Blue Ridge Parkway's 6 motorcycle deaths this year - Analysis and general MC crash data

[Journeyman]

Posted in three parts....​

Blue Ridge Parkway's 6 motorcycle deaths this year: Is the parkway inherently dangerous?​

John Boyle
Asheville Citizen Times

When a motorcycle fatality occurs on the Blue Ridge Parkway, it's tempting to start making assumptions — maybe the rider was inexperienced, or he or she couldn't handle mountain curves and steep grades.
But that's not necessarily the case, according to parkway officials.

It certainly wasn't with Weaverville resident Chris Emory, who died July 31 after running into a guard rail near Milepost 398, near the Chestnut Cove Overlook 5 miles south of Asheville.
"We have logged thousands of miles of riding together," said Thomas Michael "Scar" White, a Missouri resident and good friend of Emory. "I called him my navigator. He was a very, very talented rider."
White knew Emory through their mutual love of Suzuki Hayabusas, a high-performance sport bike known for its speed and cornering ability. When they were riding the "Tail of the Dragon" in Western North Carolina and Tennessee, Emory would guide the group of sport bike riders, thus the "navigator" title.

Bigger, heavier bikes involved​

On July 31, though, Emory was riding a totally different type of bike, a 2021 Harley-Davidson cruiser, on the famous parkway, which passes through Asheville in several places.
The 469-mile parkway, which spans Virginia and North Carolina, has seen five fatal motorcycle wrecks this year, resulting in six deaths, including Emory's. The parkway is the most-visited unit of the National Park Service, receiving 14.1 million visitors in 2020.

The crash number is "fairly reflective of any given year,” according to Chief Ranger Neal Labrie. All five wrecks this year involved Harley-Davidson cruiser-style bikes, which are lower to the ground and heavier than sport bikes or dual sport motorcycles.
While the parkway draws riders from all over the country, drawn by its seemingly never-ending curves and slopes, inexperience with mountain roads is not a big factor in wrecks, Labrie said.
“We have not been able to make that connection directly,” Labrie said. “I’ll tell you one connection that we do see when we look at the type of motor vehicles that are involved in these crashes — we generally see larger bikes that are lower to the ground."
"Folks that are riding bigger, heavier bikes really play more of a factor in crash potential on these graded curve roads, than where they’re from or even driving experience in general,” Labrie continued. “We’ve had folks with 30-40 years of riding experience, but it’s that same error, whether they’re a newbie or an experienced rider.”
Excessive speed was a factor in just one of this year's crashes, and that occurred in Virginia, Labrie said.
Bigger, heavier motorcycles can cause problems on winding, steep roads like the parkway.
“Where that comes into play is the foot pegs and the road crash bars,” Labrie said. “So, when we talk about speed for conditions, that’s what really comes into play – they tend to lean that bike a little bit more, or once they come into that turn, they can’t correct as easy because of the weight of the bike, and there’s more contact with the road by a foot peg or a bar.”
“That then leads to not staying in the lane,” Labrie continued. “That then leads to lane departure and some type of contact with a tree or guard rail or (an object) off the road. Those are the types of things we see as repeatable – time after time data points.”

Four-wheeled vehicles have one huge advantage over motorcycles when it comes to stability: two extra wheels.
"The way that not only the parkway but many of these rural roads are designed, once you drop off the shoulder, it’s very hard to get that vehicle back in a lane — and there’s lots of trees and berms and things that are right there off the shoulder," said Labrie, a motorcycle rider himself. "That is what makes motorcycles a more hazardous, more dangerous form of transportation from the point of risk and operating that vehicle in a safe manner.”
The wrecks this year have included two in which the rider crossed the centerline and couldn't correct in time, and three where the rider ran off the right side of the road, Labrie said.

