31-Year-Old Levittown Man Dies in High-Speed Motorcycle Crash on Taconic Parkway in Putnam Valley

A deadly crash was reported on Friday, April 18, early morning, when a Long Island man was killed in a motor bike crash involving a speeding motor bike on New York’s Taconic State Parkway, Putnam Valley.

The accident happened between 7 and 7 p.m. on the south parkway, according to the New York State Police. Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene when there was a report of a severe motorcycle accident. A life was lost in a flash at the end of night.

The victim was 31-year-old Darren W. Teti of Levittown, Nassau County. At a very high speed on a 2000 Kawasaki motorcycle, Teti had been traveling before the accident occurred, police authorities say. At some point on the journey, for reasons as yet unknown, Teti inexplicably lost control of the bike and sent it crashing fatalistically.

Soon thereafter, Teti was taken to Hudson Valley Medical Center in emergency by the paramedics. The doctors, however, did everything they could and, in a matter of seconds, pronounced him dead. Too serious were his injuries from crashing for him to survive.

As yet, officials have refused to identify the exact cause of the crash. Officials had said that they were still yet to establish why Teti had lost control of the bicycle. It is yet to be established what role poor road conditions, a mechanical error, or anything else played in the cause of the fatal collision. Whatever the case, it was found as speeding that resulted in the fatal collision.

Shaken by Sudden Tragedy

The news was shocking to Levittown and Putnam Valley residents. Darren W. Teti wasn’t just a name on a police blotter – he was door down, acquaintance, or family member. While little was known about his life beyond working, the shock of his death is a somber reminder of the hazard of speeding travel, particularly motorcycle travel.

Motorcyclists stand most at risk on roads even when they are shielded. Motorbikes do not have the crash-proof body and safety features that in some circumstances would be a matter of life and death when they are crashed at high speeds. Here, both type of impact and impact force were deadly.

The Risks of High-Speed Riding

While the search goes on, the accident is once again an indicator of motorcycle dangers at speeds. A mighty motorcycle such as the 2000 Kawasaki vehicle Teti used can go speeding menacingly within seconds. Fun to drive them as they might be, in a short amount of time they can prove most dangerous with added ingredients of nasty roadways, cars, or even of having no caution at all.

Speed limits on the Taconic State Parkway, as anywhere else on highways, are safety and traffic considerations for all drivers. Exceeding those speeds is more apt to result in loss of control, especially on turns or under low-visibility conditions.

Even experienced drivers from time to time oversteer around a turn, ride over some dirt, or jerk upon seeing another vehicle and within a split second, disastrous consequences ensue.

A Road Equally Well Known for Being Unpredictable

The Taconic State Parkway is familiar to local commuters by its scenery but also the twists and turns which catch drivers who are not as familiar with the road. It’s a road that requires attention and notice something which is increasingly relevant when traveling on a motorbike. There have also been several previous crashes on the parkway and road safety activists have again been urging drivers to drive slower, particularly where one is driving quickly.

The incident is, indeed, merely yet another preventable tragedy on New York’s toll of road deaths – a cold reminder of the way events turn sour in seconds.

Investigation Continues

State Police remove any trace of possible contributing factors to the accident and again request that anyone who may have witnessed the accident or the circumstances surrounding it contact police. If there were other vehicles otherwise suspiciously indirectly or a dashcam in a passing vehicle, that would provide the police with a clearer picture of what happened.

Though the whole story will have to wait to make its entrance, one thing is certain: the loss of Darren Teti is a deep one for all those who were able to get to know him. The actual accident took mere seconds, but its aftershocks will ring out for years in the minds of his family and friends.

No one ever wishes for a routine trip to be the cause of tragedy. Yet for one resident of Long Island, a bicycle ride one afternoon became the worst kind of tragedy. While the investigation is still in progress, this accident acts as a reminder to all of us to drive and bike safely: safety must never become secondary to anything.

Our condolences to the family, loved ones, and all who have been affected by this tragic loss.