Two people were killed in Southwest Virginia on Sunday in motorcycle crashes that occurred within hours of each other.
In Washington County, Joshua Smith, 21, of Raven, Va., died after losing control of his Yamaha motorcycle while rounding a curve on state Route 75 at about 2 p.m.
Virginia State Police Sgt. Michael Conroy said Smith crossed the center line and drove into the path of a pickup heading north.
About four hours earlier in Wythe County, Va., a 71-year-old man was killed after losing control of his motorcycle while heading south on Interstate 81. He ran off the side of the road near mile marker 59, Conroy said.
Motorcycle fatalities skyrocketed last year in Virginia – up 80 percent from 2006. And while the numbers this year are lower, Conroy said, motorcycle crash fatalities remain a serious concern.
“I don’t think we’ve seen as many this year, but this was not a good weekend for motorcycles,” Conroy said.
In 2007, there were 126 motorcycle fatalities throughout Virginia. Driver behavior – speed, ability and experience – contributed in some way to virtually every one, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
Conroy could not say what specific factors contributed to Sunday’s deaths because both are still under investigation, but he did note that speed was considered a factor in Smith’s crash and said the 21-year-old had obtained his motorcycle license about one month ago.
“We are seeing a lot more people riding motorcycles, and I think there are a variety of factors,” Conroy said. “More older people getting bikes, fuel prices going up – it’s a little bit of everything. But driver inexperience on the motorcycle plays a major role.”
Conroy emphasized the importance of motorcycle education classes as a preventive measure and said bikers should know their ability levels and avoid risks.
ahunter@bristolnews.com (276) 645-2531
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