Drivers urged to look twice for motorcycles as fall foliage draws traffic to East Tennessee roads
Tennessee reports 1,051 motorcycle deaths from 2020 to 2025, including 188 last year
What This Story Is About
- As fall foliage draws people to East Tennessee roads, drivers and riders are being urged to share the road and look twice for motorcycles.
Why It Matters
- Tennessee reported 188 motorcycle deaths last year and 1,051 from 2020 to 2025, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - As leaves change across East Tennessee, more people are heading toward the Smokies to see fall foliage, and more motorcyclists are riding in the area. Drivers are being asked to look twice for motorcycles and share the road.
Jennifer Campbell of Newport wrote in about road etiquette for motorcycles. Her brother, Justin Campbell, was killed in a motorcycle crash near Dandridge in 2013.
“Road etiquette for motorcycles. The amount of motorcycle accidents alone each year is horrible. My brother, Justin Campbell, was killed on one near Dandridge, TN in 2013. No fault of the other driver, but ever since then, I’ve been very cautious on the road, and I often give motorcycles space and look twice before pulling out onto a highway. I also protect them as I drive by staying far enough away but close enough to close any gaps of speeding, reckless drivers,” Campbell wrote.
Campbell also said she knows of several motorcycle crashes in Newport that could have been prevented. Many people across Tennessee have lost a loved one in a motorcycle crash.
According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, 1,051 people died in motorcycle crashes in Tennessee between 2020 and 2025. Last year, there were 188 motorcycle deaths in the state.
Drivers should look twice for motorcycles, which can be hidden in blind spots. Drivers should also keep a following distance of three to four seconds between their vehicle and a motorcycle.
Both drivers and riders share the responsibility to prevent crashes and save lives.
Riders should always wear a DOT-compliant helmet, stay alert and be visible.
If you have an issue, you’d like WVLT to address on the roads, click here, to fill out the “What’s Driving You Crazy on the Roads” form.
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