LIVERPOOL -- Monday afternoon's fatal crash on the Onondaga Lake Parkway is raising questions about what can be done to prevent these types of incidents.
Police say 40-year-old Mary Denny of Coolidge Road in Clay was killed in a crash that may have resulted from 'road rage'. She was driving northbound on the Parkway in a Ford Taurus when another driver, 22-year-old Matthew Stephan, tried to pass an oncoming car and crossed the center lines, slamming into her driver's side door. The impact forced Denny's Taurus into yet another car and then into a ditch. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police are still investigating the crash, but say it may be a case of road rage. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff's Office at 425-2111.
Police say they expect charges to be filed against Stephan once investigators complete their probe into the crash.
Today at Onondaga Lake, some people were talking about the crash and recommending ways to make the parkway safer.
Donna Duerr grew up in Liverpool, and she says lowering the speed limit may help.
"They lower it drastically during the winter months, and that seems to have helped a lot of those chain reaction accidents because people are now going slower,” she says.
Another idea is to put up a concrete barrier in the center of the road.
"This is such a popular place to come, so there are tons of people always driving on the parkway,” says Jennifer Fasulo. “It would probably be a good idea to have something in the middle.”
A spokesperson for the state Department of Transportation says the agency has debated putting a barrier in the middle of the road for the past five or six years. Onondaga County Sheriff Walsh says there are concerns the road may be too narrow or the median may cause accidents.
Walsh says the Sheriff’s Department is investigating whether or not Monday’s accident was caused by road rage. He tells CNY Central that officers cannot pull someone over simply for being angry. He says often road rage leads to traffic violations, and there is usually a minimum $80 surcharge for any traffic infraction. Walsh says all drivers need to be careful on the road.
“Just pay attention to everything,” he says. “You can’t control other drivers. You can control yourself. Be aware of the potential dangers, and make sure you do what you can to avoid those dangers.”
The State Department of Motor Vehicles, DrivingUniversity.com, and SafeNY.com have pages of their websites dedicated to road rage and aggressive driving, including tips on how to identify and deal with aggressive drivers.
So what do you think the penalty for road rage should be? Is road rage a big problem in Central New York, and what can be done about it? Leave a comment below and vote in our poll, and let your voice be heard.
