BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Within the past few weeks, News 4 has reported on over six separate vehicle accidents that involved serious injuries and pedestrians being hit.
It’s a trend that experts say is common during these summer months, but can easily be avoided.
“Everyone needs to share this responsibility to keep everyone safe,” AAA Director of Public Relations in WNY Elizabeth Carey said. “It’s so important. These are tragedies. No one wants to see this happen.”
In the last 24 hours alone, a four-vehicle crash on Sheridan Drive in Amherst and a three-vehicle crash involving a tractor trailer in Genesee County last week has sent five people to the hospital, some in critical condition.
1 in critical condition, another injured after 4-vehicle crash on Sheridan Drive
Carey says these types of crashes are a trend during the summer months.
“This is the time of year when people just want to be out and about. So, we’re seeing more people out, kids playing outside, people walking, jogging,” she said. “Unfortunately, a lot of people are distracted behind the wheel. They’re distracted by their telephones, by music, by what’s going on around them.”
3 hospitalized in Genesee County crash involving tractor-trailer
Eight days ago, a motorcycle crash resulted in the death of a resident from the Town of Colden.
AAA reports show that fatal motorcycle crashes are on the rise. Over 6,000 motorcyclists were killed in crashes in 2022, which is the highest number since 1975.
News 4 spoke with Buffalo Police Chief Tommy Champion about how the department adjusts and redirects its focus during months with a high frequency of car accidents.
“We’ve got all sorts of traffic investigation units, accident investigation units. Our guys are always out on patrols, towing directed patrols in areas that we hear are problem areas,” Champion said. “So, we try to continue those things, but it’s greatly important to make sure that we have citizens who are always conscious of those things when they’re operating vehicles.”
Motorcyclist dead after crash in Colden
On Monday, the unthinkable happened when a 6-year-old girl was killed after being struck by a vehicle in the Town of Tonawanda
Neighbors expressed their heartbreak over the recent news, saying it is a reminder to teach children about street safety and for parents to remain vigilant at all times.
Aunt of 6-year-old girl killed by van in Town of Tonawanda remembers her niece as beautiful, joyful
“Having conversations with your kids. Make sure that you let them know that you know, the summer weather is here, we are out, we are about, but be aware of your surroundings,” neighbor Cindi McEachon said. “I think that often we are, as a culture, in a rush to get to places and we often forget that we need to pause.”
Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.