A stop sign at a rural highway crossing only works if every driver treats it as a full stop and a real yield. In Sangerfield, the same intersection saw a fatal crash and, less than a day later, another collision in nearly the same way.
What Happened
According to the Rome Sentinel, citing the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, a motorcyclist died after a crash at Route 20 and Madison Street on Wednesday afternoon. Deputies said a driver southbound on Madison Street stopped at the stop sign, then tried to cross Route 20 onto Newberry Road and cut off a westbound motorcycle. The motorcycle rider later died of injuries at a local hospital.
We’re thinking of everyone grieving that loss.
Less than 24 hours later, on Thursday morning, Nov. 5, three people were hospitalized in a second crash at the same intersection, the Sentinel reported. A teenage driver southbound on Madison Street stopped at the stop sign, then tried to cross onto Newberry Road and pulled in front of an eastbound car. The teen and the other vehicle’s driver and passenger were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. The teen was ticketed for failure to yield.
The intersection is controlled by a stop sign on Madison Street, and that portion of Route 20 is a divided highway. The investigation of each crash will determine the details. What follows is general guidance for any driver crossing a busy highway from a stop.
What New York Drivers Are Taught About Yielding
The New York DMV Driver’s Manual, Chapter 5, covers right-of-way at intersections. Among the rules:
- After you stop at a stop sign, you must still yield to traffic that has the right-of-way before you enter the intersection.
- A vehicle entering a roadway from a place that is not a roadway must stop and yield to traffic on the roadway.
- Drivers must take care to avoid colliding with other road users, including people on motorcycles and bicycles.
In plain terms: a stop is not permission to go. It’s the start of the decision to wait until the way is clear.
Why Divided Highways Are Easy to Misjudge
Route 20 at this spot is divided. That can tempt a driver who has stopped to focus on the near lanes, pull out, and forget the far side still has traffic coming.
- Traffic on the through road doesn’t stop. You’re the one who has to find a gap.
- Motorcycles and smaller vehicles are easier to miss, especially at higher highway speeds.
- A gap that looks big enough for a car may not be once you factor in how long it takes to clear both directions of a divided road.
- Habit is dangerous. Crossing the same intersection often can make a quick roll feel normal.
How to Cross Safely From a Stop
- Stop completely behind the stop line or before the edge of the through road.
- Look left, right, and left again, and check both directions of a divided highway before you move.
- Wait for a gap you can finish. If you can’t clear the whole crossing without forcing someone to brake hard, wait.
- Don’t creep and commit. Ease forward only to see, then stop again if needed.
- Expect the unexpected on rural highways: faster approach speeds, and road users who are harder to see.
New York 5-Hour Pre-Licensing Course
Right-of-way judgment is one of the skills new drivers have to build before a road test. If you’re 18 or older with a New York State photo learner permit, Defensive Drivers Institute’s New York 5-Hour Pre-Licensing Course is approved by the New York State DMV. You can take it on a phone, tablet, or computer, pause anytime, and listen to lessons read aloud. When you finish, completion is reported to the DMV electronically, usually within 48 hours, so you can book your road test.
Under 18 or applying for a junior license (Class DJ or MJ)? New York requires a classroom course instead, in person or as a live virtual class.
For more on staying alert when days get shorter, see our post on drowsy driving and the time change.
The Bottom Line
Two crashes in two days at one Sangerfield stop are a hard reminder: stop, look both ways on a divided highway, and yield until the crossing is truly clear.
18 or older with a NYS photo learner permit? Start the New York 5-Hour Pre-Licensing Course.
