Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs)

A 39-year-old Staff Sergeant assigned to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, died in a PMV-2 mishap 21 October 2023 in Columbia, South Carolina, at 2200 local. The Columbia Police Department (CPD) responded and is investigating the mishap. The Soldier was properly licensed, completed the required Motorcycle Safety Foundation training and was wearing the required personal protective equipment. The specific circumstances of the mishap, including details about the mishap sequence and alcohol use, are currently unknown. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for CPD 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 second PMV-2 fatality of FY24 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

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A 23-year-old Sergeant assigned to Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, died in a PMV-2 mishap 15 August 2023 in Savannah, Georgia, at 0147 local. The Soldier was reportedly traveling home when he crashed his motorcycle into a guardrail. The Savannah Police Department (SPD) responded and pronounced the Soldier dead at the scene. He was reportedly wearing personal protective equipment. Speed or the involvement of alcohol are currently unknown. The Soldier had a valid license; however, completion of the required Motorcycle Safety Foundation training has not been verified. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for SPD to release its final report.

Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 24 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 38th PMV-2 fatality of FY23 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

Safety tip
According to a declaration by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 27% of motorcycle fatalities occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Night is not the best time to ride a motorcycle.

The Risks of Motorcycle Night Riding
1. Poor Visibility
It’s hard to see clearly at night, and if you cannot see clearly, you can easily suffer a puncture or even crash. It even gets complicated when the darkness combines with fog or rain as the roads become almost impassable.

2. Stray Animals
It’s often at night that wild animals cross the road. Unlike you, they do not understand road safety. Not only can you knock them over, but they could also cause you to lose control, and it could end fatally for you and the animal.

3. Drunk Drivers
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that more than three-fourths of nighttime motorists’ deaths are related to alcohol impairment. In most cases, it’s the drivers who are drunk.

4. Hidden Hazardous Objects
Since there is poor visibility, it’s hard to notice obstacles such as debris, fallen trees, potholes and loose gravel on the road. These obstacles pose an immense challenge on the road and could easily cause you to crash if you are not careful.

5. Oncoming Vehicle Headlights
It’s easy to get distracted by the headlights of oncoming vehicles and lose control of your motorcycle at night. Often, the flickering light makes it appear like the car is far when it’s near. You may not have enough time to prevent a head-on collision.

6. Nighttime Temperatures
Ordinarily, especially in mountainous regions, the nights get colder than the day. It sometimes freezes at night, which means you could easily suffer hypothermia (where your body loses more heat than it produces).
Hypothermia can easily happen if you ride your motorcycle unsafely in winter. What’s even trickier is riding in the wind, which makes you feel cold and may induce hypothermia.

Other Safety Tips on How to Ride a Motorcycle at Night
Slow down for better reaction – It’s hard to respond to danger if you are riding at full speed. Learn to slow down. It keeps you safe.

Keep a safe riding distance – It’s dangerous to follow motorists closely. If they brake suddenly, you may end up bumping into them.

Stay away from blind spots – Don’t ride into places you cannot see. It’s too risky, as you could crash.

Stay alert – You should always scan your eyes around to identify potential dangers and react to them accordingly. Just ensure you are not too distracted to lose control of your motorcycle.

Use road markings – Road markings can give you a proper road layout at night. Use them to the maximum. For example, road marker posts indicate the direction of the road curve even before you can get to it. The white markers show an offside curve, while the red markers show a nearside curve.

Check the bike’s condition beforehand – Ensure your motorcycle is in good condition. Check the brakes, tires, gears and every other part to ensure they are working well.

Fuel up – This applies to you and your motorcycle. Ensure you eat well and hydrate before jumping onto the bike for a nighttime ride. As for your motorcycle, ensure you have enough gas to last you the trip.

Stay sober – Don’t go riding your motorcycle if you are under the influence. This doesn’t just apply to nighttime but to every other time. Not only does intoxication impair your judgment and lead to injuries or deaths, but it could get you arrested.

Tips provided by IIHS and Motorcycle Exploits Blog

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A 25-year-old Sergeant assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, died in a PMV-2 mishap 7 October 2023 in Crestview, Florida, at 1227 local. The Soldier was riding southbound when he was struck by a civilian vehicle making a left-hand turn. Local law enforcement responded and pronounced the Soldier dead at the scene. The Soldier was licensed and had completed the Basic RiderCourse on 20 April 2023. He was wearing all the required personal protective equipment. Speed or alcohol were not contributing factors. 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 27 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the first PMV-2 fatality of FY24 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.
 

Safety tip 

Recent statistics reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggest that many motorcycle accidents happen at intersections when a motorist makes a left turn in front of a motorcyclist traveling straight, thereby failing to yield the right-of-way to the motorcyclist. These are potentially deadly motorcycle accidents because the rider will either strike the side of the car turning left, possibly flipping the bike over the car, or will need to make a very risky maneuver to avoid doing so. Such emergency swerves often end poorly for even the most experienced motorcyclist. 

