Two Vehicles Collide in I-81 Work Zone in Broome County

Neither driver was injured after an SUV struck a truck-mounted safety device near the Town of Chenango.

A two-vehicle I-81 work zone crash in Broome County ended without reported injuries Monday afternoon, according to New York State Police. The collision happened after an SUV struck a safety device attached to a work truck on the northbound interstate.

Troopers responded at approximately 2:14 p.m. on Sept. 14 to the work zone near mile marker 18 in the Town of Chenango. The location is north of Binghamton along a highway regularly used by motorists traveling between Pennsylvania, the Southern Tier and Central New York.

SUV Strikes Work-Zone Safety Equipment

The State Police investigation found that an 81-year-old Virginia woman was driving a Toyota RAV4 north on I-81 when the SUV struck an attenuator.

The attenuator was attached to a truck driven by a 30-year-old man from Cincinnatus, according to police.

Neither driver reported being injured. Police did not announce any tickets or charges in their initial release.

The investigation was described by State Police as an examination of a two-vehicle collision. The agency’s release did not provide a suspected cause or say whether speed, distraction, weather or another factor contributed to the crash.

Those details should not be assumed without additional findings.

What Is a Truck-Mounted Attenuator?

A truck-mounted attenuator is a crash-cushioning device installed on the rear of a highway work vehicle. It is designed to absorb some of the force when another vehicle strikes it.

The equipment creates a protective buffer between approaching traffic and road crews working ahead. However, an attenuator does not remove all danger. A high-speed impact can still seriously injure drivers, passengers and highway workers.

The device struck in Monday’s crash was serving precisely that protective role. Although the vehicles were damaged, the collision did not result in reported injuries.

Photographs supplied by State Police and published by a regional news outlet show front-end damage to a white SUV at the scene. The images also show a highway striping or maintenance vehicle and freshly marked pavement. The Utica Phoenix has not independently verified when each photograph was taken.

Police Urge Drivers to Slow Down

Following the crash, State Police reminded motorists to obey signs and posted speed limits when approaching road construction.

“Slow down and remain alert when traveling through work zones,” police advised, while also telling drivers to be ready for sudden traffic-pattern changes.

That warning is especially important because conditions in a work zone may change quickly. Drivers can encounter:

• Reduced speed limits

• Closed or narrowed lanes

• Construction vehicles entering traffic

• Workers near the roadway

• Uneven pavement or temporary markings

• Traffic slowing or stopping with little warning

Drivers should put away their phones, increase the distance between vehicles and avoid last-second lane changes.

Work-Zone Rules Protect Drivers and Workers

New York requires motorists to obey reduced speed limits and traffic-control signs in highway work zones. Penalties for speeding can increase when workers are present.

The state also uses automated cameras in certain active work zones to enforce speed limits. The program is intended to reduce dangerous driving and protect both road crews and motorists.

New York’s Move Over Law provides another layer of protection. When approaching certain vehicles stopped along a roadway, drivers must slow down. They must also move into another lane when it is safe to do so.

Moving over may not be possible in every construction pattern. In those cases, slowing down and following instructions from flaggers, signs and traffic-control devices becomes even more important.

Why This Crash Matters to Central New York

The Town of Chenango is outside the Utica area, but the safety lesson applies throughout Central New York.

I-81 is a major north-south route serving Binghamton, Cortland, Syracuse, Watertown and communities between them. Mohawk Valley residents frequently use the interstate for travel to Syracuse, the Southern Tier and Pennsylvania.

Construction and maintenance projects are also common during the warmer months. Drivers may encounter short mobile work zones as well as longer projects involving lane closures.

Monday’s crash demonstrates how quickly a routine trip can become dangerous when traffic approaches a work vehicle. It also shows the value of equipment intended to absorb a collision before it reaches workers.

No Injuries, but a Serious Warning

The absence of injuries is welcome news. Still, the outcome should not lead motorists to dismiss the seriousness of the collision.

Highway workers often perform their jobs only a few feet from vehicles traveling at interstate speeds. Drivers also face risks when lanes narrow, traffic slows abruptly or familiar traffic patterns change.

Every person using the road has a role in preventing the next work-zone crash.

Motorists approaching construction should:

1. Reduce speed before reaching the work area.

2. Watch for temporary signs and pavement markings.

3. Leave additional space behind the vehicle ahead.

4. Avoid phones and other distractions.

5. Expect workers and equipment near travel lanes.

6. Move over when required and when it is safe.

The Sept. 14 collision remains a reminder that work-zone warnings are safety instructions, not suggestions. Slowing down for a few minutes can protect road crews, other drivers and everyone waiting at home for them.

Sources: New York State Police release, Finger Lakes Daily News, New York State Thruway Authority safety information