Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs)

A 43-year-old Active Guard Reserve Sergeant assigned to the Army National Guard, Columbia, South Carolina, died in a PMV-4 mishap 21 August 2021 in Saluda County, South Carolina, at 2355 local. The Soldier was traveling westbound when his vehicle left the road and struck a tree. The Saluda County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene, and the Soldier was pronounced dead. He was not wearing a seat belt, and alcohol was suspected as a contributing factor. Speed as a contributing factor is currently unknown. It is also unknown who placed the 911 call. The state safety office is waiting for local law enforcement to release the final report.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 33 Soldiers a year to off-duty PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 43rd PMV-4 fatality of FY21.



For more than two decades, speeding has been involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities. Speed also affects your safety even when you are driving at the speed limit but too fast for road conditions, such as during bad weather, when a road is under repair, or in an area at night that isn’t well lit.

Speeding is more than just breaking the law. The consequences are far-ranging:
-Greater potential for loss of vehicle control
-Reduced effectiveness of occupant protection equipment
-Increased stopping distance after the driver perceives a danger
-Increased degree of crash severity leading to more severe injuries
-Economic implications of a speed-related crash
-Increased fuel consumption/cost

One of the safest choices drivers and passengers can make is to buckle up. Many Americans understand the lifesaving value of the seat belt – the national use rate was at 90.3% in 2020. Seat belt use in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 14,955 lives in 2017.

Of those killed during the nighttime in 2019, 55% were unrestrained. In the instant you buckle up when driving or riding in the front seat of a car or truck, you cut your risk of a fatal injury in a crash nearly in half. That’s a massive return on the investment of the brief moment it takes to put on a seat belt.

Seat belts are the single-most effective safety technology in the history of the automobile. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study of lives saved by vehicle technologies found that, between 1960 and 2012, seat belts saved more lives — 329,715, to be exact — than all other vehicle technologies combined, including air bags, energy-absorbing steering assemblies and electronic stability control.

Tips provided by NHTSA.

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A Sergeant assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, died in a PMV-4 mishap 13 September 2021 at 1618 local. When the Soldier did not report to 1700 formation, platoon leadership attempted to contact him via phone and social media. At 1830, company leadership notified the Fort Bragg military police desk that the Soldier was involved in a vehicle mishap. The Soldier was traveling northbound when he lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree, causing the vehicle to catch fire. First responders arrived on scene at approximately 1630 and were initially unable to identify the Soldier’s remains. The VIN and license plate of the vehicle were recovered and matched the Soldier’s vehicle. Additionally, a piece of mail was recovered from the wreckage that included the Soldier’s name and social security number. North Carolina State Highway Patrol is currently investigating the mishap.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 33 Soldiers a year to off-duty PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 42nd PMV-4 fatality of FY21.


Stay Alert – Avoid Distractions
Distractions are everywhere and becoming more difficult to avoid. Your eyes and ears are your best tools for keeping safe. Stay alert and watch out.

1.Avoid distractions while operating a vehicle.
2.Your focus should be on the task of driving safely.
3.Pay attention to your surroundings, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the area you’re driving in.
4.Focus as far to your front as possible, using peripheral vision to scan for obstacles.
5.Maintain the posted speed limit.
6.Always wear your seat belt and ensure your passengers do the same.

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A Specialist assigned to the Army National Guard, Thibodaux, Louisiana, died in a PMV-4 mishap 5 September 2021 in McAllen, Texas, at 0218 local. While deployed as part of Joint Task Force-Guardian Support (JTF-GS), three Soldiers were traveling in a GSA rental truck. The driver lost control and struck two light poles. The Soldier in the backseat was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical service personnel and transported to the Hidalgo County morgue in Edinburgh, Texas. The front-seat passenger, who was ejected through a window, sustained extensive injuries and was transported to a local hospital. He has undergone extensive surgeries, and the assigned medical team cannot yet determine if he will regain function of his right arm. The Soldier driving was the only person wearing a seat belt and did not sustain any injuries. Alcohol and speed were contributing factors to the mishap. The McAllen Police Department is currently conducting the investigation.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 33 Soldiers a year to off-duty PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 41st PMV-4 fatality of FY21.



Every day, about 28 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that's one person every 52 minutes. In 2019, these deaths reached the lowest percentage since 1982 when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started reporting alcohol data — but still, 10,142 people lost their lives. These deaths were all preventable.

