A Lieutenant Colonel assigned to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, died in a PMV-2 mishap 26 September 2020 in Atchison, Kansas, at 1553 local. The Soldier was operating his motorcycle, with his spouse as a passenger, when he collided with another vehicle that failed to yield. Local authorities responded and both the Soldier and his spouse were taken to the local hospital. Upon arrival, the Soldier was pronounced dead by the attending physician. The Soldier’s spouse is hospitalized with non-fatal injuries. The Soldier completed all required Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses. The specific circumstances of the mishap, including the use of personal protective equipment, speed, and alcohol and drug involvement, are unknown at this time.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 28 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This is the 20th PMV-2 fatality of FY20 but below the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.


Remember these important safety tips when sharing the road with motorcycles:

•Motorcycles have use of the complete traffic lane. Do not share lanes with motorcycles.

•Failure to yield the right-of-way to a motorcyclist is the most frequent driver error in collisions involving a motorcycle and another vehicle.

•Often drivers do not see motorcyclists until it is too late. This is why it is important for drivers to continually scan the roadway in front, to the rear and to the sides.

•Motorcycles accelerate, turn and stop more quickly than other vehicles. Bad weather, rough road surfaces or inexperience may cause a motorcyclist to fall. All of these are reasons why you should increase your following distance to four seconds or more when behind motorcycles.


Create a space cushion around your motorcycle. A space cushion is a buffer around your vehicle that you maintain to allow room to maneuver, if necessary. Know what is in your space cushion, scan frequently and maintain awareness of other vehicles.

•If another vehicle is tailgating you, use your turn signal and change lanes as soon as it is safe to do so.

•If a driver near you is driving erratically or aggressively, put distance between you and the other driver by slowing down or changing lanes.


Things to consider before riding as a motorcycle passenger:

If you are comfortable with the skill level of the person you're riding with and have a mutual level of trust, then you're ready to enjoy the ride. Here are things to think about before you go:

•Have your own safety gear. What you wear is up to you, but you should be well aware that motorcycle accidents can cause harm very quickly, and protective gear is designed specifically to prevent that. A helmet is the most important piece of safety gear, but gloves, sturdy boots, strong pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and an armored motorcycle jacket are all important pieces of gear too. Borrow gear if you can, but if you'll be riding regularly, get your own.

•Know the type of bike they have. Some big touring bikes and cruisers have passenger seats that look like recliners, while sport bikes and other performance bikes have rear seats that are basically designed to say "nobody belongs here."

•Develop some kind of way to signal to each other while riding. At speed, the rider may not be able to hear a thing you're saying, so it helps to establish some way to communicate by touch. At a minimum, determine a way for you to signal to them when you want to slow down, speed up or stop. If they have a Bluetooth communication device, you can it use to talk to them during the ride even better.

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