Two Privates assigned to the Army Reserve, Tupelo, Mississippi, on battle assembly orders died in a pedestrian mishap 9 July 2021 in New Albany, Mississippi, at 0800 local. Four Army Reserve Soldiers were traveling on Interstate 22 near Myrtle and New Albany, Mississippi, en route to battle assembly when one of the Soldiers experienced a flat tire on her vehicle. Two other Soldiers stopped to render assistance in changing the tire and were both struck by a vehicle. The two Soldiers were dead when Mississippi Highway Patrol arrived on scene.
Since 2016, the Army has lost an average of seven Soldiers a year to pedestrian/non-motorist mishaps. This mishap resulted in the fifth and sixth pedestrian/non-motorist fatalities of FY21.
When dealing with a flat tire on the highway:
Pull over and out of traffic if possible — Even if all of the emergency lights are activated, some highway drivers do not pay close attention and could rear-end the disabled vehicle, causing further damage or injury.
Alert other drivers — Once off the road, put out reflectorized triangles behind your vehicle to alert other drivers. Keep your emergency flashers on. Keep as much distance as possible between you and the disabled vehicle until traffic has been diverted around it.
Tackle changing a tire only if you can do so without placing yourself in danger — If you know how to change a tire, have the equipment and can do it safely without being near traffic, change the tire as you normally would.
Remember that being safe must take precedence over your schedule or whatever other concerns you may have. Changing a tire with traffic whizzing past can be nerve-wracking at best and dangerous at worst. Therefore, it may be best to get professional help if you have a tire problem or other breakdown on a multi-lane highway.