Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs)

A Specialist assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas, died in a pedestrian mishap 17 January 2021 in El Paso, Texas, at 0134 local. The Soldier was hit by a civilian vehicle while crossing the street near an intersection. He was transported to the local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Alcohol use and other factors are pending the results of the ongoing investigation.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of seven Soldiers a year to pedestrian/non-motorist mishaps. This mishap is the first pedestrian/non-motorist fatality of FY21.


Pedestrian Safety Tips:

1. Cross streets at a corner, using traffic signals and crosswalks where available.

2. Always look left, right and left again before crossing a street, and keep watching as you cross. Be aware that drivers have differing levels of eyesight and skill in operating motor vehicles.

3. Pedestrians should be especially careful at intersections, where drivers may fail to yield the right-of-way while turning onto another street.

4. Make sure you are seen:

- Make eye contact with drivers when crossing busy streets.
- Wear bright colors or reflective clothing if you are walking near traffic at night.
- Carry a flashlight when walking in the dark.

5. Walk on the sidewalk whenever possible.

- If sidewalks are not available, walk facing traffic on the edge of the road, as far from the travel lane as possible.
- Walk defensively and be ready for unexpected events. Know what’s going on around you and don’t allow your vision to be blocked by clothing, hats or items you are carrying.
- Watch the pedestrian signals, not the traffic signal, and follow the “WALK/DON’T WALK” lights. Look for pedestrian push buttons for crossing protection at signalized intersections.
- Watch out for parked vehicles. Parking lots can be as dangerous as streets.

6. Avoid alcohol and drugs, as they can impair your ability to walk safely.

7. When crossing, use all of your senses and don’t use your cellphone for calls and texting.

8. Use particular caution when crossing driveways and alley entrances. Drivers may not expect you to be there or see you.

9. Adults should supervise children when crossing streets. Smaller children may be difficult for drivers to see and young children may not be able to judge whether it is safe to cross a street.

Motorists need to be vigilant of pedestrians and pedestrians need to be vigilant of motorists. Although motorists have more responsibility under the law when operating a motor vehicle on city streets, pedestrians have more at stake.

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A Sergeant First Class assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas, died in a PMV-2 mishap 16 January 2021 in El Paso, Texas, at 1435 local. The Soldier was operating his sport bike in a roundabout when he hit a curb and lost control. The motorcycle struck a sand berm, then another curb before the Soldier was ejected from the bike. He was transported to the local hospital where he was pronounced dead by the local medical examiner. Speed is reportedly a contributing factor. The Soldier had completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic RiderCourse and was wearing personal protective equipment. The mishap is under investigation.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 27 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap is the eighth off-duty PMV-2 fatality of FY21.

Roundabouts are becoming more and more common on American roads, but sometimes even the most seasoned driver can get confused when faced with one of these enigmatic traffic circles. Who gives way to whom? Which direction do you signal? How on earth do you navigate roundabouts with multiple lanes?

Slow on approach
One of the advantages of a roundabout is that it does not stop traffic like a stop sign or a red light would. If a roundabout is empty, you do not have to stop before entering. However, that does mean that you must exercise extra caution on approach and make sure it is completely safe before entering. Slow down when you are approaching a roundabout, and if the way is clear, then you can proceed.

Give way to the person who is already on the roundabout
The first and most important rule of a roundabout is that you give way to vehicles that are already occupying it. Just as you would when entering a regular road, you must wait until there is sufficient space to enter the roundabout.

Give way to the left
When two or more vehicles approach a roundabout at the same time, you must then give way to the vehicle to the left. Otherwise it is first come, first served.

Signal your intent
One of the most common mistakes people use on roundabouts is signaling incorrectly or not at all. When used properly, indicators can be an excellent way to increase safety and convenience on a roundabout by letting those around you know your intentions. A good rule of thumb is to always signal immediately before your exit, using your right indicator, just as you would when turning. Correct indication on a roundabout goes as follows:
–When turning right (first exit), signal right as with a normal right turn.
–When going straight ahead, no signal upon entering, signal as you approach your exit.
–When turning left (last exit/three-quarters around), signal left upon entering, switch to right as you come to the exit.

