18-Year-Old Dies In PA Crash; Buggy Wheel Was “Partially In The Travel Lane”
Eighteen-year-old Daniel Yoder of Miles Township in Centre County, Pennsylvania lost his life Saturday when his buggy was struck by a minivan. From Centre Daily Times:
The driver of a 2023 Toyota Sienna hit the buggy about 5:50 p.m. Saturday on state Route 150 about a 1/2 mile north of Sayers Dam and Marsh Creek roads in Liberty Township, state police at Rockview wrote in a report made public Thursday.
The driver was heading southbound at about 40 mph when they struck the left rear wheel of the buggy, which police said was partially in the travel lane. The buggy spun clockwise and both its operator and passenger were ejected, police wrote.
Each were transported to UPMC Williamsport, where the operator was treated for minor injuries. Daniel Yoder, 18, of Miles Township, died about 11 p.m. Saturday after being flown by medical helicopter the hospital, police wrote.
The investigation is ongoing. Lycoming County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr. said Yoder died of multiple blunt force injuries. His death was ruled accidental.
This is one where there’s not a lot of detail. Centre County contains all of part of four separate Amish settlements. By the location of this accident (Liberty Township), it may be that this young man was from the Nittany Valley settlement, which some of you will know as home to John Esh (of Goot Essa).
It could also be that he was traveling from another settlement in the area; as John explained to us, the young people in those valleys are “back-and-forth” with one another. The accident happened Saturday evening, which is a prime time for Amish youth to be out and about.
The article notes that this is the fourth fatal accident involving a buggy in Centre Countyin the past decade.
An important detail here to keep in mind…
Another note here: when you’re traveling behind a buggy, often it has a shoulder or even a lane or partial lane that it can make use of.
However, and this is the important part, the shoulder width can vary, and it can change as you travel down the road. This can mean that the left wheel of the buggy goes in and out of the actual lane of travel – though the buggy operator will tend to try to stay as far out of the travel lane as possible, as long as the road maintains a reasonable shoulder.
A buggy may be fully or mostly out of the travel lane – but if the shoulder narrows it will have no choice but to veer more into the lane.
As noted in this accident report, the left wheel was partially in the travel lane in this accident. This is normal and legal of course; it is on drivers to be slow down, and make sure they are giving sufficient space when coming up on a buggy. I am not saying that the driver is at fault here, as authorities have ruled it an accident. It’s just something to keep in mind.
In any case, just another sad loss of life. I am sorry for Daniel’s family and community.
So very sad for the Yoder family.
Whether the wheel was in the travel lane or not, a car driver should never be that close to a buggy in the first place. People walk next to the road, bicyclists riding their bikes,….car drivers should always give plenty of space when passing. Especially at 40 mph.
Thoughts
I live in Lebanon County PA. There are so many of these terrible accidents every year. I am at the point where I am starting to think it’s time buggies were banned from the roads. Modern traffic flow isn’t going to accommodate them. And how many more Amish and their horses have to die or be injured before we admit that buggies are quaint, but way too dangerous on today’s highways.
head in the sand
so it is inconvenient to go around them? You are saying that the Amish are not allowed to use the road? Really? How about others respect that fact that this is their way of life and have just as many rights as you do to the road. PA should include training in the driver’s education since it is so prevalent in this area and other places in the state. Banning buggies is not the answer for this population. Everyone is in such a hurry. If someone were walking along the road and the get clipped by a car are you going to say let’s ban people from walking? Really?
there isn't much space on the shoulder here
I live here in Centre County, and all of the roads don’t have enough of a shoulder for a buggy to ever get all the way on the shoulder. I just take it for granted that the buggy will always be almost all the way in the road. I really wish that we had a whole separate lane that was wide enough for the whole buggy. This seems obvious to me. There are so many Amish around the area, it would make sense to do.
Daniel Yoder Dies in Buggy Accident
Maria, are you new to this site?? Erik wasn’t suggesting that Amish have no rights to be on the roads with car traffic at all. He’s had this site since 2007 and has known the Amish for years. Perhaps you should go back and re-read the article.
Responding to whom?
Maria was responding to Emrin’s comment, not to Erik’s article.
Any time you hit something in front of you unless is an act of God is your fault, accept the responsibility and be proud of yourself.