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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 25-012 – PMV-4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, Automobiles
A 22-year-old Specialist assigned to the U.S. Army Reserve in Windsor, New Hampshire, died in a PMV-4 mishap 13 November 2024 in Walpole, New Hampshire, at 1500 local. The Soldier was returning to his home of record from Battle Training Assembly when his vehicle crossed the centerline and collided with a school bus. Emergency services were called, and they pronounced him dead at the scene. Seat belt use, speed, alcohol or drug involvement is unknown.

Since FY20, the Army has lost an average of 36 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the third PMV-4 fatality of FY25 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety tip

Drowsy driving kills — but is preventable. Learn about the factors commonly associated with drowsy-driving crashes and pick up some helpful tips to avoid falling asleep at the wheel. In this section, you’ll also find several resources and learn what National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is doing to help eliminate this risky behavior.

Avoid Driving Drowsy

1. Occur most frequently between midnight and 6 a.m., or in the late afternoon. At both times of the day, people experience dips in their circadian rhythm — the human body’s internal clock that regulates sleep.

2. Often involve only a single driver (and no passengers) running off the road at a high rate of speed with no evidence of braking.

3. Frequently occur on rural roads and highways.

4. Getting adequate sleep on a daily basis is the only true way to protect yourself against the risks of driving when you’re drowsy. Experts urge consumers to make it a priority to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night. For more information on healthy sleep, see In Brief: Your Guide to Healthy Sleep (PDF, 1.81 MB) at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website.

5. Before the start of a long family car trip, get a good night’s sleep, or you could put your entire family and others at risk.

6. Many teens do not get enough sleep at a stage in life when their biological need for sleep increases, which makes them vulnerable to the risk of drowsy-driving crashes, especially on longer trips. Advise your teens to delay driving until they’re well-rested.

7. Avoid drinking any alcohol before driving. Consumption of alcohol interacts with sleepiness to increase drowsiness and impairment.

8. Always check your prescription and over-the-counter medication labels to see if drowsiness could result from their use.

9. If you take medications that could cause drowsiness as a side effect, use public transportation when possible.

10. If you drive, avoid driving during the peak sleepiness periods (midnight – 6 a.m. and late afternoon). If you must drive during the peak sleepiness periods, stay vigilant for signs of drowsiness, such as crossing over roadway lines or hitting a rumble strip, especially if you’re driving alone drinking coffee or energy drinks alone is not always enough. They might help you feel more alert, but the effects last only a short time, and you might not be as alert as you think you are. If you drink coffee and are seriously sleep deprived, you still may have “micro sleeps” or brief losses of consciousness that can last for four or five seconds. This means that at 55 miles per hour, you’ve traveled more than 100 yards down the road while asleep. That’s plenty of time to cause a crash.

11. If you start to get sleepy while you’re driving, drink one to two cups of coffee and pull over for a short 20-minute nap in a safe place, such as a lighted, designated rest stop. This has been shown to increase alertness in scientific studies, but only for short time periods.

Tips provided by NHTSA.
 

 

PLR 25-011 – PMV-4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, Automobiles
A 19-year-old Private First Class assigned to Presidio, California, died in a PMV-4 mishap 10 November 2024 in Monterey, California, at 0947 local. The Soldier was involved in a traffic accident. The specific circumstances of the mishap, including the use of seat belts, speed or the involvement of alcohol, are currently unknown.

Since FY20, the Army has lost an average of 36 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the second PMV-4 fatality of FY25 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year.
 

 

PLR 25-007 – PMV-4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, Automobiles

A 26-year-old Sergeant assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado, died in a PMV-4 mishap in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at local. The Soldier was operating his vehicle with a passenger when they collided with a fuel truck. The Colorado Springs police and fire departments responded to the scene. The passenger was transported to the local hospital for treatment, where their current status or prognosis is unknown. Speed is suspected to be a causal factor. The involvement of alcohol or seat belt use are currently unknown.

Since FY20, the Army has lost an average of 36 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the first PMV-4 fatality of FY25 and less to the number of fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety tip

Top 10 Tips to Avoid Distractions While Driving

  • Fully focus on driving. Do not let anything divert your attention, actively scan the road, use your mirrors and watch out for pedestrians and cyclists.
  • Store loose gear, possessions and other distractions that could roll around in the car, so you do not feel tempted to reach for them on the floor or the seat.
  • Make adjustments before you get underway. This includes adjusting your seat, mirrors and climate controls before hitting the road. Also, decide on your route and check traffic conditions ahead of time.
  • Finish getting ready at home – instead of once you get on the road.
  • Snack smart. If possible, eat meals or snacks before or after your trip, not while driving. On the road, avoid messy foods that can be difficult to manage.
  • Secure children and pets before getting underway. If they need your attention, pull off the road safely to care for them. Reaching into the backseat can cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
  • Put aside your cell phone. Never text, read email, play video games or scroll the internet or social media while driving.
  • If you have passengers, let them be your co-pilot so you can focus safely on driving.
  • If another activity demands your attention, instead of trying to attempt it while driving, pull off the road and stop your vehicle in a safe place. To avoid temptation, turn your phone off or store it somewhere you cannot reach it before heading out.
  • As a general rule, if you cannot devote your full attention to driving because of some other activity, it’s a distraction. Take care of it before or after your trip, not while behind the wheel.

Tips provided by AAA.

 

 

PLR 24-094 – PMV-4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, Automobiles

A 23-year-old Private First Class assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas, died in a PMV-4 mishap in Crocket County, Texas, at local. The Soldier was driving in the wrong lane and collided head-on with another vehicle. The specific circumstances of the mishap, including the use of seat belts, speed or the involvement of alcohol, are currently unknown.