When there are two lanes:
Just when you think that you’ve mastered the roundabout, along comes one with two lanes circling around it. Dealing with two lanes can be intimidating, but the reality is that it is not all that different from a regular, smaller roundabout. Often there will be a sign indicating which lane you should take, but if not, here are some guidelines:
–If you are turning right (first exit), take the outside lane.
–If you are going straight or the second exit, take the outside lane
–If you are taking a further exit, take the innermost lane and move over prior to your exit, after the first or second exit.

Proceed with extra caution if the roundabout has curbed edges so that you do run your vehicle over the curb. This could result in causing your vehicle to swerve back into the traffic already in the roundabout.

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A Private First Class assigned to the Indiana Army National Guard, Crawfordsville, Indiana, was on Title 32 502(f) orders in support of COVID vaccinations, when he died in a PMV-4 mishap 16 January 2021 in Bloomington, Indiana, at 2300 local. The Soldier was operating his vehicle en route to his hotel when he collided with another vehicle. The Soldier was transported to the local hospital and pronounced dead upon arrival by the attending physician. The specific circumstances of the mishap, including speed, the Soldier’s use of a seat belt and alcohol use, as contributing factors are unknown at this time. The mishap is under investigation.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 34 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap is the 14th PMV-4 fatality of FY21 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.


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.

Tips on 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.

2. Before the start of a long family car trip, get adequate 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 to 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.

Common Circadian Rhythm Disorders

Shift work sleep disorder: This sleep disorder affects people who frequently rotate shifts or work at night. A conflict between someone's circadian rhythm and the time of their shift can mean they get up to four hours less sleep than the average person.

Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS): This is a disorder of sleep timing. People with DSPS tend to fall asleep very late at night and have a hard time waking up in time for work, school, or social activities. It's especially common in teens and young adults.

Advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS): This is a disorder in which a person goes to sleep earlier and wakes earlier than they wanted. For example, they might fall asleep between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. and wake up between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.

Non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder: This disorder often affects people who are blind because the circadian clock is set by the light-dark cycle. With this condition, that cycle is disturbed. It can cause a serious lack of sleep time and quality at night and sleepiness during daylight hours.

Irregular sleep-wake rhythm disorder: With this disorder, people's circadian rhythms are jumbled. They may sleep in a series of naps over 24 hours.

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A Specialist assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, died in a privately owned weapons mishap 8 January 2021 in Killeen, Texas, at 2130 local. The Soldier was reportedly showing his shotgun to two other Soldiers at an off-post residence and pointed it at himself in a joking manner. One of the Soldiers told him that he shouldn’t do that with the weapon. After stating that the shotgun was on safe, it discharged unintentionally, striking the Soldier. He was pronounced dead at the scene. It is unknown at this time if alcohol was a contributing factor. The mishap is under investigation.

Since FY16, the Army has lost an average of four Soldiers a year to POW mishaps. This tragedy was the second fatal off-duty POW mishap of FY21.

Alcohol is a common factor in POW mishaps, along with indiscipline and complacency. In addition to never mixing alcohol and weapons, you can manage your risk with privately owned weapons if you always THINK weapons safety!

Treat every weapon as if it is loaded.
Handle every weapon with care.
Identify the target before you fire.
Never point the muzzle at anything you don’t intend to shoot.
Keep the weapon on safe and your finger off the trigger until you intend to fire.

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A Staff Sergeant assigned to Camp Eagle, South Korea, died in a Government Motor Vehicle mishap 4 January 2021 on Camp Casey, Korea, at 0330 local. The Soldier was driving a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle (LMTV) and arrived to a live-fire complex as the advanced party for a field training exercise. The Soldier and a passenger were in the LMTV near the entry road to the live-fire complex when the vehicle overturned. The Soldier suffered fatal injuries. The passenger is currently being evaluated at the local hospital for minor injuries. Ice is believed to have played a role in the mishap, which is under investigation.

Since 2016, the Army has experienced an average of 18 GMV mishaps per year. This mishap is the fourth GMV mishap of FY21 and slightly above the number of similar mishaps during the same time period last year.

Snow and Ice Reduce Traction:

1. When driving on snow or ice, make sure the vehicle is equipped with chains, snow tires or studded tires.

2. When roads are dangerous because of weather, drive with extra care and at reduced speed according to conditions.

3. Even when a road appears to be generally clear of ice, use caution. There can always be small patches of black ice on the road that can cause even the most experienced operator to have a mishap.

4. A good winter driving rule is to slow down before coming to bridges and shaded places. Be especially careful in late afternoon and after dark.

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