Emory was 'super-talented' rider​

In Emory's case, Labrie said, he crossed over the centerline in a uphill curve and was unable to bring the motorcycle back into his lane. He went through the other lane, into the guard rail and was ejected over it.
White, who spoke at Emory's funeral about his friend, is also the founder and chief of I-SHOC, the International Suzuki Hayabusa Owners Collective.
"His Hayabusa had a lot of miles on it," White said of Emory. "He was super-talented, and he was always super-aware of wearing all the safety gear all the time, and wearing the proper clothing."
White visited the location of the wreck, where skid marks were still visible, to make sense of his friend's death. He suspects Emory may have "tripodded," as his new Harley had luggage racks on the lower rear.

Sometimes in a sharp curve where the rider leans a lot, the foot peg or luggage container can actually come in contact with the road, "causing the rear end to lift off the road.
"At that point, the only thing you have on the ground — the only sticky thing on the road is the front tire," White said, adding that when the rear wheel regains traction it can cause a jolt. "The bike will 'high side,' or throw the rider over the top of the bike, instead of laying it down and skidding."
Emory had gotten the bike in part because it's more comfortable for a rider, White said, especially compared to a Hayabusa. A project manager for a manufacturing company, Emory is survived by three children, and his wife, Melissa Emory.
"He was incredibly generous, completely tuned in when you were having a conversation with him — not distracted by other things," White said, noting that one of the last times he saw his friend, Emory bought dinner for the entire table. "He didn’t have an unkind word to say about anybody. He was quick to laugh. Everything you find good in other people, he had all of those."
White hopes other riders might learn from Emory's tragic death, maybe to slow down a little, and make sure they have the best equipment for the roads they're on.
Labrie, too, said motorcycle riders can derive an important safety message from Emory's accident. A vehicle driver can easily switch from a pickup truck to an SUV and do just fine, the chief ranger said, as the handling and size are roughly comparable.

“That does not apply to motorcycles,” Labrie said, stressing that he was not drawing conclusions on Emory’s case specifically. “When you change a significant manner of that machine that is under you as a rider, it’s not going to handle the same, and it requires another level of caution and attention when you’re on the road,”
Someone very experienced on riding a race-based bike or a lighter sport bike that is designed to take curves at higher speeds with bigger leans will need to be aware that bigger, heavier cruisers cannot handle the curves the same way, he said.

 

[Journeyman]

Parkway itself not at fault​

Labrie and two motorcycling experts interviewed for this story said the parkway itself, largely built in the 1930s, is not inherently dangerous. The chief ranger said what they see with all vehicle crashes, in general, comes down to two factors.
"It’s driver inattention and the inability to keep that vehicle in the driving lane,” Labrie said. “It’s those two things, so it really does come down to driver control and attention to the road conditions.”
He noted that over 70% of all crashes on the parkway occur in clear, dry, daylight conditions. In any given year, the parkway averages about 300 crashes, with the majority of those being property damage only, Labrie said.
In 2020, the parkway recorded 15 fatalities, including eight in motor vehicle crashes, two in motorcycle wrecks, one medical emergency and four suicides, according to parkway spokeswoman Leesa Brandon.
Labrie said he does not think the age of the road – much of it dates to the 1930s – or its design plays a major role in these crashes.

Tail of the Dragon: Slow down or get a ticket if you're driving through this 11-mile strip
Many mountain roads are curvy and steep, and even more popular with motorcyclists, Labrie said. But that said, on the parkway, "over 50% of all of our crashes occur on a curved grade,” he added.
"So when you look at how the parkway’s designed, that’s going to be most of the parkway," Labrie said. "That’s why it comes down to that time of day, and speed and the attention factor.”
While most motorcycle wrecks on the parkway involve middle- to later-age riders, Labrie said, they've not been able to determine, statistically, if that's significant. The parkway may draw more older riders, for instance.

