"The Tail of the Dragon is only 11 miles long and the following facts pertain only to those 11 miles. There are more motorcycle deaths on other roads in Blount County Tennessee than there are on the Dragon each year."
2020 -
Two deaths as of Sept. 24: June 4 mm 5.3. Aug 19, 44 yr old AL woman flipped trike at mm 4.3 northbound.
2019 -
Two deaths: Aug 10 - 70 year old crashed Slingshot at 1.9. Dec 19 - 79 yr old died Dec 21 after 2 car head-on crash at 8.0.
2018 -
Three (Two*) deaths: Oct 5 GA cruiser rider off road, but death was a result of a medical emergency, not the accident.* Oct 8 at 7.0 a 70 year-old north bound rider crossed center line striking two cars. Oct 25 at 8.0 a 73 year-old GA cruiser rider southbound off road.
2017 -
Four deaths: Two deaths in single car accident at 1.5. One motorcycle rider at Tabcat Bridge parking area. One sportbike rider at 8.2 (found three days after wreck).
NOTE: The parking area death actually occurred while the rider was stopped. He fell over the side of an embankment and the bike rolled over him.
2016 -
Four deaths: South bound trike off bank at 10.2 killing 90 year old male passenger. North bound trike at 9.1. North bound sportbike at 9.2. Southbound cruiser at 4.3 (found next day).
Trike near Cheoah Dam NOT ON DRAGON.
2015 -
One death: June 20 Sportbike hit tree at 1.0.
2014 -
Three deaths: May 19 sportbike vs car at 10.8. May 28 trike into bank at 2.9. Sept 21 sportbike hit tree at 5.0.
2013 -
Two deaths: August 3 sportbike off road at 9.2. Car off road 12/19 at 1.9.
2012 -
Four deaths: June 6 cruiser off road at mm 3.5 (possible heart attack). June 16 Cruiser off road at mm 8.0. Sept 28 motard off road at 7.2. Oct 22 female cruiser rider off at 4.0.
2011 -
One death: August 3 Tennessee sportbike rider run over by 18 wheeler at mm 5.
2010 -
One death: August 28 South bound sportbike rider off road and hit tree. Another death at Wheelie Hell in August technically not on Dragon.
2009 -
Five deaths: HD rider from Miami went off road, reason unknown (possible heart attack). Friends and LEOs searched several hour before finding body. A female HD rider died at mm 5.0 when she went off the road. Another female died a month later in the same area. A 66 year old Goldwing rider died near mm 8. A 49 year old died two months after crashing at the Hump.
2008 -
Four deaths: One sportbike went off road and hit tree near Thunder Road Bend. One cruiser went off road in Ron's Run with rider suffering heart attack. One trike went off road and struck tree. One sportbike death in head-on near Parsons Branch.
2007 -
Three deaths: One low side at Guardrail Cliff. Trike versus a vehicle near the Wall claimed the lives of an older rider and his passenger. Both accidents in July.
2006 -
Two deaths: One rider went off road and hit tree another low sided into an oncoming vehicle.
2005 -
Three deaths: All three deaths involved failing to negociate corners - two went off the mountain and one slid into an oncoming vehicle.
2004 -
Two deaths: Both deaths apparently caused by speed and then overbraking.
2003 -
No deaths: There were several deaths in the surrounding area of the Dragon, but none that we know of on the 11 miles of the Dragon itself.
2002 -
Two deaths: On June 16 a 29 year-old Dale Bently a Valkyrie rider from Michigan died on the Dragon. The rider was passing a car near the Horns of the Dragon when he wrecked and suffered fatal head injuries. The second death occurred on Sunday August 4 when Lendry R. Obanna Jr., 24, of Jacksonville, Florida, lost control of his 2000 Yamaha R6.
2001 -
Two deaths: The entire Blount County (home of the Dragon) saw a total of four motorycle fatalities in 2001. The total includes the deaths of a 27-year-old Knoxville man who died March 10 in a collision on Old Knoxville Highway in Rockford, the May 5th death on the Dragon, the July 5th death of a 43-year-old Maryville man in an accident on Happy Valley Road, and the October 27th death on the Dragon.
2000 -
One death: Blount County had four motorcycle deaths in 2000 including one fatality on the Dragon.
1999 -
One death: Only one motorcycle death in 1999
1998 -
No deaths: No fatal motorcycle crashes in 1998.
1997 -
One death: A single motorcycle fatality is listed in 1997.
1996 -
One death: A single motorcycle fatality in 1996.
1995 -
Two deaths: In 1995, two men died in separate July 3 motorcycle crashes on the Dragon during the holiday weekend.
Disagreements and forum antics aside
@MATPOC what do you ride?