Does This Special Hudson Valley Town Really Have the Worst Drivers?

Is it the roads or the drivers? What's making these accidents happen so frequently in one Hudson Valley town?

It was Albert Einstein who once said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Now, to be fair, this Dutchess County town has made minor adjustments to address the frequent car accidents that the Hudson Valley has almost grown to expect, so is it just the drivers in the area then?

Who's to Blame for Frequent Beacon, NY Accidents?

It's like clockwork. Every couple of months, Facebook lights up sharing photos of how the infamous Beacon Dummy Light has been struck once again.

Back in December of 2023, the Beacon Dummy Light had some work done in an effort to make the structure a bit more visible to oncoming drivers. The base of the light received a bright yellow paint job. With a history of being driven into, this seemed like an effective idea.

However, come March 2024, the light was struck again.

Read more about the March 2024 Dummy Light collision here: Latest Updates Failed, Beacon Dummy Light Hit Again

On Monday, May 13th, someone posted in the Beacon, NY Facebook group to share a photo of a stop sign/N Walnut street sign practically laying on the ground that had been knocked over.

The comments section is filled with guesses of who the culprit might be. Hypotheses range from "an ant" to "sasquatch." Considering the amount of Bigfoot sightings out of Beacon, this isn't that far-fetched.

SEE ALSO: Has Bigfoot Been Hiding in Beacon, NY All This Time?

All of this does beg the question, why do people keep driving into things in Beacon?

Is It Fair to Blame Beacon Drivers?

So, are drivers in Beacon just exceptionally unaware of their surroundings or are there more factors to blame?

Let's first consider the fact that Beacon has become quite the hotspot for tourists. Beacon's Main Street has been named among the Best in America in recent years drawing tourists (and drivers) from all over the state.

On top of that, the Beacon Dummy Light has practically gained A-list celebrity status among Dutchess County residents. It'd be hard to believe that residents in the town keep driving into the landmark because they're unaware of where it is.

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Finally, the Dummy Light is right along a strip of great restaurants and bars. Drinking and driving is a really stupid idea, but nevertheless, it does happen. This could also contribute to the frequent driving into objects trend that happens in Beacon.

Ultimately, I don't think it's fair to place the blame on the drivers of Beacon. If anything, I'd argue more of the blame is on the drivers not from Beacon who come to visit blissfully unaware of the mighty Dummy Light.