Plainview, NY — Crash Data, Roads, History & Law
Plainview is an unincorporated hamlet in the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York, with 27,100 residents at the 2020 Census. Federal crash records show 27 fatal crashes that killed 27 people within its boundaries from 2010 through 2024 — 5 of them on foot. Old Country Road accounted for more of those deaths (7) than any other road. Residents who commute travel an average of 35.3 minutes each way.
Long Island Town Fact Book · Updated · Sources & method
Plainview at a glance
- Status
- Hamlet (unincorporated; census-designated place)
- Town
- Oyster Bay
- County
- Nassau County
- Population (2020 Census)
- 27,100[C]
- Housing units (2020)
- 9,207
- Land area
- 5.72 sq mi
- Density
- 4,734 people per sq mi
- Average commute
- 35.3 minutes[B]
- Traffic deaths, 2010–2024
- 27[A]
- ZIP Code
- 11803
- Founded / settled
- The farming community of Manetto Hill formed near the Moscopas pond after the 1695 Bethpage Purchase extended settlement north to the pond; it took the Plainview name in 1886.[4]
- Former names
- Manetto Hill[4]
- Legal status
- Unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place in the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County[1]
- Former name
- Manetto Hill, until residents renamed the community Plainview in 1886[4]
- Historic industry
- Major cucumber-growing area supplying pickle works in Farmingdale and Hicksville's Heinz plant until early-1900s crop blight[4]
- Prior written notice law
- Town of Oyster Bay Code Ch. 160, "Notification of Defects" (adopted 1982, amended in its entirety 2003)[6]
- Census geography
- Plainview CDP · GEOID 3658442 · GNIS 2389681
- Coordinates
- 40.7818°N, 73.4731°W
Hamlets in New York have no legal boundary or government of their own. Figures here use the Census Bureau's census-designated place, the standard statistical outline for the community; local usage of the name can be wider or narrower.
Name:According to a Newsday local-history article, residents chose the name Plainview in 1886, after the Manetto Hill post office application was rejected in 1885 because another New York community had a similar name, "because of the prairie vistas from the top of the hill."[4]
Fatal crashes in Plainview, 2010–2024
From January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2024, 27 people died in 27 crashes on public roads inside Plainview, according to the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System.[A] Pedestrians account for 5 of those deaths (19%). The deadliest year was 2011, with 5 deaths.
- Fatal crashes
- 27
- People killed
- 27
- Pedestrians
- 5
- Bicyclists
- 1
- Motorcyclists
- 2
- Vehicle occupants
- 19
2024 figures come from NHTSA's Annual Report File and may be revised.
View the chart as a table
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2 | 2 |
| 2011 | 5 | 5 |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 2 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 | 3 | 3 |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 | 2 |
| 2023 | 3 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 |
Roads where people died
| Road | Crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Old Country Road | 7 | 7 |
| Long Island Expressway (I-495) | 6 | 6 |
| Seaford–Oyster Bay Expressway (NY 135) | 4 | 4 |
| Northern State Parkway | 4 | 4 |
| Woodbury Rd | 2 | 2 |
| Cr-D23 Manetto Hill Rd | 1 | 1 |
| S Oyster Bay Rd | 1 | 1 |
| Manetto Hill Rd | 1 | 1 |
Road names as recorded by police and normalised to common Long Island names.
When and where
- Of the 27 crashes with a recorded time, 11 happened between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., 4 between 4 and 8 p.m., 6 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and 6 between 6 and 10 a.m.
- 48% happened in darkness.
- 14 of the 27 deaths were on expressways or parkways; 13 were on arterials and local streets.
- In at least 3 crashes, a driver had a reported blood-alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. This counts known test results only; NHTSA's official alcohol estimates, which impute untested drivers, are higher.
Who owns the roads where they happened (2015–2024)
FARS has recorded the owner of the roadway since 2015. Of the 17 fatal crashes in Plainview since then:
- State highways 8 (47%)
- County roads 4 (24%)
- Town roads 4 (24%)
- State Toll Road 1 (6%)
Ownership matters in New York because claims against a county, town, city or village generally require a notice of claim within 90 days (General Municipal Law § 50-e), while claims against the State are brought in the Court of Claims under Court of Claims Act § 10. This is general information, not legal advice.
