A Kentucky man and his passenger were recently involved in a motorcycle accident in Paris, Tennessee. The two were riding on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle when a 2008 Chevrolet HHR SUV pulled out in front of the two. The motorcycle rammed into the left side of the SUV and spun out into the center of the road, flinging both riders away. The driver died at the scene of the accident, and the passenger was airlifted to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, where she was listed in critical, but stable condition.
ARE MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS A BIG PROBLEM IN TENNESSEE?
An early 2016 report showed that in the first few months of the year, motorcycle accident fatalities rose nearly 25 percent as compared to the previous year. The report’s authors speculated that the reasons for increasing motorcycle fatalities are a combination of distracted driving, substance abuse and aversion to helmets.
Distracted driving appears to be one of the leading causes of the increase in fatalities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that 40 percent of motorcycle accidents occur when a car turns left into the path of the motorcycle. Left turns are not supposed to be executed without a driver first yielding to oncoming traffic or issuing a signal. This implies that the drivers were distracted by something, likely smartphones.
Drunk driving is also a big problem in the state. As recently as 2013, Tennessee was ranked around 12th in the nation for DUI arrests, with 40,000 such arrests in 2014. Impairment by alcohol or other drugs can make it difficult for drivers to identify oncoming motorcycles and can also make drivers misjudge how much distance and time there is left before the motorcycle reaches the car.
Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”