'Siesta time' not good time to ride​

Their statistics do clearly show that most crashes on the parkway occur between noon and four p.m., Labrie said. In reading general industry safety information, that time frame holds up as the most common for accidents, as the body’s natural rhythms slow, he noted.
"It’s siesta time,” Labrie said. “Our rhythms, naturally, are not at peak around that 3 p.m. time. We see that across all incidents in the National Park Service in general – most of our rescues in the agency, most of our injuries — most of them are falling in that afternoon time period.”
Over the past decade, the parkway has partnered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation for crash and road analyses. They have not identified particular areas of the parkway as being more dangerous than others, Labrie said.
"When they do the analysis, the dots are lined up all along the road," Labrie said, referring to accident markers. "The only thing we can point to is driver behavior."
The parkway has not been able to do an accident rate comparison with other roadways, in part because on other roads those are determined by traffic counts and crashes per capita. The parkway mainly measures use from access points to the road, not pneumatic road counters on the roadway itself.
Labrie said alcohol or drugs are involved in just 17% of parkway crashes, and that was not a factor in any of the five motorcycle wrecks this year.
August and September are peak times for wrecks, not October, the height of leaf season, Labrie said. He theorized that increased traffic during leaf season may actually cause motorists to slow down.

Motorcycling experts weigh in​

Scott Davis, 63, has been riding motorcycles most of his life, starting with mini-bikes as an 8-year-old growing up outside of Raleigh. For the past 12 years, he's been the lead rider coach with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Program, which offers classes through Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
"There's nothing inherently dangerous about the Blue Ridge Parkway," Davis said, referring to motorcycle wrecks. "It's not a parkway issue. It's a people issue."
Davis has also conducted accident reviews with the Division of Motor Vehicles and worked as a volunteer emergency medical technician with rescue squads. In short, he's seen wrecks from all angles.
Motorists often are oblivious to motorcycles, but Davis notes that many motorcycle wrecks are single vehicle crashes.
For 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found single-vehicle accidents accounted for 1,886 motorcyclists deaths, while multivehicle accidents caused 2,847 motorcyclists fatalities. Also, motorcycles were more frequently involved in fatal collisions with fixed objects than were other vehicle types — 23% of motorcycle fatal crashes, compared to 16% for passenger cars, 13% for light trucks, and 4% for large trucks.

'Our own worst enemies'​

"As motorcycle riders, we're our own worst enemies," Davis said. "The thing I try to get across to students in the course is nobody is going to look out for you. And don’t get complacent — I tell them, 'Don’t let yourself get into a place where you shouldn’t be.'"
While the parkway itself isn't the cause of wrecks, Davis quickly adds that some features of the two-lane, scenic roadway are unique, as well as the motorcyclists it draws.
"In general, the majority of people who come here (to ride), they come from places that don’t have curves like we do, and the amount of wildlife," Davis said. "They've never had to deal with curves and the other things we have — the critters, the tourists, hikers. It’s very easy on the parkway to become enamored with the view, instead of focusing on your ride."
As far as wildlife, Davis said he's had an elk step out in front of him on a road, as well as turkeys and a mama bear who charged every vehicle that came between her and her cubs.
The speed limit on most of the parkway is 45 mph, although it's 35 in a section from the Visitor's Center to the French Broad River in Asheville and in some other high-traffic areas, Labrie said. That's a reasonable limit, Davis said, but a lot of motorcyclists will try to exceed that, especially if they're riding with a fast group.
Distraction is probably more dangerous though, Davis said.

