Risk Management Magazine

Many of us are guilty of trying to hop a ladder a few feet to the side instead of climbing down and moving it the proper way. Or maybe you’ve done the suicide lean by extending your body as far to the side as possible to get to a spot that’s just out of reach. While you may have successfully completed these dangerous maneuvers in the past, chances are you’re heading for a fall.

Some behaviors bring pride to themselves and the unit, others disgrace. Reckless driving — arguably the greatest threat to our formations today — should be no different. So why are we failing to influence our Soldiers' driving habits? The answer is simple: we haven’t really tried.

Looking back, I realize there were steps we should have taken to prevent or mitigate these injuries. For example, we could have done more to prepare our players for the demands of sprinting and quick changes in direction. This could have included incorporating more agility drills and plyometric exercises into our practices to improve our players' speed, power and flexibility.