NHSTA estimates that these unsafe left turns accounted for over 40 percent of all fatal motorcycle accidents involving a collision between a motorcycle and another vehicle. Accidents of this sort happen for a couple of reasons. First, motorcycles are just harder for drivers to see, so a driver who is even slightly inattentive when turning left may never notice an approaching motorcycle. Moreover, although probably not intentionally, drivers do tend to easily forget about or ignore motorcycles that are on the road. 

Another reason these accidents happen is that it can be very hard for a driver who is getting ready to turn left to determine the actual speed of an approaching motorcycle, as well as how far the motorcycle is from the intersection. The end result is a driver who gets a little impatient may wind up pulling out in front of the oncoming motorcycle. 

The bottom line is that while common, these failure-to-yield accidents are entirely preventable. All motorists need to do is check and double-check before turning left. If they do see an oncoming motorcycle, it’s probably best to let it go by. If a motorist does not follow these simple tips and causes an accident, they may be liable to pay compensation. 

To avoid left-turn accidents on motorcycles, you should: 

• Slow down when approaching intersections. 
• Always assume that oncoming cars will turn left at the intersection. 
• Always assume the oncoming driver does not see you. 
• Always have an “out” planned before you need it. 
• Cover your brakes to reduce your reaction time. 
• Increase your visibility by wearing high-visibility or bright clothing and making sure your riding gear has a reflective design. 
• Ride in the best spot possible by varying speed and lane position. 
• Plan escape routes to take evasive action if a driver violates a right-of-way. 
• Ride within your limits. 
   

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A 28-year-old Staff Sergeant assigned to Fort Drum, New York, died in a PMV-2 mishap 22 September 2023 in Pamelia, New York, at 2050 local. The Soldier was riding at a high rate of speed when he lost control, exited the roadway and struck a road sign. He was ejected from his bike and came to rest in a field adjacent to the highway. A bystander notified 911. The New York State Police (NYSP) responded, and life-saving measures were administered but unsuccessful. The Soldier reportedly was wearing the required personal protective equipment and completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic RiderCourse in October 2018. The involvement of alcohol is currently unknown. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for NYSP to release its final report.

Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 24 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 37th PMV-2 fatality of FY23 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

Safety tip

Crash Characteristics
Information about the environment surrounding the motorcyclist fatalities in 2021 included land use, motorcyclist location, light condition, weather and functional system. In 2021 (based on known values):
 

• 67 percent of the motorcycle fatalities occurred in urban areas compared to 33 percent in rural areas.


• 65 percent occurred at locations that were not intersections compared to 35 percent at intersections.


• 97 percent occurred in clear/cloudy conditions compared to 2 percent in rain conditions and 1 percent in snow/sleet, fog or other conditions.


• 57 percent occurred during daylight compared to 39 percent in the dark, 4 percent during dusk and 1 percent during dawn.


• 92 percent occurred on non-interstate roads compared to 8 percent on interstates.
  
  NHTSA Key Findings
   
• In 2021 there were 5,932 motorcyclists killed, 14 percent of all traffic fatalities. This is the highest number of motorcyclists killed since FARS started data collection in 1975.


• The number of motorcyclist fatalities in 2021 increased by 8 percent from 2020.


• 36 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2021 were riding without valid motorcycle licenses.


• Motorcycle riders killed in traffic crashes at night were three times more frequently found to be alcohol-impaired than those killed during the day (42% and 16%) in 2021.


• 33 percent of all motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2021 were speeding, compared to 22 percent for passenger car drivers, 15 percent for light-truck drivers, and 7 percent for large-truck drivers.


• Motorcycles were more frequently involved in fatal collisions with fixed objects than other vehicle types. Twenty-four percent of motorcycles involved in fatal crashes in 2021 collided with fixed objects, compared to 17 percent for passenger cars, 12 percent for light trucks and 4 percent for large trucks.
  
  Tips provide by NHTSA
  
  2021 Data: Motorcycles (dot.gov)
   

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A 21-year-old Specialist assigned to Fort Liberty, North Carolina, died in a PMV-2 mishap 21 September 2023 at Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina, at 1145 local. The Soldier was riding his motorcycle when he lost control and was ejected from his bike, striking a road sign. Fort Liberty emergency medical services personnel responded and transported him to the local medical center, where he was pronounced dead. Speed was reportedly a contributing factor. The Soldier was licensed, had completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic RiderCourse on 28 February 2023 and was wearing the required personal protective equipment.

Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 24 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 36th PMV-2 fatality of FY23 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

Safety tip

A motorcycle is inherently more difficult to operate than a passenger vehicle because it requires more physical skill and strength. The relationship of motorcycle speed and stability is also a critical consideration when riding a motorcycle, as the stability of a motorcycle is relative to speed. As speed increases, the motorcycle becomes more stable, requiring less effort from the operator to maintain its balance, even as it becomes less maneuverable. At lower speeds, the motorcycle becomes less stable, requiring greater effort from the operator to balance it.

NHTSA considers a crash to be speeding-related if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if an investigating police officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash. Thirty-three percent of all motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2021 were speeding, compared to 22 percent for passenger car drivers, 15 percent for light-truck drivers and 7 percent for large-truck drivers.

Tip provided by NHTSA
 

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