A Sergeant First Class assigned to the United State Army Reserve, Denver, Colorado, on active duty for operational support (ADOS) orders in support of the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR), 59th Presidential Inauguration, died in a PMV-4 mishap 4 February 2021 in Clay County, Indiana, at 1725 local. The Soldier departed his duty location (JTF-NCR) on official leave and was driving through Indiana to Colorado Springs, Colorado, for his next ADOS assignment. His vehicle hit a semi-truck, resulting in a rollover. Initial reports suggest the Soldier’s speed at the time of the mishap was 80 mph. He was wearing his seat belt and was reportedly not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The Soldier suffered multiple injuries and was transported to the local regional hospital before later being transferred to another medical center for higher-level care. Six days later, the attending physician determined the Soldier to be brain dead and was pronounced dead shortly after.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 34 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 15th PMV-4 fatality of FY21 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

• The Travel Risk Planning System (TRiPS), although no longer required, is an excellent tool to assist in planning your trip. For more information on TRiPS, use the following link: https://trips.safety.army.mil/TRiPS

• Build time into your trip schedule to stop for food, rest breaks, phone calls or other business.

• Pull over to eat or drink. It takes only a few minutes.

• Check your route of travel for weather conditions and road construction and plan alternate routes should you need to get off a heavily congested roadway.

• Technology can be an asset if used wisely. Whether you use traditional road maps or GPS navigation, plan which route you’ll take ahead of time. As you plan ahead, you can research the traffic levels of these roads so you can drive safer.

• If you use GPS, your navigation system may even be able to tell you which roads are under construction. When you avoid driving through construction sites, you greatly reduce your risk of accidents and injury.

• If possible, avoid driving at night. Driving conditions are more hazardous at night. Nocturnal animals could wander onto the road or a speeding driver may hit an obstacle and cause an accident.

• Before your trip, look into hotels along your route so you don’t have to make too big of a detour. Additionally, booking a hotel in advance can make stopping at night much easier.

• If your trip is a long one, switch between drivers. Staring at the open road for hours on end can make you drowsy. To avoid falling asleep behind the wheel, switch between drivers every few hours if possible. If you’re driving alone, stop at a rest stop or gas station every couple of hours to stretch your legs and take a break.

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