Rate: 6.6 traffic deaths per 100,000 residents per year, against 5.8 for Nassau County. This is a resident-based rate, not a measure of how risky the roads are to drive: crashes are counted where they happen, not where the people involved live, so a small community crossed by a major highway shows a high rate.
The 15 most recent fatal crashes
| Date | Time | Road | Deaths | Who died | Light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * | 7 a.m. | Long Island Expressway (I-495) | 1 | Pedestrian | daylight |
| * | 9 p.m. | Long Island Expressway (I-495) | 1 | Motorcyclist | dark |
| 9 a.m. | Seaford–Oyster Bay Expressway (NY 135) | 1 | Vehicle occupant | daylight | |
| 11 a.m. | Cr-D23 Manetto Hill Rd | 1 | Vehicle occupant | daylight | |
| 2 p.m. | Old Country Road at Hope Dr | 1 | Vehicle occupant | daylight | |
| 11 p.m. | Long Island Expressway (I-495) | 1 | Vehicle occupant | dark | |
| 4 a.m. | Seaford–Oyster Bay Expressway (NY 135) | 1 | Vehicle occupant | dark | |
| 6 p.m. | Old Country Road at Carol Pl | 1 | Vehicle occupant | dark | |
| 5 a.m. | Long Island Expressway (I-495) | 1 | Vehicle occupant | dark | |
| 4 p.m. | Old Country Road | 1 | Bicyclist | daylight | |
| 6 a.m. | Northern State Parkway | 1 | Vehicle occupant | daylight | |
| 5 a.m. | Old Country Road | 1 | Pedestrian | dark | |
| 1 p.m. | S Oyster Bay Rd at Old Country Road | 1 | Vehicle occupant | daylight | |
| 7 a.m. | Old Country Road at Rex Pl | 1 | Vehicle occupant | daylight | |
| 2 a.m. | Long Island Expressway (I-495) | 1 | Vehicle occupant | dark |
FARS contains no names or personal identifiers. * 2024 records are preliminary. Download all 27 records (CSV) · How this was compiled
Recent Plainview Incident Reports
Two Right Lanes Closed on Northbound NY 135 in Nassau County After Thursday Crash — September 10
A crash on northbound NY 135 in Nassau County closed two right lanes on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The incident was classified as moderate severity.
Crash Blocks Right Shoulder on Southbound NY 135 at Exit 12W in Plainview
A crash on southbound NY 135 at Exit 12W (Northern State Parkway) in Plainview blocked the right shoulder.
School Bus and Car in Head-On Crash on Old Country Road in Plainview
School Bus and Car in Head-On Crash on Old Country Road in Plainview. May 14, 2026.
Updated continuously from 511NY, NYSP, NCPD, and SCPD feeds — all Long Island reports.
All reported crashes in the Town of Oyster Bay, 2021–2024
New York's crash file codes each crash to a town, city or village — never to a hamlet — so the finest official count that covers Plainview is for the Town of Oyster Bay, which contains it. Police reported 26,324 crashes there from 2021 through 2024 — about 18 a day. 6,596 (25.1%) injured someone and 50 were fatal. [D]
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,993 | 6,897 | 6,658 | 6,776 | 26,324 |
- Injury crashes
- 6,596
- Fatal crashes
- 50
- Struck a pedestrian
- 295
- Struck a bicyclist
- 222
- Struck a deer
- 38
Counts are crashes, not people. The municipality is entered by the reporting police agency, and coding is less consistent for small villages, so compare places with care.
How Plainview gets to work
Plainview commuters travel an average of 35.3 minutes each way, 0.7 minutes shorter than the Nassau County average (the national average is 26.4 minutes). About 59% of workers drive alone, and 7.9% ride the railroad. [B]
| Measure | Plainview | Nassau County | New York State | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average one-way commute | 35.3 min ±3.8 | 36 min | 32.6 min | 26.4 min |
| Commute 60 minutes or longer | 23.5% ±2.2 | 22.3% | 16.8% | 8.6% |
| Commute under 15 minutes | 20.4% ±3.2 | 17.9% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Drive alone | 59% ±3.2 | 60.7% | 48.8% | 68.8% |
| Carpool | 5.8% ±1.7 | 7.3% | 6.3% | 8.5% |
| Commuter rail (LIRR) | 7.9% ±1.4 | 7.1% | 1.8% | 0.3% |
| Bus | 0.2% ±0.2 † | 2.2% | 5.1% | 1.5% |
| Walk | 0.1% ±0.1 † | 2% | 5.6% | 2.4% |
| Work from home | 23.8% ±5.5 | 15.6% | 14.9% | 15.1% |
| Leave home before 6 a.m. | 8.2% ±2.2 | 10.8% | 10.6% | 14.4% |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.9% ±1.7 | 6.8% | 29.2% | 8.4% |
| Households with three or more vehicles | 23.3% ±3 | 23.3% | 11.8% | 21.9% |
Survey estimates for 12,537 workers aged 16 and over; ± values are 90% margins of error. † Small sample — the margin of error is large relative to the estimate, so treat the figure as indicative only. Travel-time rows exclude people who work from home.
