Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs)

A 28-year-old Specialist assigned to Kadena Air Base, Japan, died in a motorcycle mishap 4 December 2025 near Torii Station, Japan, at 2345 local. The Soldier was riding his motorcycle when he struck a median barrier. Japanese police responded to the scene and transported the Soldier to University of the Ryukyu Hospital, where he died the following day. Personal protective equipment use, training, speed and the involvement of alcohol or drugs are all currently unknown. Additional information is unavailable.  

Since FY21, the Army has lost an average of 31 Soldiers a year to motorcycle mishaps. This mishap was the fourth motorcycle fatality of FY26 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year. 

A 25-year-old Sergeant assigned to Security Assistance Training Management Organization, Security Assistance Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, died in an automobile mishap 4 December 2025 in Raeford, North Carolina, at 1745 local. The Soldier was driving when he lost control, crossed the centerline and collided with a school bus. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The bus driver and the students were not injured. An investigation by local law enforcement revealed the Soldier was driving faster than the posted speed limit. Additional information is currently unavailable. 

Since FY21, the Army has lost an average of 36 Soldiers a year to automobile mishaps. This mishap was the third automobile fatality of FY26 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety Tips

For more than two decades, speeding was involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities. In 2023, speeding was a contributing factor in 29% of all traffic 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. Use these safe driving tips to help you learn to stop speeding and be a safer driver.

Start Cruising: The easiest way to avoid speeding is to use your cruise control. Most modern cars come equipped with cruise control, which lets you set a specific speed for driving. Your car will take care of maintaining and regulating your speed so you can focus on potential hazards on the road. Be sure to cancel cruise control if you find yourself in a high-risk area like an active construction zone. You should also avoid cruise control in wet or icy weather, as it can cause your vehicle to lose grip on the road.

Give Yourself More Time: Get in the habit of leaving a cushion around your travel time. Start by adding a couple of minutes. Then, as your new habit forms, start adding extra time based on where you’re going, your journey’s length and the traffic situation. (This practice also helps you avoid stressing out when you experience hold-ups.)

Identify Speeding Triggers: Speeding doesn’t always happen because you’re running late. Other factors like stress or anger can cause you to drive too fast. Learning your triggers can help you learn how to stop speeding altogether.

Practice Calming Exercises: A lot of drivers start speeding when they’re stressed or angry. If a driver cuts you off, it can frustrate you. Even if you don’t notice, there’s a good chance you’re pressing harder on the gas pedal. Calming exercises like breathing routines could help reduce these feelings — and your speed.

A 26-year-old Specialist assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado, died in an automobile mishap 7 November 2025 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at 0001 local. The Soldier was driving his privately owned passenger vehicle when he collided with an unknown object. He was transported to Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, where he died 23 November. Additional information is currently unavailable.

Since FY21, the Army has lost an average of 36 Soldiers a year to automobile mishaps. This mishap was the second automobile fatality of FY26 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety Tips

According to the National Safety Council, traffic death rates are three times greater at night than during the day. To keep you safe on the road after sundown, here are some tips for driving safely at night.

• Clean Your Windshield – A dirty windshield can cause a blinding glare when sunlight and headlights hit it just right. Dust that you might not notice during the day can build up on the inside, too, so it’s important to clean your windshield both inside and out.
• Check Your Lights – Are your headlights and taillights in good working order? Are they aimed properly? What about your turn signals? You want to see and be seen without blinding other drivers, so make sure everything is aimed and working just right. Feel free to turn on your lights an hour before sundown; they may help other drivers see you coming.
• Don’t Look into the Lights – Try not to look directly into the lights of oncoming traffic. When cars are coming at you, do your best to cast your gaze down and to the right, while focusing on the white line. This will prevent you from being temporarily blinded by their headlights.
• Increase Distance and Reduce Speed – Reducing your speed and avoiding tailgating is far more likely to get you to your destination safe and sound. Use your headlights to help you gauge your distance and stopping time. If you can’t stop within the illuminated area, you’re too close! Another way to gauge your distance is by using the three-second rule: As the vehicle in front of you passes a designated landmark along the road (a tree, a construction barrel, etc.), there should be at least a three-second gap before you reach the same area. If it takes less than three seconds to catch up, slow down!
• Don’t be Distracted – Whether you’re texting, fiddling with the radio or dining in your car, taking your attention off the road is dangerous. When you’re tired after a long day at work, your reaction time will be reduced. Taking your full attention off the road is a bad idea.
• Don’t Drink and Drive – Fatal alcohol-related accidents are four times higher at night than during the day. Don’t put yourself or others at risk by driving under the influence. Use defensive driving techniques and keep an eye out for signs of drunk driving, especially after dark.

