Elderly Man in New York State Killed In Motorcycle Crash

An elderly man lost his life in New York state after a tragic crash involving a motorcycle and a vehicle. Officials say the head-on crash happened in the afternoon when the vehicle attempted to turn into a driveway.

According to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research, part of the University at Albany's Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, an average of 162 motorcyclists died on roads across New York state between 2017 and 2021.

Elderly Man in New York State Killed In Motorcycle Crash 

New York State Police said in a press release that on September 21, at approximately 3:55 PM, troopers responded to a motorcycle vs. vehicle collision on a road in the town of Potsdam, New York.

See Also: The Most Dangerous Road in New York Runs Through the Hudson Valley

Troopers say that an investigation revealed that a gray 2004 Toyota, driven by a 20-year-old man from Cheshire, Connecticut was traveling north on the local road when he attempted to make a left-hand turn into a driveway. During this maneuver, a red 1978 Yamaha motorcycle, operated by a 78-year-old man collided head-on with the vehicle.

Local rescue departments arrived on scene and rendered aid to the motorcyclist. He was transported to a nearby hospital, and later airlifted to SUNY Upstate due to the severity of his injuries. Unfortunately, the older man succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

New York State Police have identified the victim as 78-year-old James V. Benvenuto of Potsdam, New York.

The Ahearn Law PLLC put together a list of the top five most dangerous spots, and the Taconic State Parkway was number one.

Many upon many have traveled the Taconic through the years. And while the road is known for its rich history and stunning scenery, it can also be quite deadly. According to Only in Your State, the 104-mile long road was the scene of 2,080 accidents during just a three-year period.

The report indicates that the majority of these accidents happened in the Westchester and Putnam county parts of the parkway.

Over a seven-year period up until 2015, New York State Troopers had issued nearly 54,000 tickets to motorists traveling the Taconic. Once again, the majority of those infractions happened in Westchester and Putnam.