Risk Management Magazine

Suddenly, BAM! Out of nowhere, I struck what I thought was a ramp. It was actually a raised roadbed that was closer than I remembered. Worst of all, I hit it at a slanted angle. The roadbed was about 18 inches high and had a sloping angle to the side of it. Hitting it in a HMMWV or truck wouldn’t have been a big deal, but it proved much differently in the SkyTrak.

Few times in my life has an event disturbed me so deeply that, when I think about it even 10 years later, my heartrate still rises and a sickening lurch is conjured in the pit of my stomach. Given my current profession, this incident was embarrassing enough that I wish it could be forgotten, but it is still all too relevant and will forever be used as one of my most prominent teaching points.

Being in the National Guard, I’ve seen the emphasis placed on private motor vehicle (PMV) safety because of the vast distances some Soldiers must travel to and from drill. I’ve also noticed how that emphasis shifts when those same Soldiers are placed on orders at an armory or in the field for an extended period versus traveling daily to and from training.