Fatigue, 'decreasing radius' curves, also key​

Motorcycle riding requires 100% of your attention, and all four limbs. Riders have to balance a machine that can easily weigh 500 pounds, shift gears with their left foot, engage the rear brake with their right foot, control the throttle and operate the front brake with the right hand, and work the clutch and steer with their left hand.
Michael Gouge, editor-in-chief of Blue Ridge Motorcycling Magazine, has ridden the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway. A regular motorcycle commuter with more than 250,000 miles of riding under his belt, Gouge has also completed the basic Motorcycle Safety Course and the more advanced BikeSafe NC course, in which a motorcycle police officer follows bikers during rides and critiques their skills and behaviors.
He and Davis highly recommend riders of all skill levels refresh their skills by taking a safety course. You can find more information at the A-B Tech web page for motorcycle safety.
One common denominator in several of the recent fatal motorcycle crashes on the parkway, Gouge noticed, is they've occurred in the afternoon.
"When you've been riding all day, your attention wanes," Gouge said. "You have to maintain that constant level of attention when you’re riding a motorcycle. Especially this time of year, you can also be hot and tired, and dehydrated."
The parkway's gorgeous scenery can be distracting, Gouge notes. But a more likely culprit in crashes, particularly for those unused to our area, are those never-ending curves.
"Most of these roads in mountains are what's called 'decreasing radius' curves' — when you think you're done with the curve, it’s get sharper," Gouge explained. "If you grab hold of the brake, that stands the bike up and then it shoots you straight off the road."
Generally speaking, it's difficult and dangerous to brake while leaning into a curve on a motorcycle. As Gouge says, motorcycle tires "do one job at a time — turn or brake."
Hitting the brakes in a curve can easily cause a rider to lose control.
So will overcorrecting. If a rider veers over the center line and then overcorrects, that can send him off the road in the other direction.
Downhill curves can be particularly tricky, Gouge said, because they put the weight of the bike disproportionately on the front wheel. That makes maneuvering tough and braking much more difficult.

 

[Journeyman]

Experience may lead to complacency​

Several of the recent riding fatalities involve older riders, who likely carried years of experience. Ironically, that can be a disadvantage in some ways.
"That can be dangerous because you lower your concentration level because you've been riding so often," Gouge said. "I’m guilty of this. I commute every day, and I've been on the same road a million times. Conditions change, or traffic changes, and you lose your concentration. Then something causes you to panic or overreact. That’s what a lot of crashes are — somebody overreacted or overcorrected because they didn’t anticipate the degree of difficulty of the turn, and then they're off the road."
Labrie said when they look at safety records in any industry, "complacency is a major, major factor in that.”
“When we let the brain and the body go on autopilot because we know what to do, the conscious thought stops and we stop paying attention to those little change in road character," Labrie said. "And on motorcycles, that little change really matters and has consequences.”
Safety instructors and many longtime riders, including Gouge and Davis, are also proponents of the "ATGATT" system — "All The Gear, All The Time." That means wearing a helmet (preferably full-face), padded motorcycling jacket, sturdy pants and over-the-ankle boots and gloves — for all rides.
Like Davis, Gouge doesn't think the recent spate of parkway accidents are because the road is dangerous.
"I grew up riding it," Gouge said. "Motorcyclists need to stay in the zone, keep their concentration levels up and not get distracted by the scenery or the natural beauty, especially when they're in a group. The reality is, you're on a very technical road that requires your full attention."
For tips on motorcycle safety on the Blue Ridge Parkway, visit: www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/motorcycle-safety.htm.

2021 motorcycle fatalities on the Blue Ridge Parkway:​

• Aug. 8: George Wayne Harkins, 74, of Senoia, Georgia, died at the scene from injuries sustained in a single-vehicle accident near Mount Mitchell. Harkins lost control in a curve and left the roadway, colliding with a tree.
• July 31: Shawn Emory, 39, of Weaverville, died in a single-vehicle collision. Emory lost control, crossed the center line and struck a guardrail near Milepost 398, close to the Chestnut Cove Overlook about 5 miles south of Asheville.
• June 22: Larry McElroy, 70, and his passenger Brenda McElroy, 71, both of Williamson, Georgia, died after a collision with a van near Milepost 450. The motorcycle crossed the center line.
• June 5: William Clegg Scroggs III, 65, of Moravian Falls died on a curve near Milepost 278.7 and the Carrol Gap Overlook in Allegheny County close to the Virginia border.
• April 9: Da'juan Morrison, 41, of Rockingham, Virginia, was ejected from his bike, striking a guardrail, and was pronounced dead on scene. The wreck occurred at Milepost 7, near Humpback Rocks in Virginia, when Morrison entered a curve, lost control and laid his bike down.
Source: Blue Ridge Parkway

