Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs)

A 21-year-old Private First Class assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas, died 15 March 2023 in a PMV-2 mishap, at 2220 local. The Soldier was riding his motorcycle back to the barracks, when he was struck from the side by a car. He was transported to the local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The specific circumstances of the mishap sequence are unknown. The Soldier had completed all motorcycle training courses and was wearing personal protective equipment. It is also unknown if speed or alcohol was a factor. The local police report is pending.

Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 24 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the tenth PMV-2 fatality of FY23 and below the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

1. Lights and action:

Dirt and bugs caked on the headlight can materially reduce how much light you have out front, so making sure all your bike’s lights are working, are properly aimed and have clean, intact lenses is critical.

Carry spare bulbs and the correct lighting circuit fuses in your pack—finding a place to get those items after hours can be tough, particularly out on rural rides. Consider upgrading the bulb in older bike lighting systems. Halogens, other bulb or even LED options may be available to upgrade from older style sealed beam or incandescent units and throw more light, depending on the make and year of your bike.

Check brake and turn signal lights to assure they are working properly, as well. Keeping the bike’s side-facing reflectors intact and visible is also important to being safe after dark. Reflective tape can be added to improve the visibility of the bike to other motorists.

2. See and be seen:

High visibility and light-colored riding gear can make the rider more visible to other riders and drivers. In low and fading light or foggy conditions, fluorescent colors seem to glow by absorbing short wavelength light not visible to the human eye and re-radiating it as long-wavelength light the human eye can see.

Jackets made with fluorescent colors in combination with retroreflective materials in logos, stripes or piping can make a rider highly visible at long range in another vehicle’s headlights. While you’re at it, don’t forget to gear up — boots, stout riding pants, gloves, jacket, helmet, eye protection, and maybe a little of the CE approved impact protection here and there, too.

3. Be visionary:

Those dark wrap-around sunglasses or that slick, but dark reflective helmet shield that work great at high noon can be potential contributors to disaster late in the day or after dark. Have a back-up plan for maximizing your vision with clear shatterproof riding glasses and/or clear helmet shield for the long ride home.

A photochromatic shield may also be an option. If you ride with a windshield and look through it instead of over it, keep that windshield clean, as well. Even a moderate sized bug splat on the windshield creates a view obstruction covering square feet of area down the road.

Any roadside hazard — like a deer, coyote, raccoon or dog poised to kiss your front tire — can be difficult to see in broad daylight; seeing them after dark requires giving yourself every advantage you can. Lots of wildlife becomes more active after dark, so seeing those critters at the roadside in time can make all the difference.

4. Lose speed, not control:

Highway speed driving with anything after dark is riskier than it is in the daylight hours, but on a motorcycle high speed alone can erase the positive safety effects of everything else you may do. The answer is simple; keep your travel speed down on the straights and even more so in the corners.

Stretch your following distances with other vehicles — the other drivers can’t see as well, either, so unexpected things looming in the headlights are more likely to cause them to panic stop. On roads that are unfamiliar this becomes a critical factor; an innocent decreasing radius corner that is simply fun to carve in daylight can fool you past the fog line and into the trees after dark.

5. Absolute sobriety:

Driving any motor vehicle with booze or any other intoxicants on board is inviting disaster; riding a motorcycle at night under those circumstances defies common sense. Yet, motorcycle crash data from here in Wisconsin proves it happens.

 

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A 33-year-old SGT assigned to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, died 16 March 2023 in a PMV-2 mishap that occurred 15 March 2023, at 2000 local. The Soldier was operating his motorcycle when he collided with a Chevy pickup truck. The Soldier was transported to the local hospital where he died at approximately 0100 on 16 March 2023. The Soldier had completed the required Motorcycle Safety Foundation training. The Soldier’s personal protective equipment was found in his bag at the local hospital, however, it was unclear if it was worn.

Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 24 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 9th PMV-2 fatality of FY23 and below the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

 

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A 22-year-old Specialist assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, died in a PMV-2 mishap 15 March 2023 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, at 1935 local. The Soldier and his roommate were operating their motorcycles off-post. A Fayetteville Civil Crash Investigator observed the Soldiers doing wheelies at a high rate of speed as they crossed the intersection. One of the Soldiers struck a civilian truck head-on. The Fayetteville Police Department (FPD) responded to the scene and the Soldier was transported to the local medical center emergency room where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. The Soldier’s use of personal protective equipment and completion of the required Motorcycle Safety Foundation training has not been verified. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for the FPD to release its final report.

