Risk Management Magazine

A few years ago, when I was a member of a search-and-rescue team in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, another team asked for our help locating a missing hunter. We responded and I set out as part of a three-man all-terrain vehicle (ATV) team. I recall it was a beautiful, clear, cool, crisp morning as we drove south to the Sangre de Cristo Range.

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.