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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 24-031 - PMV-4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, PMV-4

A 49-year-old Sergeant First Class assigned to Fort Novosel, Alabama, died in a PMV-4 mishap in Walton County, Florida, on at local. The Soldier was traveling northbound with her son as a passenger when an oncoming vehicle entered their lane and struck them head-on. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) and Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) responded and pronounced the Soldier dead at the scene. The Soldier’s son was transported to the local hospital and discharged with no serious injuries. The civilian driver was hospitalized in critical condition. The specific circumstances of the mishap, including use of seat belt, speed or alcohol, are currently unknown. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for WCSO and FHP to release their final report.

Since FY19, the Army has lost an average of 35 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 15th fatality of FY24 and above the number of fatalities for the same time last year.

Safety tip

Head-on motor vehicle collisions are deadly. In , they were responsible for nearly 30% of the 16,700 U.S. roadway deaths that resulted from crashes with other vehicles, according to the National Safety Council (NSC).

You can help prevent a potential head-on collision before it occurs. NSC has developed a lifesaving method for drivers to use: the four R’s.

Read the road ahead. Scan ahead to the top of the next hill, curve or intersection to recognize hazards. This will help you see and react faster if an oncoming vehicle crosses the centerline. Also, check the shoulder of the road to see if you’ve got room to pull over. Watch the space between the left front tire of any approaching vehicle and the centerline. If the spacing is becoming smaller, that vehicle may be about to stray into your lane.

Drive to the Right. Drive slightly to the right of center of your lane to create an extra space between you and other vehicles. On multi-lane roadways, leave one lane to the left open. When facing a head-on collision, drive right, onto the shoulder. Never swerve into the left lane. If the other driver instinctively pulls their vehicle back into the proper lane, you’ll have a collision in that lane.

Reduce your speed. If you see a hazard ahead, immediately reduce your speed. This gives you extra time and gives the oncoming driver time to recover and move back into the correct lane. Don’t slam on the brakes or swerve. And never stop your vehicle. If you stop completely, you may be struck from behind – and potentially pushed forward into the oncoming vehicle.

Ride off the road. If you have to choose between a head-on collision and riding onto the shoulder, your chances of survival are much better on the shoulder. If you must hit something, steer your vehicle to hit the object with a glancing blow rather than head-on. Every inch off center reduces the impact of the collision – and increases your chance for survival.

Tips provided by the National Safety Council.

 

 

PLR 24-030 - PMV-4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, PMV-4

A 21-year-old Private assigned to Fort Moore, Georgia, died in a PMV-4 mishap in Fayetteville, Georgia, at local. The Soldier was reportedly traveling on a two-lane road when he left the roadway and drove into a lake. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) responded to the scene. The specific circumstances of the mishap, including, speed or seat belt use, are currently unknown. Alcohol was present, but it is unknown if it was a contributing factor. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for FCSO to release its final report.

Since FY19, the Army has lost an average of 35 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 14th fatality of FY24 and above the number of fatalities for the same time last year.

Safety tip

Every day, about 37 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that's one person every 39 minutes. In , 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths — a 14% increase from . These deaths were all preventable.

Driving after drinking is deadly. Yet it still continues to happen across the United States. If you drive while impaired, you could get arrested or, worse, be involved in a traffic crash that causes serious injury or death.

Impaired Driving

Driving a vehicle while impaired is a dangerous crime. Tough enforcement of drunk-driving laws has been a major factor in reducing drunk-driving deaths since the 1980s. Charges range from misdemeanors to felony offenses, and penalties for impaired driving can include driver’s license revocation, fines, ignition interlock devices at owner’s expense and jail time. It’s also extremely expensive. A first-time offense can cost the driver upwards of $10,000 in fines and legal fees.

Tips provided by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

 

 

PLR 24-029 - PMV-4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, PMV-4

A 25-year-old Sergeant assigned to Fort Liberty, North Carolina, died in a PMV-4 mishap in Harnett County, North Carolina, at local. The Soldier was traveling more than 100 mph when he crossed the centerline in a right-hand curve and struck a tree on the driver’s side of the vehicle. Local law enforcement and emergency medical services responded and pronounced the Soldier dead at the scene. The Soldier was wearing a seat belt. It is currently unknown if alcohol was a contributing factor. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for law enforcement to release its final report.

