Suffolk Police Department distributes free reflective safety vests, stickers
PATCHOGUE, N.Y. -- The Suffolk Police Department began distributing free reflective safety vests in Patchogue on Tuesday.
This comes after an uptick in deadly crashes on Long Island.
The vests, along with reflective stickers for children's bicycles, are available at Suffolk Police headquarters.
Authorities are reminding people to obey the rules of the road and make themselves visible.
"The main thing at any motor vehicle accident or any potential hazard is to be seen, and this will help people be seen. When they're seen, hopefully we don't have to make a phone call to somebody's mother or family that they will not be coming home that night," Suffolk County Legislator Dominick Thorne said.
Last year, 49 pedestrians and five bike riders were killed in Suffolk County.
In the last three years, 515 people have been hit and injured while walking or biking across Long Island.