NY-Motorcycle safety one focus of Troy police effort

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st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } www.troyrecord.com/articles/2009/05/13/news/doc4a0a204153596110540651.txt
Motorcycle safety one focus of Troy police effort

Published: Wednesday, May 13, 2009
By Dave Canfield
The Record

TROY — It’s been almost three years since the city has seen a traffic fatality, and the police department is dead-set on keeping that streak going.

For the month of May, the department’s traffic safety unit will be cracking down on traffic violations and motorcycle laws, with a focus on educating drivers of the reasoning behind the regulations.

“We take traffic enforcement very seriously here,” said Police Chief Nicholas Kaiser, noting that educating drivers is a key component of the program, not only in May but throughout the year.

In addition to the fatality drought, the city has other traffic statistics working in its favor. Personal injury auto accidents were down from 205 in 2007 to 155 in 2008, a decrease of almost 25 percent. Property damage accidents were also down 14 percent over the same period.

“We’re ahead of the game, and we’re very happy,” said Officer James Botillo, who works in the traffic safety unit and often patrols on one of the department’s two motorcycles.

“We’ve really rolled out an aggressive traffic safety component,” he continued. “We’ve learned through time that enforcement doesn’t work in and of itself. Enforcement with education works. What we’re really trying to do is educate the driver.”

Whether or not the city makes money off of a fine is not the department’s concern, Botillo said: safety is. Officers try to avoid lecturing motorists and would rather a dialogue between driver and officer, he said.

He said the department has studied the city’s accident patterns and, in turn, has stepped up patrols in high-accident areas at peak times.

Those areas include the length of Hoosick Street, the Congress-Ferry Street corridor downtown and near the intersection of Second Avenue and 125th Street in Lansingburgh.

An electronic sign promoting the city’s efforts has been placed at Hoosick and Eighth streets, and a handful of other signage has gone up in various parts of the city.

Botillo’s unit will also be informing the city’s regular patrol officers, who number more than 70, on the specifics of motorcycle safety. Among other things, they will focus on ensuring bikers wear helmets approved by the Department of Transportation. Bikes will likely be towed until a driver in violation attains an approved helmet.

“We feel that the helmet question is paramount,” Botillo said.

Other regulations officers will look for include a proper faceshield, proper exhaust and handlebar height, among others.

Sgt. Dave Dean noted that motorcycles can be particularly dangerous.

“When you’re on a motorcycle, you’re very exposed,” he said, adding that an accident is “not a ding in your bumper; it’s a trip to the hospital.”

May is also motorcycle enforcement month in New York. The department’s efforts are in conjunction with the Buckle Up NY program, and they have also partnered with the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.

Dave Canfield can be reached
at 270-1290 or by
e-mail at dcanfield@troyrecord.com.
K