A Sergeant assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, died in a PMV-2 mishap 4 September 2020 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, at 2330 local. The Soldier was riding with a group of other Soldiers when he attempted to transverse a corner at approximately 70-80 mph, causing his motorcycle to strike an electrical box on the side of the road. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the local hospital. Alcohol and drugs are not currently suspected to have contributed to the mishap. Completion of required Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses and use of personal protective equipment have not been verified. The mishap is under investigation.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 28 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This preventable mishap is the 18th PMV-2 fatality of FY20 and below the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

Here are some important safety tips to follow when negotiating a curve:

- As you approach a curve, slow down to a good entry speed, allowing you to roll on the throttle as you prepare to navigate the curve and speed up later. Use the rear brake gently and position your motorcycle outside for the turn. This means, if you are turning left, your bike should be about 3 feet from the right side of the lane and when you want to turn right, the motorcycle should be about 3 feet from the centerline of the road.

- Remember to use the countersteering technique and apply it at the start of your entry into the curve. Keep your throttle open and roll to the curve, keeping a good distance away from the inside of the curve initially. As the angle of the curve tightens, you should be leaning closer to the curve. Point your eyes in the direction you want the motorcycle to go. At the same time, you should be aware of oncoming traffic from the opposite direction.

- Accelerate after you have negotiated the tightest angle of the curve and you can already see where the road becomes straight again. You should be moving away from the inside of the curve and more toward the inner lane as you accelerate. Acceleration will push your motorcycle up straight again as you prepare to ride on a straight lane.

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