Since 2018, the Army has lost an average of 24 Soldiers a year to off-duty PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the eighth PMV-2 fatality of FY23

 

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A 25-year-old Specialist assigned to Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, died in a PMV-2 mishap 19 February 2023 in Okatie, South Carolina, at 1919 local. The Soldier was traveling east and crossing an intersection when he collided with a civilian SUV heading north. The South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) and paramedics responded and pronounced the Soldier dead at the scene. The Soldier had completed the required Motorcycle Safety Foundation training. Reportedly, his helmet was found at the scene, but it is unclear if he was wearing it. It is currently unknown if speed or alcohol were contributing factors. The unit/safety points of contact are awaiting SCHP to release its final report.

Since 2018, the Army has lost an average of 24 Soldiers a year to off-duty PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the seventh PMV-2 fatality of FY23.

 

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A 27-year-old Sergeant assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas, died in a PMV-2 mishap 13 January 2023 in El Paso, Texas, at 2046 local. The Soldier was traveling southbound when his motorcycle collided with a truck that pulled out in front of him. The El Paso Police Department (EPD) pronounced the Soldier dead at the scene. He was wearing personal protective equipment and completed the required Motorcycle Safety Foundation training. It was reported that alcohol was not suspected as a contributing factor to the mishap. It is currently unknown if speed was a contributing factor. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for EPD to release its final report.

Since 2018, the Army has lost an average of 24 Soldiers a year to off-duty PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the sixth PMV-2 fatality of FY23.


When it comes to motorcycle riding at night and its safety challenges, people have varying opinions. Some think driving at night is safe since there are fewer road users and traffic congestion. However, there are others who view that night riding should be completely avoided due to the associated risks. No matter the opinion, there are challenges associated with motorcycle riding at night.

Low visibility
This is the most critical challenge facing motorcycle riding and other road users at night. With low visibility, it becomes very difficult to maintain focus and speed. As a result, many road accidents occur at night.

This could either be that the rider can’t see other objects clearly, or other road users do not see him. This can be easy fix by using motorcycle glasses for night riding that enhance low light visibility.

Obstacles
Obstacles on the road can pose a great safety risk to riders at night. It could be in the form of debris, roadblocks, potholes, manholes, loose gravel, and others. In addition, due to darkness, the obstacle could become less visible to the rider. In such a case, maneuverability will also reduce, and a potential collision could be life-threatening.

Drunk riders and drivers
When you decide to ride in the night, you should know that you’re not the only rider. Some other riders and drivers might be drunk. When a drunk driver is behind the wheel, they can’t maintain good road safety tips. Moreover, if the driver has limited vision, he’ll pose dangerous risks on the road for others.

Animals
Most animals that run in the night will naturally freeze once they gaze into oncoming headlights. If the animal’s eyes emit a glow, it will be a signal to you of its presence. However, if the eyes don’t, you may not notice their presence on time. Therefore, running through them or trying to maneuver around them at close range could lead to an accident.


Motorcycle Safety Tips for Riding at Night
Riding in the night could be inevitable in most cases. Many people do it as part of their hobbies or enjoyment. For some, it is their only available means of commuting. Remembering motorcycle safety tips for riding at night will protect you and your bike in whatever category you are.

1. Enhance your visibility
Low visibility is a critical safety risk for motorcycle riding at night. You can make yourself more visible during your night rides in the following ways:

Wear high-visible gear/clothing – Making yourself seen in the night is a great means of reducing accidents. Wearing fluorescent colors such as green, yellow, orange, and white will make you seen by other riders and drivers. When you dress in all black or dark colors, it keeps you hidden and limits your safety.

Use a white helmet – Wearing a helmet with safety certifications will provide protection in case of accidents. However, while gearing up, select a white helmet. This helps other road users to pick you out with ease.

Include reflective tape – You can increase your visibility by adding reflective tape to your clothing because it emits reflective lights at night and will help alert others to your presence on the road.


2. Increase your motorcycle visibility

Here are ways you can make your bike more visible:

Switch on the headlights and clean them when necessary – Riding in the night with a faulty headlight is risky. Instead, ensure your headlight is on and functioning properly. This will help to illuminate your front space. Also, the lenses of your headlights can get dirty over a long time of usage. With debris and dirt particles on the road, the lenses can become fogged and cloudy. However, with the use of water and clean, non-fluffy towels, you can easily clean the lenses to make the lighting brighter during your ride.

Ensure your brake handle and lights are functional – Before you embark on a ride in the night, you should check your brake and the brake lights. If other road users can see your brake light, they will know when you’ve hit the brake to slow down.

Clean or replace your visor – Your bike visor can undergo wear and tear or become dirty, which will invariably reduce your visibility. Therefore, ensure you regularly clean the visor, and when it becomes too old, replace it.


Motorcycle Safety Tips for Riding at Night [Keep You Safe] - HelmetsAdvisor.com