Officials in NY State Say Minivan Hit Amish Buggy From Behind

There are a lot of things you have to look out for when you're traveling the roads of New York state. Wildlife and fallen tree limbs aren't the only potential hazards. A 55-year-old New York state man was issued multiple tickets recently after colliding with a horse-drawn buggy from behind, according to officials. The reason he gave to troopers was that he simply didn't see the carriage in front of him.

Troopers say he may have been going too fast, however.

Man Hits Buggy in NY

Syracuse.com says that the man accidentally hit the buggy from behind Monday afternoon while driving his 2007 Honda Odyssey minivan. State police say a 29-year-old Amish man from Le Ray, NY was traveling northbound on State Route 37 when he was struck. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition. Officials did not indicate if the horse escaped injury or not.

Are Accidents Involving Amish Carriages Common in NY?

While it's not every day you find yourself face to face with a horse-drawn carriage on a main road, accidents like this do happen more than you think. In June 201, an Amish woman was killed after a truck crashed into a buggy on Route 41 in Richland, NY.

Police say a pickup truck hit the back of the buggy that was traveling southbound. A trooper said that the narrow section of road and the shadows cast upon the pavement by a layer of trees may have made it hard for the motorist to see the buggy before it was too late. The NY State Police also said that another vehicle was traveling in the opposite direction, so the driver of the pickup wasn't able to get into the other lane.

In February 2021, a 23-year-old Antwerp man was killed after a vehicle struck the buggy he was riding in.

How Many Amish Live in NY State?

The deceased man belonged to one of the largest and most conservative subgroups of Old Order Amish in the nation, according to reports. There are many Amish settlements scattered across New York, Pennsylvania, and parts of the Midwest. According to the numbers put together by the Amish Study, New York has over 21,000 Amish people living in the state, as of 2020.

New York ranks fourth in the nation for Amish citizens.