It’s important for drivers to watch out for motorcyclists. On the flip side of the coin, motorcyclists need to pay careful attention on the road, too. Motorcycle accidents with a heavy impact can be very serious, and a crash in Sevier County over the weekend is no exception.
A 30-year-old man from Sevierville was reportedly riding his 1997 Yamaha motorcycle along the 400 block of Old Knox Highway just north of the intersection with West Main Street, a bit after 6 p.m. on Sunday, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
The motorcyclist was apparently traveling in the southbound lane when he struck a 2005 GMC pickup truck that was heading north. It’s not clear if the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, but he suffered serious injuries. He was flown by helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment.
Unfortunately, he passed away earlier this week from his injuries. The pickup truck driver was released from LeConte Medical Center after being treated for injuries that were described as minor.
At this point, it’s not clear what exactly caused the accident, but the Sentinel reports that it is still under investigation. The Dalton Daily Citizen reports that the motorcyclist was a professional rodeo competitor.
Motorcycle accidents in Tennessee have been increasing over the last several years. For example, in 2004 there were 2,293 crashes, according to statistics provided by the government. By 2008, there were 3,257 motorcycle accidents. 2,530 of those accidents involved injuries and 143 of them were fatal.
Source: Knoxville News Sentinel, “Motorcyclist dies following Sevierville crash,” April 16, 2012