A 19-year-old Private First Class assigned to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, died in a PMV-2 mishap 30 June 2023 in Medina County, Texas, at 1047 local. The Soldier (Trainee) reportedly was traveling at a high rate of speed and crashed. The Texas Department of Public Safety responded and pronounced her dead at the scene. The Soldier was not properly licensed and did not complete the required Motorcycle Safety Foundation training, but she was wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment. Alcohol was not a contributing factor to the mishap.
Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 24 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 25th PMV-2 fatality of FY23 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.
Safety tips
Motorcycle training
Motorcycle training is mandatory for Soldiers! Per Army Regulation 385-10, The Army Safety Program, paragraph 11-7:
(5) Mandatory motorcycle training. Under the Progressive MC Program, all Soldiers who operate a MC are required to take the following MC training:
(a) Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Basic Rider Course (BRC) or DUSD(I&E) endorsed, State-approved, curriculum for MC operator’s safety training.
(b) Experienced Rider Course (ERC) or the MSF BRC–II.
(c) Military Sportbike Rider Course (MSRC) or MSF Advanced Rider Course (ARC).
(d) MC refresher training (MRT) for Soldiers deployed for more than 180 days.
The impact of speeding
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), around 40 percent of all motorcyclist fatalities were due to excessive speed or riding too fast for conditions. Speeding is one of the leading factors in motorcycle fatalities. Always obey posted speed limits and avoid the dangers of speeding on the road. Always maintain an appropriate speed relative to the road conditions and never ride beyond your capabilities. Since motorcycles don't have the same level of protection as cars, speeding has an even smaller margin for mistakes that have grave consequences.