A motorcyclist was killed in a crash at the intersection of Buffalo and Bowen roads in East Aurora on Thursday afternoon.
Authorities responded to the scene shortly after 2:41 p.m., closing Buffalo Road from Girard Avenue to Willardshire Road and Bowen Road from Hillcrest Road to Buffalo Road for investigation. The closures are expected to remain in effect while police conduct their inquiry, according to East Aurora Police.
The identity of the deceased and details about the circumstances of the crash have not yet been released. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes, authorities said.
East Aurora Police are leading the investigation, often collaborating with the Erie County Sheriff’s Office. It remains unclear if county investigators are assisting in this case.
Recent Fatal Motorcycle Incidents
This incident marks the second fatal motorcycle crash investigated by East Aurora Police this year. In June, a 38-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a separate accident on Mill Road in the Town of Aurora. The area has seen other serious incidents, including a motorcycle crash at Bowen Road and Cemetery Road last July and a two-car collision on Buffalo Road in August that resulted in injuries to two children.
According to the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, motorcyclists are 22 times more likely to die in a crash per mile traveled compared to car occupants, despite constituting only 3.5% of registered vehicles in New York. The state recorded 189 motorcycle fatalities in 2024.
Preliminary statistics from the New York Department of Motor Vehicles indicate some improvement, with motorcycle fatalities declining from 157 to 134 between January and October in the last two years.
Details regarding the response to the crash and whether the injured rider was transported to a trauma center have not been disclosed. No estimated time for road re-opening has been provided.