Alcohol is a substance that reduces the function of the brain, impairing thinking, reasoning and muscle coordination. All of these abilities are essential to operating a vehicle safely. As alcohol levels rise in a person’s system, the negative effects on the central nervous system increase. Alcohol is absorbed directly through the walls of the stomach and small intestine. Then it passes into the bloodstream, where it accumulates until it is metabolized by the liver. A person's alcohol level is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood. This is called Blood Alcohol Concentration, or BAC. At a BAC of .08 grams of alcohol per deciliter (g/dL) of blood, crash risk increases exponentially. Because of this risk, it’s illegal in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher, except in Utah where the BAC limit is .05.

However, even a small amount of alcohol can affect driving ability. In 2019, there were 1,775 people killed in alcohol-related crashes where a driver had a BAC of .01 to .07 g/dL.

Speeding endangers everyone on the road. In 2019, speeding killed 9,478 people. We all know the frustrations of modern life and juggling a busy schedule, but speed limits are put in place to protect all road users.

For more than two decades, speeding has been involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities. In 2019, speeding was a contributing factor in 26% of all traffic fatalities.

Speeding and alcohol impairment often coincide; this varies with driver age. While 25% of speeding drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes are alcohol impaired (BAC = 0.08+ g/dL), over 40% in the 21 to 44 age groups are impaired. The percent of alcohol-impaired drivers falls sharply to 32% among 55- to 64-year-old drivers and continues to decline as the driver age increases.

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A Staff Sergeant assigned to Fort Drum, New York, died in a PMV-4 mishap 1 September 2021 near the installation at 0915 local. The Soldier entered the highway off ramp at a suspected accelerated speed, lost control, overcorrected, and rolled the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 0932. Seat belts are suspected to have been used since the Soldier had to be extracted from his vehicle. It is unknown if alcohol or drugs were contributing factors to the mishap.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 33 Soldiers a year to off-duty PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 40th PMV-4 fatality of FY21.



According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding endangers everyone on the road. In 2018, speeding killed 9,378 people. We all know the frustrations of modern life and juggling a busy schedule, but speed limits are put in place to protect all road users.

Speed affects your safety even when you are driving at the speed limit, but too fast for road conditions, such as during bad weather, when a road is under repair, or in an area at night that isn’t well lit.

What Drives Speeding?
Speeding is a type of aggressive driving behavior. Several factors have contributed to an overall rise in aggressive driving:

Traffic
Traffic congestion is one of the most frequently mentioned contributing factors to aggressive driving, such as speeding. Drivers may respond by using aggressive driving behaviors, including speeding, changing lanes frequently, or becoming angry at anyone who they believe impedes their progress.

Running Late
Some people drive aggressively because they have too much to do and are running late for work, school, their next meeting, lesson, soccer game, or other appointment.

Disregard for Others and For the Law
Most motorists rarely drive aggressively, and some never do. For others, episodes of aggressive driving are frequent, and for a small proportion of motorists, it is their usual driving behavior. Occasional episodes of aggressive driving – such as speeding and changing lanes abruptly – might occur in response to specific situations, like when the driver is late for an important appointment, but is not the driver’s normal behavior.

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A First Lieutenant assigned to Fort Knox, Kentucky, died in a PMV-4 mishap 30 August 2021 in Meade County, Kentucky, at 1501 local. The Soldier was driving a rental vehicle when he crossed the median and hit a semi-tractor-trailer. He was pronounced dead at the scene. It is unknown if alcohol or drugs were contributing factors to the mishap, which is still under investigation by the Kentucky State Police.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 33 Soldiers a year to off-duty PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 39th PMV-4 fatalities of FY21.


Stay alert
Stay focused. Pay attention to what is going on around you when weather conditions aren’t ideal. Be extra cautious with merging lanes. Motorists should drive defensively, check around their vehicle and in blind spots, and take precautions when passing vehicles to prevent merging collisions.

Avoid Distractions
Distractions are everywhere and becoming more and more difficult to avoid. Remember that, as a pedestrian, your eyes and ears are your best tools for keeping safe. Stay alert and watch out.

1. Avoid distractions while operating a vehicle. Your focus should be on the task of driving safely.
2. Pay attention to your surroundings, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the area you’re driving in.
3. Focus as far to your front as possible, using peripheral vision to scan for obstacles.
4. Maintain the posted speed limit.
5. Always wear your seat belt and ensure your passengers do the same.

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