Notable facts about Plainview
- Plainview was known as Manetto Hill until 1886, when residents renamed it for the prairie views from its hilltop after a post office application under the old name was rejected in 1885.[4]
- The hamlet's namesake pond, Moscopas, was named by Native Americans for "hole of dirt and water"; the nearby hill's name, Manetto, meant "god."[4]
- Before an early-1900s blight, Plainview was a major cucumber-growing area supplying pickle works in Farmingdale and the Heinz plant in Hicksville.[4]
- Plainview's population grew from 1,155 in 1950 to more than 35,000 within a decade, as postwar housing replaced farmland.[4]
- A Town of Oyster Bay photograph documents the first Plainview Fire Department parade, held on Labor Day 1927.[1]
History
Plainview's origin is tied to a small kettle pond fed by a freshwater spring at the edge of the Hempstead Plains, "just northeast of the modern-day intersection of Old Country and Manetto Hill Roads," which a Newsday local-history article says was left behind by retreating glaciers and became a holy site for Native Americans across Long Island who valued the rare freshwater source.[4] The article states that Native people "named the pond Moscopas, meaning 'hole of dirt and water,' and the hill Manetto, a word for 'god,'" and that they hunted in the area, often praying at the foot of Manetto Hill.[4]
The Hempstead settler Robert Williams, originally of Wales, bought land west of the pond from the Matinecock in 1648, but the area's major European land acquisition came in 1695, when Thomas Powell's Bethpage Purchase extended settlement north to the pond.[4] A small farming community formed near the pond under the name Manetto Hill and "remained isolated and insignificant for more than a century."[4]
The 1837 arrival of the Long Island Rail Road at neighboring Hicksville opened Brooklyn, western Queens and New York City markets to Manetto Hill farmers, and a brickworks that opened in nearby Old Bethpage in the 1860s drew more people to the area.[4] In 1885 Manetto Hill's application for its own post office was rejected because another New York community had a similar name; the following year, in 1886, residents renamed their community Plainview "because of the prairie vistas from the top of the hill."[4]
Before an early-1900s blight destroyed its cucumber crop, Plainview was, per the same Newsday account, "a major source of America's pickles, supplying works in Farmingdale and the big Heinz plant in Hicksville."[4] Farmers sold their land as the post-World War II housing boom arrived, and the area's population grew from 1,155 in 1950 to more than 35,000 within a decade.[4] A Town of Oyster Bay archival photograph documents the "First Plainview Fire Department Parade, Labor Day, 1927."[1]
Government, courts and policing
Criminal charges and smaller civil claims from Plainview go to the Nassau County District Court in Hempstead, which the state court system describes as deciding "civil suits involving claims up to $15,000," handling "misdemeanors and lesser offenses," and arraigning "defendants accused of felonies."[10] Nassau County's Traffic & Parking Violations Agency, in Garden City, states its mission as "the timely adjudication of all traffic, parking and photo enforcement related offenses."[12] Larger civil matters go to Nassau County Supreme Court in Mineola.[11]
Plainview timeline
- Robert Williams purchase. Hempstead settler Robert Williams, originally of Wales, purchased land west of the Moscopas pond from the Matinecock.[4]
- Bethpage Purchase. Thomas Powell's Bethpage Purchase, the area's major European land acquisition, extended settlement north to the Moscopas pond.[4]
- LIRR reaches Hicksville. The railroad's arrival at nearby Hicksville opened Brooklyn, western Queens and New York City markets to Manetto Hill farmers.[4]
- Post office rejected. Manetto Hill's application for a post office was turned down because another community upstate had a similar name.[4]
- Renamed Plainview. Residents chose the name Plainview for the prairie vistas visible from the top of the hill.[4]
- First fire department parade. A Town of Oyster Bay archival photograph documents the first Plainview Fire Department parade, held on Labor Day.[1]
- Population before the boom. Plainview's population stood at 1,155.[4]
- Post-war population growth. Plainview's population had grown to more than 35,000 within a decade, as farmers sold land during the postwar housing boom.[4]
Major roads in Plainview
| Road | Route | Maintained by | In Plainview |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Country Road [7][4] | county or state road (not further specified in sources found) | Not town-maintained per Town of Oyster Bay Highway Operations Department | runs through |
| Manetto Hill Road [4] | local road | — | runs through; historic namesake road of the pre-1886 hamlet name |
Emergency Resources
Hospitals
- Plainview Hospital (Northwell Health) — 888 Old Country Road, Plainview, NY 11803 — (516) 719-3000
- Syosset Hospital (Northwell Health) — 221 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset, NY 11791 — (516) 496-6400
Police
- NCPD 8th Precinct — 475 N Franklin St, Hempstead, NY 11550 | (516) 573-6800
Courts
- Nassau County District Court — 99 Main Street, Hempstead, NY 11550 — (516) 493-4200 (Civil claims up to $15,000, misdemeanors and lesser offenses, felony arraignments. Chief Clerk: (516) 493-4159.)
