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Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs)

About Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs)

PLRs are intended to be used as an engagement tool for leaders to discuss the hazards and trends impacting Soldier safety and readiness. A PLR contains only basic information, as the investigation is ongoing, but provides sufficient background to allow leaders an opportunity to communicate risk at the Soldier level.

 

PLR 23-011 - PMV4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, Automobiles
A 19-year-old Private assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, died in a PMV-4 mishap 19 November 2022 at 0330 local. The Soldier was driving on Interstate 20 with two passengers when his vehicle was struck by a pickup truck that was reportedly traveling eastbound in the westbound lane. The Soldier's vehicle was left disabled in the center of the westbound lanes, where it was struck by two semi-trucks with trailers. The Soldier and his two passengers were killed. It is unknown if they were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. Alcohol or drugs were not believed to be factors in the crash, which remains under investigation.

Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 35 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the fifth PMV-4 fatality of FY23 and below the number of fatalities for the same time last year.


Wrong-way accidents cause between 300 and 400 roadway fatalities each year, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA). Wrong-way driving is defined as a driver who operates their vehicle in the opposite direction of travel on a freeway or highway and collides with a vehicle traveling in the right direction.

Although wrong-way accidents are rather uncommon, only making up about 3% of all motor vehicle accidents, they are the leading type of motor vehicle accident to result in a fatality. In fact, some 360 deaths in the U.S. each year are due to wrong-way driving accidents. The fatality rate is projected to fall between 12 and 27 percent higher than all other types of collisions, according to The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is why they have been proven to be among the most dangerous.

Wrong-way driving collisions are most often head-on collisions, which do not tend to leave motorists and passengers unscathed. Instead, if the accident does not result in death, the injuries drivers sustain are often extremely severe with long-term residual effects that require surgery and rehabilitation treatment. Common injuries from wrong-way driving collisions include broken bones and other extremity injuries, whiplash, head injuries, spinal cord injuries, chest, abdomen, and rib injuries, brain injuries, as well as paralysis.

WHAT CAUSES WRONG WAY ACCIDENTS?
Driver error is the most frequent cause of wrong-way accidents, and most of these incidents are due to drivers entering a highway exit ramp, more so than entrance ramps. The reasons for such severe mistakes vary, but the most common causes of wrong-way accidents are:

•Drivers under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medications
•Distracted driving
•Drivers unfamiliar with the roadways in that area
•Poorly marked ramps
•Poorly placed signs
•Poor ramp design
•Lack of signs
•Lack of visibility
•Drowsy or tired drivers
•Drivers suffering from mental health problems


Of all the listed reasons causing driver error, the leading cause is intoxication from drugs or alcohol. About 50 to 75 percent of all wrong-way driving incidents involve an intoxicated driver. Not surprisingly, most of these accidents tend to occur on weekends and in the late hours of the night between midnight and 3 a.m.

HOW ENTRANCE RAMP DESIGN CAN CONFUSE DRIVERS
Cloverleaf and partial cloverleaf designs confuse some drivers, especially those not fully alert. In their confusion, drivers end up entering the wrong ramp on the wrong side. This style of ramp causes confusion because entrance and exit ramps are parallel. Confused drivers can easily end up on the wrong side of the median, on the wrong ramp.

Drivers turning left to enter a highway are more likely to enter the wrong ramp compared to drivers turning right to enter. That’s because drivers turning right come to the correct ramp first, before the wrong ramp, so they typically take the correct turn rather than passing it, ending up entering an exit ramp.

Most drivers immediately realize when they are driving the wrong way and turn around or back up. However, many drivers, including sober ones, will not realize until they are officially traveling on the highway amongst other vehicles that are headed straight toward the driver.

HOW TO AVOID WRONG WAY DRIVERS
To avoid wrong-way drivers, you must look beyond the first few cars ahead and scan the entire width of the roadway, not just ahead in your current lane of travel. The further ahead and around you can see, the better prepared you will be since you may be able see the hazard approaching and have time to take evasive action to avoid a collision. However, when drivers are traveling directly at each other on a highway, there is often little a driver can do to avoid the collision since the wrong-way driver is unexpected and the high rate of speed on highways.

There are a few strategies that you can keep in mind while traveling that may save you from being a victim of these terrible tragedies. For example, always travel in the right lane if possible. Traveling in the right lane is the safest bet to avoid an on-coming wrong-way driver. The wrong way driver may be confused and assume the right is the slowest, but in the opposite direction, the wrong-way driver’s right is the left lane, also known as the fast lane.

WRONG-WAY ACCIDENTS & DRIVING ALERT
Another reason to travel to the right is to avoid wrong-way drivers that may be on the wrong side after crossing the center median. The NTSB study found that 7 out of every 9 wrong-way accidents occur in the lane closest to the median.

Reducing the likelihood of any accident requires staying alert, focused and avoiding distractions. Phone use and other distractions take focus away from the road, causing drivers to become less aware of surroundings. Drivers wrapped up in distractions are less prepared to react as quickly as needed to oncoming dangers and may not have time to avoid a crash.

