A 25-year-old Specialist assigned to Fort Shafter, Hawaii, died in a PMV-2 mishap 7 September 2023 in Honolulu, Hawaii, at 1642 local. The Soldier was riding at a high rate of speed when he broadsided a vehicle turning left, careened into the westbound lanes and struck a vehicle head-on. Emergency medical services and the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) responded to the scene. The Soldier was transported to a local hospital, where he died shortly after arrival. The Soldier was properly licensed and completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic RiderCourse 4 March 2023. Alcohol was not a factor, and the use of personal protective equipment is unknown. The unit/safety points of contact are waiting for HPD to release its final report.
Since FY18, the Army has lost an average of 24 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 33rd PMV-2 fatality of FY23 and above the number of fatalities for the same time period last year.
Safety tip
Motorcycle Fatality Statistics
There Were 5,579 Motorcyclists Killed in 2020
Unfortunately, 2020 was a bad year for motorcycle riders. A total of 5,579 were killed in fatal traffic accidents. This was the highest number of motorcycle accident deaths since the Fatality Analysis Reporting System was first started in 1975.
Motorcycle Accidents Accounted for 14% of All Traffic Deaths
Motorcycle riders account for 14% of all traffic facilities, despite the fact only 3% of all registered vehicles are motorcycles. Motorcycle crashes also account for 18% of all occupant fatalities and 4% of all injuries to vehicle occupants.
2,143 of Motorcycle Accident Deaths Occurred When Not Wearing a Helmet
Failure to wear a helmet is one of the biggest risk factors for motorcycle riders. In fact, 2,143 motorcycle accident fatalities occurred when riders were not helmeted. Helmets can help to protect against head injuries, which have a high fatality rate.
34% of Motorcycle Fatalities Involve Speeding
Driving too fast is another risk factor. More than one-third of fatal motorcycle accidents (34%) involve a motorist traveling at excess speed. Driving too fast increases the risk of a collision due to increased stopping distance and decreased control. It also increases the risk that a crash which does occur will be fatal because crash energy and forces increase as speed increases.
27% of Motorcycle Accident Deaths Involved Alcohol
Drunk driving is a well-known risk factor for all types of accidents, including motorcycle collisions. More than a quarter of deadly motorcycle accidents (27%) were alcohol-involved crashes. This includes single-vehicle accidents, which account for 41% of alcohol-impaired motorcycle crashes and which resulted in 880 motorcyclist deaths in 2020. By contrast, just 18% of alcohol-impaired motorcyclist crashes were multi-vehicle accidents, although these accounted for 556 deaths of motorcycle riders during the same year.
Alcohol-Impaired Motorcycle Crashes Increase at Night
Drunk driving increases during the evening hours, making this an especially dangerous time for motorcycle accidents. Forty percent of alcohol-impaired motorcycle crash deaths occur during the evening hours. And motorcycle accidents are three times as likely to involve an impaired driver during the nighttime compared with during the day.
On the Weekend, the Most Common Time of Day When Motorcycle Fatalities Occur is 6-9 p.m.
For motorcyclists, weekend evenings are a dangerous time on the road. A total of 24% of fatal motorcycle accidents happen between 6 and 9 p.m., with 676 deaths occurring during just this time period alone.
During the Week, the Most Common Time of Day When Motorcycle Fatalities Occur is 3-6 p.m.
Crashes happen earlier on weekdays, perhaps because more motorcycle riders are on the roads earlier during commuting hours during the workweek. A total of 26% of motorcycle fatalities occurred between 3 and 6 p.m. During this period, a total of 1,263 deaths occurred.
Tips provided by Forbes Adviser Christy Bieber, NHTSA AAMVA, IIHS, NSC