A 25-year-old Sergeant assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, died in a PMV-2 mishap 18 May 2022 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, at 2211 local. The Soldier struck a civilian SUV that was making a left turn. He was transported to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. It is currently unknown if speed or alcohol were factors. This mishap is still under investigation by the Fayetteville Police Department.
Since 2017, the Army has lost an average of 25 Soldiers a year to off-duty PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 17th off-duty PMV-2 fatality of FY22.
Safety Tips for Automotive DriversMotorcycles are hard to see. Not all bikes are like a Harley-Davidson with loud pipes (sorry, metric riders), making them also hard to hear.
When driving, motorists should keep a lookout when changing lanes.
If you are a pedestrian, you should always look twice when crossing a street since motorcycles are hard to spot visually.
Drivers should always review their blind spots with a head check, not just using your mirrors, for a rider.
Always move over to the left lane when passing an on-ramp since you may not be able to see a motorcycle rider merging into traffic.
Most bikes have only one headlight, so they will be difficult to see. Always keep a lookout.
Motorcycles are hard to see from a distance. If the traffic is going 55 mph, it will be at your crossing within 10-15 seconds if within a quarter-mile.
Safety Tips for Motorcycle RidersHere are some tips for riders that I have learned over the years from riding and taking a rider's course.
Always watch your road surface. Items like painted arrows, railroad crossings, sidewalks and tar-repaired cracks could make your bike tires skid and make you lose balance, leading to a crash even if it has not been raining.
Never do a “panic stop” with your back brake. You will skid. Always get the bike to the upright position (especially if you are in a turn) and apply the front brake quickly. When leaving a parking lot and turning left, and traffic is stopped and the cars turning have allowed space for you to turn left, the oncoming traffic will not be able to see you since the cars are blocking the view. Wait until the traffic moves or turn right and find a safe place to turn left (like a parking lot) to turn around.
When stopped and turning left, always check your rearview mirror for cars approaching you. They may not see you and getting rear-ended by a car can make for a bad day.
Always watch the weather report. Riding in high winds, rain or near freezing is bad mojo.
I hope this will help all of you ride safely. Keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down.
Tips provided by Christopher Collier from Health and Safety Institute.