- Nassau County Traffic & Parking Violations Agency — 801 Axinn Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530 — (516) 572-2700 (County agency adjudicating traffic, parking and photo-enforcement offenses.)
- Nassau County Supreme Court — 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 — (516) 493-3400 (Larger civil matters, including personal-injury actions.)
Local Driver Services in Plainview
Practical resources for Plainview drivers — tire shops, gas prices, and live traffic conditions.
Safety Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do after a car accident in Plainview, NY?
Call 911 immediately and stay at the scene. Document the accident with photos of all vehicles, road conditions, and any visible injuries. Exchange insurance information with all parties involved. File a police report with NCPD and notify your own insurance company promptly under New York's no-fault law.
Which roads have the most accidents in Plainview?
The LIE through Plainview, particularly near Exit 46 (Sunnyside Boulevard) and Exit 48 (Round Swamp Road), sees frequent high-speed collisions. Old Country Road carries heavy commercial traffic and has numerous driveway conflicts. South Oyster Bay Road between the LIE and Northern State Parkway is a secondary high-crash corridor.
Where is the nearest hospital to Plainview?
Plainview Hospital, a Northwell Health facility at 888 Old Country Road, is located directly in the hamlet and provides emergency services. Syosset Hospital is a short drive north and offers additional emergency capacity.
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Data: machine-readable fact sheet (JSON) · fatal-crash records (CSV) · methodology and limits
References
Datasets
- [A] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2010–2024 national files. Retrieved September 17, 2026.Crashes on public trafficways in which a person died within 30 days. No personal identifiers. Placed by reported coordinates into 2020 Census boundaries.
- [B] U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, tables B08303, B08013, B08301, B08302, B08201, B19013, B01002. Retrieved September 17, 2026.Survey estimates with 90% margins of error. lowReliability = coefficient of variation above 30%.
- [C] U.S. Census Bureau, TIGERweb — 2020 Census tabulation geography (POP100, HU100, AREALAND). Retrieved September 17, 2026.
- [D] New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Motor Vehicle Crashes — Case Information: Four Year Window. Retrieved September 17, 2026.Police-reported crashes coded to a town, city or village by the reporting agency. Hamlets are not coded; hamlet pages show the parent town.
Sources for history, roads and law
- [1] Town of Oyster Bay. Town History (n.d.). Government record.
- [4] Newsday. Plainview: A Holy Place for LI's Indians (2008 (capture date; original series undated)). News report.
- [6] Town of Oyster Bay, via eCode360. Code of the Town of Oyster Bay, Chapter 160, Notification of Defects (2003). Government record.
- [7] Town of Oyster Bay. Highway (Highway Operations Department) (n.d.). Government record.
- [10] New York State Unified Court System. Nassau County District Court (2026). Court decision.
- [11] New York State Unified Court System. Nassau County Supreme Court (2026). Court decision.
- [12] Nassau County. Traffic & Parking Violations Agency (2026). Government record.
- [14] Northwell Health. Plainview Hospital (n.d.). Institution.
- [16] Northwell Health. Syosset Hospital (n.d.). Institution.
Sources opened and checked September 17, 2026.