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BUSTI, NY (WNY News Now) — Residents are expressing concerns about a stretch of road in Chautauqua County, following two separate serious injury accidents in just days apart.
Generally there are around 10 vehicle crashes on Baker Street Extension in the Town of Busti each year. Chautauqua County’s Sheriff is now stressing the importance of safe driving.
“In roads like Baker Street are sometimes deceptive,“ explained Sheriff Jim Quatrone. “So when you’re at the intersection and you’re getting ready to cross or make a turn, you may see the cars coming and sometimes it is difficult to judge the speed.”
According to the Sheriff, there are a slew of different reasons for the string of reported collisions.
“Being that Cummins Engine is on that road, there is quite a bit of traffic on the highway,“ stated Sheriff Quatrone. “A majority of those crashes are involving animals. A little minor property damage incidents.”
A major contributing factor could be distracted driving, an obstacle the Sheriff’s Office deals with daily.
“When we get familiar with an area, we tend to forget what the speed limits are,“ explained Sheriff Quarone. “Or we get distracted mentally at times. Where we’re thinking about the next thing that’s gonna to be going on.”
In the end, driving safely can avert future incidents.
“Quite honestly I think any crash is preventable,“ stated Sheriff Quatrone. “And we really have to work at that. Whether that’s people being distracted, on cell phones, and it’s not just cell phones. There’s a lot of things that are going on in cars that distract people.”
Problem areas could be reported to the state for further investigation and potential thoroughfare changes. In previous years the Sheriff has considered seeking roadway improvements in the area of Southwestern Drive and Baker Street Extension.
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