Since FY19, the Army has lost an average of 35 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 13th fatality of FY24 and above the number of fatalities for the same time last year.

Safety tip

Preventing Car Accidents on Dangerous Curves

Posted Warning Signs to Prevent Accidents
Most drivers are cautious and alert while driving; however, a driver may underestimate the risk posed by a curve in the road. To prevent a potential accident, signs are posted near dangerous curves.

  • Curve and Corner Signs – A yellow-colored sign to warn drivers of a dangerous curve on the road ahead. These signs depict an illustration of the curve itself along with the most suitable speed for the vehicle to safely negotiate the curve.
  • Chevron Arrows – Chevron arrows comprise a series of signs set up along the actual location of the curve. These signs start before the curve itself and show the direction of the curve.

Curve Awareness to Prevent Accidents

  1. Be aware of the danger posed by a curve in the road. Whenever vehicles pass through a curve, the tires of the vehicle move forward due to acceleration and inertia. These opposing movements may cause the vehicle to skid, posing a danger to both the vehicle and the driver.
  2. Reducing the speed of the vehicle when negotiating a curve along the road may prevent an accident. The road signs should serve as a warning to slow down before reaching the curve.
  3. Avoid over-turning the wheel. When passing through the curve, move the vehicle along the edge of the lane opposite to the direction of the curve. For example, a vehicle should stay along the right of the lane in a left-curving road. This reduces the sharpness of the curve and reduces the chances of skidding.
  4. Remain alert while passing through these curves. Be aware of drivers coming from the opposite direction.
  5. Increase your speed only after you have passed the curve safely.

 

Tips provided by The Law Firm of Zappettini and Bradley.

 

 

PLR 24-028 - PMV-2 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, PMV-2

A 23-year-old Specialist assigned to Fort Liberty, North Carolina, died in a PMV-2 mishap in Aberdeen, North Carolina, at local. The Soldier was attempting to pass a vehicle on the highway when he struck the passenger side of another vehicle turning into traffic. Law enforcement and emergency medical services responded to the scene and transported the Soldier to the local regional hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Soldier was wearing personal protective equipment, completed the Basic RiderCourse and had a valid motorcycle endorsement. Speed or the involvement of alcohol as contributing factors is unknown. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for law enforcement to release its final report.

Since FY19, the Army has lost an average of 28 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 11th PMV-2 fatality of FY24 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

Safety tip

Strategies for passing safely

1. No unnecessary risks
First, ask yourself why you want to pass. Are you on your motorcycle because you’re trying to get somewhere or because you enjoy the ride? If it’s the latter, maybe it’s best to find that peaceful pace that flows with other motorists rather than racing past them.

In most circumstances, if you decide not to pass someone, you’ve reduced your exposure to potential danger.

2. Key steps to passing
Total abstinence from overtaking isn’t too likely for most riders, so let’s consider how to pass safely and effectively. That means employing this basic blueprint for every maneuver you make:

  1. Constantly scan the road ahead and behind, in both the overtaking lane and the cruising lane.
  2. Signal your intention to pass
  3. Initiate the maneuver while accelerating.
  4. Swing wide around the vehicle you’re passing.
  5. Once you have sufficient room in front of the vehicle you’re going around, signal your merge back to the original lane.
  6. Merge and decelerate to the desired speed.

That’s the basic outline for safe passing and should be used for every overtaking maneuver. Yet, there’s a lot of nuance in the details and varying circumstances of some situations.

3. ‘Gas it’ or ‘roll on’?
When overtaking another motorist, you’re faced with a decision to either roll on the throttle to build some speed, or to downshift, hit the gas and use a more sudden burst of acceleration to pass.

Which is the best? The downshift-and-gas-it method is better because it typically carries less momentum into the situation, making it easier to abort the pass if the situation changes.

Building speed before initiating the pass consumes time. Plus, it usually means you’re going pretty fast by the time you’re swinging wide to make the pass. If conditions suddenly change – such as an oncoming vehicle or a change in speed of the vehicle you’re attempting to pass – you can be forced to take evasive action at the very moment you’re committed with maximum speed.

The solution: pass decisively and quickly, utilizing your motorcycle’s ability to accelerate.

