A car accident on Beach Road by North High School in Great Neck left no one injured on Wednesday morning but highlighted concerns about safety in the area.
Nassau County police said a car flipped over on Beach Road at 8:28 a.m., but there were no serious injuries.
Police did not give details about the number of occupants in the car.
Ruth Gebay, a Beach Road resident and frequent critic of the proposed parking lot to be built nearby, said she received multiple calls about the incident and got text pictures about the incident. A student was speeding before crashing leading to the car flipping, she said.
Gebay said she fears the parking lot could add “100 plus cars to the mix” and, in light of the accident said that school board trustees should “halt this parking lot” and students should use the spacious Parkwood parking lot instead.
“My heart goes out to her and her family for prayers for a speedy recovery. Hopefully she will be well,” Gebay said via email. “Can you imagine if the many students walking to school were injured by her?”
Photos show the car sitting on its hood and the air bags deployed.
Jeffrey Wiesenfeld, another resident of Beach Road, said the parking lot wouldn’t be the problem – instead, it would be a solution for students who for years have raced and competed for the few spots available for them, increasing the risk of accidents.
“If you add 90 spaces in the parking lot, there’s no competition anymore for that because the parking lot gives you direct access to the school,” Wiesenfeld said.
He also noted most students driving need cars for jobs, asking students to walk half a mile in the cold is not realistic, the school district plans to shield homeowners via landscaping and drainage plans, and the construction will clean up damage from recent microbursts and storms.
Editor’s note: This article previously stated, incorrectly, that Ruth Gebay was a witness to the accident. She said she had family members at home, received multiple calls, and got many text pictures of the incident. A previous version of the article also stated that the driver was texting. This could not be verified.
