Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs)

A Staff Sergeant assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado, died in a PMV-2 mishap 22 October 2020 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at 1502 local. The Soldier was operating his motorcycle when he collided with a vehicle that made a left turn into his lane. Emergency medical technicians arrived on scene to provide assistance and pronounced the Soldier dead. The Soldier had completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic RiderCourse and was wearing personal protective equipment. Speed, alcohol and drug use are unknown at this time. This mishap is under investigation.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 27 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This is the fourth PMV-2 fatality of FY21 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.

-Motorcycles have use of the complete traffic lane. Do not share lanes with motorcycles.

-Failure to yield the right-of-way to a motorcyclist is the most frequent driver error in collisions involving a motorcycle and another vehicle.

-Often drivers do not see motorcyclists until it is too late. This is why it is important for drivers to continually scan the roadway in front, to the rear and to the sides.

-Motorcycles accelerate, turn and stop more quickly than other vehicles. Bad weather, rough road surfaces or inexperience may cause a motorcyclist to fall. All of these are reasons why you should increase your following distance to four seconds or more when behind motorcycles.

ANALYZE IT   |   TRAIN IT   |   DOWNLOAD PDF

A Chief Warrant Officer 2 assigned to U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, Republic of Korea, and TDY to Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia, died in an off-duty water-related mishap 18 October 2020 on Tybee Island, Georgia, at 1510 local. After eating lunch on the beach, the Soldier walked out to a sandbar until he was waist deep in the water. His friends lost sight of the Soldier and notified a lifeguard, who began searching. At approximately 1700, the lifeguard found the Soldier unresponsive in the water. The county coroner pronounced the Soldier dead at 1829. No alcohol use was reported; however, Tybee Island had red beach flags posted, indicating high-hazard conditions.

Since FY16, the Army has lost an average of eight Soldiers a year to off-duty water-related mishaps. This tragedy was the first fatal off-duty water-related mishap of FY21 and below the number of off-duty water-related fatalities from this time last year.

Safety tips for swimming at the beach:
- Never swim alone and, when possible, swim at a lifeguard-protected beach.
- Obey all instructions and orders from lifeguards.
- Make sure you understand the significance of warning flags and understand that the absence of red flags does not assure safe conditions.
- When swimming at an unguarded beach, be cautious at all times. If in doubt, don’t go out!
- When caught in a rip current, remain calm to think clearly and conserve your energy:
* Don’t fight a rip current. If you are unable to swim out of it, float or tread water calmly. Then swim parallel to the shoreline.
* When certain you are out of the current, swim toward shore.
* If you are still unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself: face the shore, wave your arms and yell for help.

ANALYZE IT   |   TRAIN IT   |   DOWNLOAD PDF

A Sergeant First Class assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado, died in an off-duty PMV-2 mishap 17 October 2020 in Fountain, Colorado, at 1700 local. The Soldier and three other riders were operating their motorcycles when an aggressive driver attempted to pass on the left shoulder, according to witnesses. The driver made a right turn back into traffic, striking the lead motorcycle riders who were riding in pairs. The Soldier and another rider were forced into the opposite lane and into a ditch before their motorcycles came to rest. A witness who was emergency medical technician-qualified stopped to render aid. The Soldier was pronounced dead at the scene while the other rider suffered a concussion, contusions and bruises. The driver left the scene, but was arrested the following day. The Soldier was wearing personal protective equipment and completed the required Motorcycle Safety Foundation training courses. Speed, alcohol and drug involvement are not currently suspected to have contributed to the mishap, which is under investigation.
Since FY16, the Army has lost an average of 27 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This was the third fatal off-duty PMV-2 mishap of FY21 and above the number of fatalities from this same time frame last year.

Create a space cushion around your vehicle.
A space cushion is a buffer around your vehicle that you maintain to allow room to maneuver, if necessary. Know what is in your space cushion, scan frequently and maintain awareness of other vehicles.

-Keep at least a three-second following distance in front of you — four or five seconds in inclement weather.

-If another vehicle is tailgating you, use your turn signal and change lanes as soon as it is safe to do so.

-If a driver near you is operating their vehicle erratically or aggressively, put distance between you and the other driver by slowing down or changing lanes.

ANALYZE IT   |   TRAIN IT   |   DOWNLOAD PDF

A Private assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, died in a PMV-4 mishap 9 October 2020 in Clarksville, Tennessee, at 0218 local. The Soldier was riding as a passenger in a private motor vehicle that ran a red light and was struck by a fuel tanker truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Soldier was wearing his seat belt. Speed and alcohol use are unknown at this time. This mishap is under investigation.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 33 Soldiers a year to off-duty PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap is the first off-duty PMV-4 fatality of FY21.

How to be a better passenger:
Making yourself useful – whether you offer to operate the GPS or act as another set of eyes for the driver – can help avoid any accidents that would have happened due to distraction or driver fatigue.
Keeping watch for any diversions and reading road signs will also help the driver to focus on the task at hand.
Keeping a watchful eye for things the driver might miss is helpful; criticizing every move the driver makes could be harmful. If the driver gets frustrated or annoyed, it’s likely they’ll pay less attention to the road, which could lead to an easily avoidable accident.

Reminders while on the road:
1.Never drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
2.Avoid distractions while operating a vehicle.
3.Your focus should be on the task of driving safely.
4.Pay attention to your surroundings, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the area you’re driving in.
5.Focus as far to your front as possible using peripheral vision to scan for obstacles.
6.Maintain the posted speed limit.
7.Always wear your seat belt and ensure your passengers do the same.

ANALYZE IT   |   TRAIN IT   |   DOWNLOAD PDF

A Staff Sergeant assigned to Fort Irwin, California, died in a PMV-2 mishap 11 October 2020 near Huntington Beach, California, at 0400 local. The regimental staff duty noncommissioned officer received a call from the Soldier’s father stating the Soldier and his brother were involved in a crash while riding separate motorcycles. The brother reportedly died on the scene. The Soldier was transported by first responders to the local medical center, where he died during surgery. The specific circumstances of the mishap, including use of personal protective equipment, completion of required Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses, and contributing factors are unknown at this time due to lack of witnesses. The unit is awaiting additional information from the local authorities.

Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 28 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This is the second PMV-2 fatality of FY21 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.


Create a space cushion around your vehicle.

A space cushion is a buffer around your vehicle that you maintain to allow room to maneuver, if necessary. Know what is in your space cushion, scan frequently and maintain awareness of other vehicles.

Keep at least a three-second following distance in front of you – four or five seconds in inclement weather.

If another vehicle is tailgating you, use your turn signal and change lanes as soon as it is safe to do so.

If a driver near you is driving erratically or aggressively, put distance between you and the other driver by slowing down or changing lanes.

ANALYZE IT   |   TRAIN IT   |   DOWNLOAD PDF