‘Our lives have meaning': Motorcyclists, law enforcement push safety awareness
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Multiple law enforcement agencies gathered in Nashville Friday morning to promote motorcycle safety.
Not only is May Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, it's also the time of year in which most motorcyclists get back on their bikes and hit the roads.
According to data provided by the state, motorcyclist deaths went down in 2024 from 2023, but 194 lives were still lost to crashes. Just four full months into 2025, there have been 44 deaths involving motorcycles reported in Tennessee.
APRIL 2025: Motorcyclist dies after crashing into pickup truck in Hermitage
The Tennessee Highway Safety Office, in partnership with Metro police, AAA, Nashville Department of Transportation and many others, spoke Friday on the issue and best practices to follow, like the popular slogan 'Look Twice.'
The list of speakers ranged from a Vanderbilt doctor, to a woman who lost her fiancé in a motorcycle crash; many voices with different perspectives, but one shared goal: reduce motorcycle deaths.
One speaker, a Metro police motorcycle officer, was rear-ended last November while stopped at a red light.
'I remember being thrown about 60 feet. I never heard any brakes screeching or anything, so in my opinion, he never hit brakes,' said Officer Cory West. 'And it just shows you how things can happen so quickly. And when riding motorcycles, it can be of no fault of your own.'
Motorcyclist killed in Murfreesboro crash
Then there's Nick Daley, who was forced to crash his motorcycle to avoid running into a distracted driver that pulled out suddenly in front of him in Rutherford County.
'I was saved by an off-duty Murfreesboro city police officer, who ran out into the road and pulled me to the curb,' Daley said. 'We try and ride as safe as we can. But when something like this happens, medical bills, lost wages, and unbelievable hardships [ensue] for the families. We're often a misunderstood breed. But our lives have meaning.'
'The first thought that went through my head whenever she pulled in front of me was whether or not this was going to be the last time I ever ride; the last time I ever come home,' Daley continued.
'How many friends and people that you know in the motorcycle community have you lost?' asked News 2 Sam Chimenti.
'So far in the last year, I'd say upwards of 10. Or more,' answered Daley, spotlighting how close the motorcycle community is in Middle Tennessee.
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Events like Friday's are about making sure motorcyclists— and drivers— don't become another number in a sad tally.
'We try to get our message out as much as possible,' said Buddy Lewis, director for the Tennessee Highway Safety Office. 'Traffic safety is public safety. Anything that we can do to change the behavior to save lives on our roadways, that's what we're all about.'
Officer West, Lewis, Daley and others stressed the importance of education in helping prevention.
News 2 also asked Daley, who just had his crash in February, what his main message would be to drivers. He replied, 'Get off your phone while you're driving. You never know how quickly things can change.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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