U.S. motorcycle crash statistics for 2019 (latest year of available data):​

• In 2019 there were 5,014 motorcyclists killed, which accounted for 14% of traffic fatalities. The number decreased, from 5,038 in 2018.
• North Carolina had 208 motorcycle fatalities.
• Per vehicle miles traveled in 2019, motorcyclist fatalities occurred nearly 29 times more frequently than passenger car occupant fatalities in traffic crashes.
• An estimated 84,000 motorcyclists were injured in 2019, a 2% increase from 82,000 motorcyclists injured in 2018.
• Motorcycles were more frequently involved in fatal collisions with fixed objects than were other vehicle types — 23% of motorcycles involved in fatal crashes in 2019 collided with fixed objects, compared to 16% for passenger cars, 13% for light trucks and 4% for large trucks.
• In 2019, single-vehicle accidents accounted for 1,886 motorcyclists deaths. Multivehicle accidents accounted for 2,847.
• 42% of motorcycle riders who died in single-vehicle crashes in 2019 were alcohol-impaired.
• Motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes had higher percentages of alcohol impairment than drivers of any other motor vehicle type — 29% for motorcycles, 20% for passenger cars, 19% for light trucks and 2% for large trucks.
• 66% of fatal crashes occurred at locations that were not intersections, 34% at intersections.
• 97% occurred in clear/cloudy conditions, compared to 2% in rain conditions and 1% in snow/sleet, fog, or other conditions.
• 57% occurred during daylight compared to 38% in the dark, 4% during dusk and 1% during dawn.
• 91% occurred on non-interstate roads, compared to 9% on interstates.
• 33% of all motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2019 were speeding, compared to 19% for passenger car drivers, 15% for light-truck drivers and 8% for large-truck drivers.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Blue Ridge Parkway's 6 motorcycle deaths this year: Is the parkway inherently dangerous?

The Blue Ridge Parkway is popular with motorcyclists, but it can be tough to drive, with copious curves and slopes. And that can lead to fatalities.

www.citizen-times.com

 

[Joesmoe]

Thank you !

 

[Tripps]

I saw the first post as text, not a link, not sure how it could be subscription only

 

[Joesmoe]

I saw the first post as text, not a link, not sure how it could be subscription only

That's because you've gotten slow in your old age.

He moved the link from the first post to the third part. You may try it just for fun.

 

[Tripps]

 

[pica]

No big side bags, no rides at siesta time, got it

 

[Journeyman]

Sorry, that wasn't of interest to you. The BRP is in my backyard, and every time there is yet another story of a motorcycle fatality on the parkway I wonder how in the world that happens. It's 45 mph and the rangers are strict about speeding, with few intersections and generally moderate curves compared to our local roads. So, I always chalk it up to inexperienced riders on big bikes with few miles. But according to the report, inexperience isn't always the case.

I wonder though if when riders are classified as "experienced" that just means that they've owned a motorcycle for quite some time. Based on all of the used older bikes with low mileage that I see for sale, and impression of most guys I see on cruisers, I think most people don't actually have that many miles under their belt- they're pretty day, warm weather, Sunday riders on big shinny fat slow lead sleds.

My best guess on this last case, if he really was that experienced, is that he may have swerved to avoid hitting an animal. I actually hit a large hawk a few days ago. It hit my crash bar and then banged my leg, killing it instantly. Beautiful animal and I really hated that it happened, but just glad it didn't hit my chest or helmet, given the speed I was going at the time. Animals and texters are my biggest fears....

 

[pica]

I found that interesting, just took what I needed from the article. wheelies in the side bags was a new one for my book.

Certainly statistics can give us some pointers. Even the most expert rider will have their moments. lost of focus, a crazy deer jumping in the road, an unexpected patch of oil, a new pothole, who knows. off course, we can prepare to avoid those things and will try our best, but conditions depending, we can be successful or not. I once had to rode for a couple miles in the I95 with a large boat anchor rope stuck to my boot and and lucky for me no in the belt of the bike that was in that side.... wondering if I will be that cool if it were an snake in one of those little roads in the mountains.

Last time in the 129 north of the dragon and in the parkway had several deer and squirrels jumping in the road. the first one was a good heads up and you get more careful before trying to see if you can take a blind curve faster, still next one could jump on me and going slower wont change the outcome.