A 21-year-old Specialist assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, died in a motorcycle mishap 23 November 2025 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, at 0441 local. The Soldier was riding his motorcycle when he collided with another motorcyclist at an intersection. The Fayetteville Police Department and emergency medical services personnel responded to the scene and transported the Soldier to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Additional information is currently unavailable.

Since FY21, the Army has lost an average of 31 Soldiers a year to motorcycle mishaps. This mishap was the third motorcycle fatality of FY26 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 percent of all traffic fatalities. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data show that this is the highest number of motorcyclists killed since at least 1975. To keep everyone safe, we urge drivers and motorcyclists to share the road and be alert. We also remind motorcyclists to make themselves visible, use DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets and always ride sober.

Maintain situational awareness and control

• Approach the intersection defensively: Reduce your speed. Slowing down gives both you and other riders more time to react.
• Scan the intersection: Look for other motorcyclists who might be turning, going straight or trying to change lanes.
• Be aware of surroundings: Stay alert and avoid distractions like your phone or listening to loud music.
• Create space: Maintain a safe following distance from the vehicle in front of you.
• Identify escape routes: Always have a "way out" if a crash is about to happen. This could be an escape path in front of, to the side of, or behind another vehicle.

Increase visibility and awareness

• Wear bright, high-visibility gear: Bright colors and reflective materials make you much more visible to other riders.
• Use your headlight: Keep your headlight on at all times, even during the day, to help other riders spot you.
• Be a visible rider: Use a non-linear lane position to avoid being hidden in a vehicle's blind spot, especially near intersections.
• Anticipate other riders' movements: Scan for other motorcycles and assume they may not see you or might act unexpectedly.

A 20-year-old Specialist assigned to Fort Drum, New York, died in an automobile mishap 26 October 2025 near Orleans, New York, at 1300 local. The Soldier was a passenger in a privately owned vehicle that left a gravel roadway and struck a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Additional information is currently unavailable.   

Since FY21, the Army has lost an average of 36 Soldiers a year to automobile mishaps. This mishap was the first automobile fatality of FY26 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year.  

Safety Tips

When driving on gravel roads, reduce your speed, avoid sudden movements and increase your following distance due to reduced traction and visibility.

• Reduce Speed: This is the most important rule. Drive significantly slower than on paved roads, especially on curves, hills and intersections. Lower speeds make cornering safer and reduce braking distances, as stopping takes longer on a loose surface.
• Drive Smoothly: Avoid sudden acceleration, hard braking, or sharp turns, as these can easily cause a skid or loss of control. Gentle, gradual inputs on the steering wheel, accelerator and brakes are key.
• Increase Following Distance: Maintain at least a six-second gap behind the vehicle in front of you. This provides more time to react to hazards and minimizes damage from dust clouds and flying rocks.
• Manage Dust: Use your headlights at all times so other drivers can see you. If visibility is obscured by dust from an oncoming or leading vehicle, slow down and be prepared to stop. The rule is if you can't see, don't go.
• Reacting to Skids: If you begin to skid, remain calm. Ease your foot off the accelerator (or brakes if you were braking), look where you want to go and gently steer in that direction. Avoid overcorrecting, as this is a common cause of mishaps and rollovers.