SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – A fatal crash on Monday night involved a motorist and two cyclists in Saratoga County. After a 44-year-old man died in that crash law enforcement shared safety tips to avoid collisions.
The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office responded to that fatal accident at 11:30 P.M. on Monday in the town of Milton. Nathan Shreve, of Saratoga Springs, was pronounced dead at the scene. 32-year-old Joshua Ferrucci sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to Saratoga Hospital.
Both cyclists were riding eastbound when a 2014 Jeep Compass, also traveling eastbound, struck them. It happened on New York State Route 29, near Saratoga Winery. According to Captain Daniel Morley, of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, impairment was not a factor.
“I can tell you there’s no indication of alcohol involvement or alcohol impairment or drug impairment at this moment. The collision reconstruction unit is actively investigating the cause of the crash,” said Morley.
No charges have been filed. The driver stayed on scene and is cooperating with authorities, as the investigation is still underway. So far, authorities have determined the driver hit the cyclists from behind.
Cyclist Stefan Sloma said there’s new safety equipment available to cyclists. He is the store manager at Trek Bicycle in Saratoga Springs and said bike radar technology has been on the market for a couple years. The radars can be installed on the back of a bike to alert the rider when cars approach.
“For me primarily riding on the road I wanted something that’s gonna be another layer of protection while I’m riding. I have daytime running lights on the front and the rear of my bike, but to add the radar just allows me to have that extra peace of mind,” said Sloma.
He said the radar has an audible tone which indicates when cars are approaching and when they’ve cleared.
“It’ll give a deeper tone to alert you that there’s a car behind you. Once a car passes, or all the cars pass, it’ll give you another high-pitched tone that’ll allow the rider to know, ‘Hey there’s nothing behind me, I’m all safe’,” said Sloma.
Sergeant Paul Pecor, who is bike patrol certified with Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, said it's the same technology they already have in their patrol cars.
“It gives you that audio tone letting you know what’s coming and going, it’s one more sense that you may not be used to using on the road, so it does help with safety,” said Pecor.
It is required by law to have lights on the front and back of your bike when riding when it’s dark out. Pecor said, the law is in effect 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset.
Other bicycling safety tips to keep in mind: Always wear a helmet, and replace it after 5 years. Wear reflective or neon gear. You want to avoid wearing darker colors because you want to stand out. But ultimately, Pecor said, it’s a two-way street and everyone should be aware of their surroundings.
“As a cyclist, just be aware that we are more distracted than we’ve ever been in vehicles,” said Pecor. “To the motorists, please pay attention. Watch for the bicyclists. They have the same right to use the road as you do. So please, we have to be cognizant of each other on the roadway and hopefully everybody is doing what they’re supposed to be doing and we can all go home safe.”
