A Sergeant assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas, died in a government motor vehicle (GMV) mishap 28 August 2020 on the installation at 1934 local. The Soldier was the truck commander in an M1120 HEMTT Load Handling System (LHS) that rear-ended another LHS (Vehicle 2)) during convoy operations. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Soldier's seat belt and personal protective equipment use is unknown at this time. It is suspected that Vehicle 2 had stopped due to a maintenance issue. Dusty conditions were reported at the time of the mishap, resulting in limited visibility and a hazardous driving environment. The USACRC is leading a safety investigation into the mishap.
Since FY16, the Army has lost an average of 12 Soldiers in GMV mishaps per year. This was the 11th GMV mishap of FY20 and below the number of similar mishaps during the same time period last year. Ensure your convoy brief addresses control measures to mitigate hazards identified in your risk assessment, such as vehicle restraint use, speed limits and safe following distances. The Joint Risk Assessment Tool (JRAT) provides numerous potential subtasks, hazards and control measures associated with vehicle operations. Check it out at https://jrat.safety.army.mil.