A Sergeant assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, died in a motorcycle mishap 6 July 2025 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, at 0240 local. The Soldier was traveling northbound when his motorcycle left the roadway in a left-hand curve and struck a guardrail. Local emergency medical services personnel arrived on the scene and pronounced the Soldier dead. He reportedly was not wearing a helmet at the time of the mishap. Additional information is currently unavailable. 

Since FY20, the Army has lost an average of 30 Soldiers a year to motorcycle mishaps. This mishap was the 22nd motorcycle fatality of FY25 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety Tips

• Motorcycle riders continue to be overrepresented in fatal traffic crashes. In 2023, there were 6,335 motorcyclists killed — 15% of all traffic fatalities. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data show that this is the highest number of motorcyclists killed since at least 1975.
• Per vehicle miles traveled in 2023, motorcyclists were about 28 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and were five times more likely to be injured. Safe motorcycling takes balance, coordination and good judgment.
• In states without universal helmet laws, based on known helmet use, 54% of motorcyclists killed in 2022 were not wearing helmets, as compared to 11% in states with universal helmet laws.
• Motorcycle riders killed in traffic crashes at night were almost three times more frequently found to be alcohol-impaired than those killed during the day (42% and 16%) in 2022.

Tips provided by NHTSA