Ceyda Yakova, a 21-year-old Turkish motorcycle influencer, has died after losing control of her bike and crashing into a road sign near Şile, Turkey. The accident occurred on Monday, August 17, when she was reportedly travelling at around 62mph (100km/h).
Details of the crash
Yakova, who had more than 20,000 Instagram followers and shared motorcycle videos on social media, had graduated from the Psychology Department at Istanbul Bilgi University about a month earlier. She had been visiting a friend in Şile before setting off on her motorcycle for a ride.
At around 5pm, her motorcycle's wheel reportedly went onto loose gravel as she travelled around a bend. She lost control and crashed into a road sign, suffering serious injuries. Passers-by called emergency services, and she was taken to a hospital in Şile after receiving treatment at the scene.
Hospital treatment and family response
She was later transferred to a hospital in Istanbul, where doctors found she was suffering from internal bleeding. Despite efforts to save her, she died at around 11pm.
Her father, Cem Yakova, said the family had watched footage of the crash. He said: "She lost the wheel onto gravel on the forest road. Actually, it was a very easy road, she was travelling at around 100km/h (62mph). At the moment of the accident, the wheel went onto the gravel."
He added: "She went slightly off the tarmac. There wasn't an extreme bend either, just some gentle slopes. She was enjoying the ride. As she moved onto the dirt road directly opposite, she hit the direction sign with her body. The motorcycle went one way and she hit the pole."
Memories of Ceyda
Her mother, Melek Yakova, said she did not believe her daughter had been at fault. "She was a very good motorcycle rider," she said. "For her, the motorcycle was just a hobby; she wasn't obsessed with it."
The family also shared memories of Ceyda away from motorcycles. Her mother said she had been a volleyball player and athlete before graduating in psychology. She also revealed that Ceyda knew sign language and had once helped reunite a lost young girl with her mother in a shopping centre.
Her father added that Ceyda had previously suffered a minor motorcycle accident in which she broke her arm, after which she became even more careful about wearing protective equipment. Her mother concluded: "Ceyda will always be with us."