Regardless of how prepared you are, and if you were able to safely pass the wrong-way driver, always pull off the roadway as soon as it is safely possible and call 911 to report the incident. If a wrong-way driving incident is reported, a warning can be sent out which could potentially prevent injuries and save lives.


HOW TO REDUCE WRONG-WAY ACCIDENTS
Wrong-way accidents and the resulting highway deaths receive attention from transportation officials now developing a response. States including Rhode Island and Texas are implementing new innovative ideas and designs in attempt to prevent further wrong-way driving incidents. As of this writing, Massachusetts transportation officials are studying the issue.

Design features available to reduce wrong-way accidents include:
•Flashing “wrong-way” signs in high-risk areas
•“Wrong-way” or arrows painted onto the pavement
•Concrete structures or spikes that prevent wrong-way vehicles from entering
•More wrong-way warning signs on streets and ramps
•Surveillance and sensor detection that recognizes wrong-way vehicles
•Better lighting in high-risk areas
•Demolishing cloverleaf patterns and creating more space between ramps on future designs

The sensory and surveillance detection systems warn drivers that they are traveling in the wrong direction. They also alert police if the driver fails to turn around. Drivers on the threatened roadway can also be alerted to the danger with electronic highway signs warning of the wrong-way driver.

DO ATTEMPTS TO STOP WRONG-WAY DRIVERS WORK?
The new technology has achieved some level of success. Within one year after Rhode Island installed the new technology, as well as signs, wrong-way driving incidents dropped by 30 percent. Encouraged by those Department of Transportation findings, transportation officials nationwide hope that this approach can be used elsewhere.

 

PLR 23-010 - PMV4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, Automobiles
A 21-year-old Specialist assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, died in a PMV-4 mishap 13 November 2022 in Goldsboro, North Carolina, at 2245 local. The Soldier was driving westbound with three civilian passengers when they were involved in a head-on collision. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) responded to the scene. The Soldier, one of his civilian passengers, and the driver of the other vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene. The two other civilian occupants were taken to two different local hospitals. Upon arrival, one of the civilians was pronounced dead. The other civilian is in stable condition. Speed and alcohol use are not suspected. The use of seat belts is currently unknown. The safety/unit points of contact are waiting for NCSHP to release its final report.

Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 35 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the fourth PMV-4 fatality of FY23 and below the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

 

 

PLR 23-006 – PMV-4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, Automobiles
An 18-year-old Private First Class assigned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, died in a PMV-4 mishap 23 October 2022 in Wayne County, Ohio, at 2302 local. The Soldier was a recent AIT graduate and was participating in the Hometown Recruiting Program. He was driving home with his younger brother when their vehicle left the road and entered a creek bed. The Soldier died and his brother remains in critical condition with significant injuries. According to a local news report, both occupants were wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. Western Holmes Fire and emergency medical services, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department and the Wayne County Coroner’s Office assisted at the scene. Alcohol or drugs were not believed to be a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.

Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 35 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the third PMV-4 fatality of FY23 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.


 

PLR 23-005 - PMV-4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, Automobiles
A 39-year-old Staff Sergeant assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana, died in a PMV-4 mishap 21 October 2022 in Rosepine, Louisiana, at 0228 local. The Soldier’s vehicle struck a concrete barrier at a high rate of speed and caught fire, resulting in his remains being unrecognizable. He was identified 24 hours later via dental records. The Soldier was wearing his seat belt and it is unknown if alcohol was involved. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for the Louisiana State Police to release its final report.

Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 35 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the second PMV-4 fatality of FY23 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

NHTSA projects that an estimated 42,915 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes last year, a 10.5% increase from the 38,824 fatalities in 2020. The projection is the highest number of fatalities since 2005 and the largest annual percentage increase in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s history.

Additionally, the traffic fatalities in the following categories showed relatively large increases in 2021, as compared to 2020:

•Fatalities in multi-vehicle crashes up 16%
•Fatalities on urban roads up 16%
•Fatalities among drivers 65 and older up 14%
•Pedestrian fatalities up 13%
•Fatalities in crashes involving at least one large truck up 13%
•Daytime fatalities up 11%
•Motorcyclist fatalities up 9%
•Bicyclist fatalities up 5%
•Fatalities in speeding-related crashes up 5%
•Fatalities in police-reported, alcohol-involvement crashes up 5%

For more than two decades, speeding has been involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities. In 2020, 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.

Speeding endangers not only the life of the speeder, but all the people on the road around them, including law enforcement officers. It is a problem we all need to help solve.


 

PLR 23-002 – PMV-4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, Automobiles
A 23-year-old Specialist assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas, died in a PMV-4 mishap 10 October 2022 in Junction, Texas, at 1859 local. Reportedly, the Soldier was traveling on I-10 in a Ford F150 and had an accident at mile-marker 116. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The specific circumstances of the mishap, including speed, the Soldier’s use of seat belt, and the involvement of alcohol or drugs as contributing factors, are currently unknown. The unit/safety points of contact are awaiting further documentation and updates from the investigation.

Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 35 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the first PMV-4 fatality of FY23 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.
 

 

 

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