4. Passing with a passenger
The strategy changes when overtaking while your motorcycle is loaded with a passenger or the weight of extra gear. If your bike is fully loaded, ride with the premise that you’re not going to pass unless it’s necessary. A loaded motorcycle takes more time to accelerate and decelerate.

For those occasions when you must pass while riding fully loaded, avoid the ‘gas it’ method in favor of building speed before initiating the maneuver. A fully loaded motorcycle doesn’t accelerate quickly enough.

Use the same rationale as passing unloaded: use the method that consumes the least amount of time for the whole passing process. With a loaded motorcycle, the building-speed method is generally the quickest.

5. Passing in farm country
A ride through rural Pennsylvania or Wisconsin can make you acutely aware of the pitfalls associated with passing slow-moving farm machinery.

Someone driving farm equipment like a tractor or combine poses added challenges and danger to a motorcyclist. This equipment is usually wide and can hang into a second lane. Sometimes operators can’t see or aren’t paying attention to motorists behind them; they might not have working lights or turn signals; their equipment is cumbersome and can sling dirt onto the road, and they might abruptly turn into fields without a marked or visible driveway.

Pay attention to these dangers for clues to directional changes a farmer might make in his/her route, such as the telltale sign of dirt chunks going into and out of fields, as well as other equipment being operated in upcoming fields.

6. Passing safely in a group
If you’re among a group of riders who are about to pass a motorist, agree in advance on how the group will or will not pass and follow that guidance while still making your own safety decisions.

It is a mistake to blindly follow the lead of the rider in front of you. For starters, that rider might have very different sensibilities than you about what constitutes a safe situation for passing. Secondly, even if the situation was safe for his or her pass, it might have changed by the time you’re ready to do so.

The best approach is to employ the same strategies and sensibilities used when riding solo. If you’re riding within a group and decide to pass a motorist, be extra cautious to look behind you before swinging wide. Others in the group behind you might not share your same caution and could decide to pass before it’s their turn.

7. How to get passed
How to handle occasions when you’re the one getting passed? It’s best to leave your ego at the door, do your scan of the situation and allow the pass to occur as safely as possible.

If you think the situation is safe and OK for passing, stay the course and don’t make any changes. But be prepared to change that tactic and have a plan for it. If you see a motorist roll out to pass, then look at all the factors on the road.

You want them to have a choice to go in front of you as well as the ability to change their decision and come in behind you. That might mean changing position in the lane to free up space and slowing down.

Additional tips on passing safely
Here are a few more valuable tips for safe passage:

  • If you’re about to pass another vehicle, always check behind you before initiating the move to ensure that a motorist behind you isn’t doing the same thing at that exact moment.
  • In most states, a motorcycle owns the entire lane. So if you’re passing another motorcyclist, be sure to pass them in a different lane instead of using the same lane.
  • When riding in multiple traffic lanes, always try to pass on the left whenever possible. If it’s just you, it’s OK to pass on the right. But if you’re riding in a group, passing should occur on the left.
  • Be wary of anything that’s out of the ordinary that could result in other motorists’ sudden directional changes. Likewise, if you’re near a tourist attraction or other popular landmark, be prepared for last-second maneuvers by other drivers. And always consider someone driving slowly as a possibility for a non-signaled, unsafe U-turn.
  • In a nutshell, be cautious, be aware and be thoughtful about your environment.

 

Tips provided by Harley Davidson Motorcycle @ Harley-Davidson.com.

 

 

PLR 24-027 - PMV-2 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, PMV-2
A 21-year-old Active Guard Reserve Specialist assigned to the U.S. Army Reserves, Denton, Texas, on special work support status, died in a PMV-2 mishap 31 January 2024 in Flower Mound, Texas, at 1952 local. The Soldier was reportedly traveling on the roadway when a merging civilian vehicle struck him. The Flower Mound Police Department (FMPD) and emergency medical services arrived and pronounced the Soldier dead at the scene. The specific circumstances of the mishap, including the Soldier’s use of personal protective equipment, completion of the required Motorcycle Safety Foundation training, licensing, speed or the involvement of alcohol, is currently unknown. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for FMPD to release its final report.

Since FY19, the Army has lost an average of 28 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 10th PMV-2 fatality of FY24 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.
 

 

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