When riding in a convoy, the idea is that motorcyclists will stand out more to drivers. The hope is that standing out will reduce the risk of injuries and death, helping motorcyclists enjoy their time together without any serious injuries.
Unfortunately, these convoys can also get into trouble together. If one person crashes, there’s a high possibility of others getting into a crash as well. Take, for example, a case out of Tennessee. The Interstate 81 crash resulted in two motorcyclists being taken to the hospital and a semi catching on fire.
According to the news from May 23, the bikers were participating in an annual event called “Ride to the Wall.” One of the motorcyclists collided with a Walmart semitruck before being dragged by the truck’s trailer. Several others who were following behind crashed after colliding with one another.
The good news here is that the driver of the truck was not harmed despite the vehicle being engulfed in flames. It’s not clear how seriously hurt the riders were by the crashes.
In this case, it’s not clear why the motorcyclist collided with the truck, but it could have been because of several reasons. One of the most common causes of motorcycle crashes is having a vehicle pull out in front of a motorcycle or pull into a lane already occupied by a motorcyclist. It’s always important for drivers to pay attention to the roads and blind spots to make sure they do not collide with motorcyclists who are sometimes difficult to see or hear on the roads. With prevention, crashes like this can be avoided.
Source: Times News Net, “Motorcycle convoy crashes with tractor trailer on I-81,” Rain Smith, May 23, 2018