and careless drivers," said Venditto. "The increased density of homes and stores, combined with a growing population, has resulted in a noticeable increase in traffic and accidents."

Venditto added, "In addition, the safety of law-abiding motorists is jeopardized by unsafe drivers. I ask police to increase enforcement and urge motorists to drive safely."