ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Albany motorcyclists, cyclists and joggers are rallying in Albany to push for tougher penalties against distracted driving Saturday afternoon.
Albany American Bikers Aimed Towards Education (ABATE), a nonprofit volunteer organization that promotes safety, awareness and education, will ride from the Albany Boat Launch to the State Capitol September 26.
They are advocating for tougher penalties for drivers who kill a motorcyclist, pedestrian or bicyclist while committing a moving violation.
“Our lives matter. We are not invisible,” says Liuzzi. “We’ve lost too many brother’s and sister’s on the road in the motorcycle community.”
The president of the Albany County Chapter of ABATE, Andrew “Animal” Liuzzi, currently serves on the ABATE By-Laws Committee and the Creto’s Law Committee fighting for bikers’ rights.
The Creto’s Law Committee advocates to hold motor vehicle operators accountable for committing moving violations relative to the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law. Specifically those that result in the death of a motorcyclist or a passenger on a motorcycle.
Liuzzi continued to explain how, when reckless drivers hit the road, it isn’t just motorcyclists’ lives that are in jeopardy. He says, “I know that there are a lot of bicyclists that have been hit and killed. There are a lot of pedestrians that have been hit and killed. There are no laws to protect us, realistically.”
There are currently 57 different violations that qualify as reckless driving or distracted driving. The Creto’s Law Committee fights for the passage of Creto’s Law, also known as Kade’s Law. This law is named after motorcyclists that were killed when another motorist made an illegal turn directly in the path of their motorcycles, failing to yield the right-of-way.
“This law would make a huge difference for all of us, by protecting us,” Liuzzi says. “Our lives matter, they need to be more aware of what they’re doing behind the wheel of the car.”
“I know personally that I’ve buried far too many people in the past few years at the hands of these distracted drivers.”
Liuzzi concludes, “They are getting ticketed for failure to yield right of way. That doesn’t compensate for us burying people.”
Motorcyclists rally against distracted driving
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