The Dragon Claims Another

Earlier this year we reported on the death of 45-year-old Christiana motorcyclist who was killed on “The Dragon”, (US Highway 129) in August. This past week his family filed suit on behalf of his two children against the trucking company and the driver for damages in the amount of $14.5.

If you will recall the truck rounded a curve in the narrow winding highway and the backend of the trailer crossed into the other lane just as the motorcyclist was rounding the corner, the man was crushed by the rear wheels of the trailer. According to the suit the man lived for over an hour waiting for the ambulance and expired on the way to the hospital.

A number of motorcyclists started a campaign to persuade legislators to ban tractor-trailers longer than 30 feet from using the Dragon, an 11.1-mile stretch of U.S. 129 from Tabcat Creek to the North Carolina state line at Deals Gap, but the move is opposed by the Tennessee DOT on the grounds that it would have a negative economic impact in the area.

Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. Speeding is a dangerous game and can end in death for the speeder, the driver and passengers of the other vehicles and for innocent pedestrians. Fortunately no one else was involved in this accident

If you or a loved is seriously injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle accident by a speeding driver you ought to contact the experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.

Tail Of the Dragon

"The Dragon" Claims Another Life

The “Tail of the Dragon” notches another dead motorcyclist. The “Tail of the Dragon” is a well-known section of US Highway 129 that crosses Deals Gap at the Tennessee/North Carolina state line. The “Dragon” is known throughout the world to motorcyclists and thrilled seekers and has claimed numerous lives, the exact number I have been unable to determine. This past year it was closed for seven months due to a rock slide. It’s open now and back to its deadly ways. For a free virtual ride on the “Dragon” click here.

The “Dragon” claimed it’s latest victim Saturday when a 44-year-old man from Rogersville Tennessee lost control of his motorcycle, ran off the road and slammed into a tree. The man was ejected and landed over 50 feet down the side of the ridge.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

Stories like these should remind us that when we get behind the wheel, or handle bars, of a motor vehicle we have to have our full attention on the task at hand.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Tennessee motorcycle accident contact our experienced Nashville motorcycle accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and learn about your rights and remedies.

Every experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorney and highway safety professional knows about “The Dragon”, a curvy mountain road in East Tennessee that claims more motorcyclist lives than any other stretch of roadway in the country. There hasn’t been a fatality on the road in the past seven months because the road has been closed due to mudslides. Last week ‘The Dragon’ re-opened and the carnage has already started. Luckily this time the motorcyclist wasn’t killed.

Seems like the usual prelude to death, a motorcycle rider is taking the sharp turns too fast and swings across the centerline and either goes out of control and leaves the road and flies off of he cliffs or hits another vehicle coming the other way. This time the cycle crossed the centerline and hit a car occupied by a man and his two young daughters. No one died, this time, but I’ll keep you up to date of the score card which stands at Dragon 1, Motorcycle 0.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

Stories like these should remind us that when we get behind the wheel, or handle bars, of a motor vehicle we have to have our full attention on the task at hand.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Tennessee motorcycle accident contact our experienced Nashville accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates

The Dragon

and learn about your rights and remedies.