A Staff Sergeant assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado, died in a PMV-4 mishap 6 November 2020 in Fountain, Colorado, at 1600 local. The Soldier was driving his private motor vehicle with a Soldier as a passenger when he lost control and collided with three other vehicles, causing his vehicle to roll several times before coming to a stop in the southbound lane. Company leadership arrived at the scene, where the local police confirmed the Soldier’s death. The passenger suffered a broken back and ribs. Alcohol use is not a contributing factor at this time and both Soldiers were reportedly wearing seat belts. This mishap is under investigation.
Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of 33 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap is the second off-duty PMV-4 fatality of FY21.
How to be a better passenger:
-Share the responsibilities
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.
-Banish backseat driving
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, the likelihood is they’ll pay less attention to the road, which could lead to an easily avoidable accident.
-Seat belts
Drilled into us since childhood, this one should be obvious but is worth repeating: wear your seat belt. It's the driver's legal responsibility to make sure passengers are properly belted.
Speeding is more than just breaking the law. The consequences are far-ranging:
1. Greater potential for loss of vehicle control;
2. Reduced effectiveness of occupant protection equipment;
3. Increased stopping distance after the driver perceives a danger;
4. Increased degree of crash severity leading to more severe injuries;
5. Economic implications of a speed-related crash; and increased fuel consumption/cost.