Since FY19, the Army has lost an average of 35 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 36th PMV-4 fatality of FY24 and below the number of fatalities for this period last year.

Safety tip

What you can do to prevent impaired driving

  • Don't drive while impaired by alcohol and/or drugs or ride with an impaired driver.
  • Don't let your friends drive while impaired.
  • Always wear a seat belt on every trip.

What drivers can do

  • Plan ahead. If you plan to drink alcohol or use drugs, make plans so that you do not have to drive.
  • Get a ride home. If you have been drinking alcohol and/or using drugs, get a ride home with a driver who has not been drinking or using drugs, use a rideshare service or call a taxi.
  • Agree on a trusted designated driver ahead of time. If you are with a group, agree on a trusted designated driver in the group who will not drink alcohol or use drugs.
  • Be aware of prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines. It's not just alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drugs that can impair your ability to drive. Many types of prescription medicines and some over-the-counter medicines can also affect your ability to drive safely, either on their own or when combined with alcohol. Avoid driving if you are unsure how a medicine may affect you, if it has side effects that can harm your ability to drive, or if your doctor tells you not to drive after using a medicine.

What everyone can do

  • Don't let your friends drive while impaired by alcohol and/or drugs.
  • Don't ride with an impaired driver.
  • If you're hosting a party where alcohol or drugs will be available, remind your guests to plan ahead. Arrange for alternative transportation or agree on a trusted designated driver who will not drink alcohol or use drugs. Offer alcohol-free beverages, and make sure all guests leave with a driver who has not been drinking alcohol and/or using drugs.
  • If you or someone you know is having trouble with alcohol or drugs, help is available.
  • Always wear a seat belt on every trip—regardless of whether you're the driver, the front seat passenger, or a back seat passenger. Wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of dying or being seriously injured in a crash by about half.

Overview

Alcohol

  • In 2020, 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers, accounting for 30% of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. This was a 14.3% increase compared to the number of crash deaths involving alcohol-impaired drivers in 2019.
  • 32 people in the United States are killed every day in crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver—this is one death every 45 minutes.
  • The annual estimated cost of crash deaths involving alcohol-impaired drivers totaled about $123.3 billionA in 2020. These costs include medical costs and cost estimates for lives lost.

Who is affected

  • 62% of people who died in crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers in 2020 were the alcohol-impaired drivers themselves; 38% were passengers of the alcohol-impaired drivers, drivers or passengers of another vehicle, or nonoccupants (such as a pedestrian).1
  • 229 children ages 0–14 years were killed in crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver in 2020. This was 21% of traffic-related deaths among children ages 0–14 years.

Tips provided by the CDC.

 

 

PLR 24-090 – PMV-4 Mishap Claims One Soldier's Life

Posting Date:   /   Categories: Preliminary Loss Reports, Automobiles

A 24-year-old Sergeant assigned to Fort Stewart, GA, died in a PMV-4 mishap while on leave in Buena Vista, Georgia, at local. The Soldier was driving his vehicle when it left the roadway and struck a tree. Seat belt use, speed, and alcohol or drug involvement are currently unknown.

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

Safety tip

Drowsy driving kills — but is preventable. Learn about three factors commonly associated with drowsy-driving crashes and pick up some helpful tips to avoid falling asleep at the wheel. In this section, you’ll also find several resources and learn what National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is doing to help eliminate this risky behavior.

Sleepiness can result in crashes any time day or night, but three factors are most commonly associated with drowsy-driving crashes.

Drowsy-driving crashes:

  1. Occur most frequently between midnight and 6 a.m., or in the late afternoon. At both times of the day, people experience dips in their circadian rhythm — the human body’s internal clock that regulates sleep;
  2. Often involve only a single driver (and no passengers) running off the road at a high rate of speed with no evidence of braking; and
  3. Frequently occur on rural roads and highways.

How To Avoid Driving Drowsy

  1. Getting adequate sleep on a daily basis is the only true way to protect yourself against the risks of driving when you’re drowsy. Experts urge consumers to make it a priority to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night. For more information on healthy sleep, see In Brief: Your Guide to Healthy Sleep (PDF, 1.81 MB) at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website.
  2. Before the start of a long family car trip, get a good night’s sleep, or you could put your entire family and others at risk.
  3. Many teens do not get enough sleep at a stage in life when their biological need for sleep increases, which makes them vulnerable to the risk of drowsy-driving crashes, especially on longer trips. Advise your teens to delay driving until they’re well-rested.
  4. Avoid drinking any alcohol before driving. Consumption of alcohol interacts with sleepiness to increase drowsiness and impairment.
  5. Always check your prescription and over-the-counter medication labels to see if drowsiness could result from their use.
  6. If you take medications that could cause drowsiness as a side effect, use public transportation when possible.
  7. If you drive, avoid driving during the peak sleepiness periods (midnight – 6 a.m. and late afternoon). If you must drive during the peak sleepiness periods, stay vigilant for signs of drowsiness, such as crossing over roadway lines or hitting a rumble strip, especially if you’re driving alone.

SHORT-TERM INTERVENTIONS

  1. Drinking coffee or energy drinks alone is not always enough. They might help you feel more alert, but the effects last only a short time, and you might not be as alert as you think you are. If you drink coffee and are seriously sleep deprived, you still may have “micro sleeps” or brief losses of consciousness that can last for four or five seconds. This means that at 55 miles per hour, you’ve traveled more than 100 yards down the road while asleep. That’s plenty of time to cause a crash.
  2. If you start to get sleepy while you’re driving, drink one to two cups of coffee and pull over for a short 20-minute nap in a safe place, such as a lighted, designated rest stop. This has been shown to increase alertness in scientific studies, but only for short time periods.

Tips provided by NHTSA.

 

 

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