Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs)

A 29-year-old Sergeant assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, died in a PMV-2 mishap 11 March 2025 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, at 1905 local. The Soldier was operating his motorcycle when he collided with another vehicle while entering an intersection. The Fayetteville Police Department responded to the scene. Personal protective equipment use, training, speed and alcohol or drug involvement are currently unknown. No additional information is available at this time.

Since FY20, the Army has lost an average of 29 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 12th PMV-2 fatality of FY25 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety Tip

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 35% of fatal motorcycle accidents occur at intersections. In addition, 42% of fatal two-vehicle motorcycle crashes occurred when the other vehicle was turning left. Any intersection is potentially hazardous, whether it has stoplights, stop signs or is unmarked.
 

• Stay Alert to Navigate the Intersection: Maintain constant vigilance and be prepared for unexpected actions from other drivers.


• Ride at a Safe Speed: Approach intersections at a speed that allows you to react to changing conditions and avoid speeding.


• Be Observant: Pay close attention to other vehicles' movements, especially those preparing to turn across your path. Be aware of drivers' signals, head turns and steering wheel movements, which can indicate their intentions. Drivers often have a "tell" where they are about to go … a turn of the head or a steering wheel movement should signal you to cover your hand on the brakes (don't overreact, though). Look for wheel movement on cars approaching from the side.


• Practice Emergency Braking: Cover your brakes and be prepared to stop quickly. Make sure you improve your emergency braking skills. Most riders don't come near the stopping potential of their bike and tires. Training and continual practice are key to stopping your motorcycle by applying both brakes smoothly and firmly while rolling off the throttle. You should focus on the front brake and apply the rear brake a fraction of a second later.


• Learn "Brake, then Swerve" Techniques: Practice maneuvering to avoid potential collisions. A swerve is essentially two consecutive turns: one to avoid an obstacle, the second to recover. Always ensure you identify a safe place to swerve. Look for an escape route, then execute. Remember that braking and swerving are two actions that are executed separately. For example, if you must brake first, you should swerve second, or if you must swerve, then you should apply the brakes after. Remember that swerving is often more dangerous than emergency braking and can lead to an unintended mishap unless you are trained.


• Move Away from Turning Vehicles: After entering the intersection, move away from vehicles preparing to turn. Do not change speed or position radically. The driver might think you are preparing to turn.


• Don't Rely on Loud Pipes: Avoid relying on loud pipes or other passive strategies for safety.


• Give Yourself Space: Maintain a safe following distance behind other vehicles. Give yourself more time and space to respond by approaching intersections at conservative speeds. Speeding into intersections is a bad idea. Avoid trying to "make the light."


• Be Aware of Blind Spots: Be aware of other driver's blind spots and where they might lose sight of you. Selecting the optimum lane position is important so others can see you. Always be aware of your line of sight! Studies show that using high beams during the day can be helpful. Do not flash your lights, which other drivers could easily miscommunicate. Avoid "hiding" behind vehicles ahead, and do not tailgate.


• Take a Motorcycle Safety Course: Ensure you take a motorcycle safety training course to improve your riding skills and learn about safe intersection techniques.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that riding a motorcycle in traffic is risky. People make unsafe actions and take unnecessary risks. It's your job to do your best to minimize the risk by using effective strategies that give you some measure of control.
 

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A 34-year-old Private First Class assigned to Fort Cavazos, Texas, died in a PMV-4 mishap 8 March 2025 in Houston, Texas, at 1500 local. The Soldier was on his way to a baseball game with his son when another motorist ran a red light and collided with his vehicle. The Houston Police Department responded and pronounced the Soldier dead at the scene. The incident is currently under investigation and no additional information is available at this time.

Since FY20, the Army has lost an average of 36 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 16th PMV-4 fatality of FY25 and below the number of PMV-4 fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety tip

Intersecting roadways are necessary to connect people driving, walking and bicycling from one route to another. However, where roads intersect and paths cross, the resulting conflict points create circumstances where crashes can occur. In fact, each year roughly one-quarter of traffic fatalities and about one-half of all traffic injuries in the United States are attributed to intersections.

Avoid an accident at an intersection:

1. Pay attention to your surroundings. You need to look in every direction as you approach an intersection. Be aware that a tree, building or other cars could block your view. You want to look for traffic signals, signs, approaching vehicles and especially pedestrians. In 2019, 26% of pedestrian accident deaths occurred at intersections.
2. Be prepared to stop. You shouldn’t speed through intersections. You need to be prepared to stop your vehicle if you notice a pedestrian quickly entering the intersection or a vehicle that isn’t stopping or making an illegal turn.
3. Carefully enter an intersection after you have stopped. You might not realize that one of the biggest dangers at an intersection is after you’ve stopped for a red light or stop sign. You need to slowly enter an intersection when a light turns green or after stopping at a stop sign. Another vehicle may not be out of the intersection yet or may speed through a stop sign or traffic signal.
4. Maintain extra space between your car and the vehicle in front of you. Rear-end accidents are common near intersections, so you want to ensure you have enough space to stop quickly if you need to.
5. Use your turn signals. You want drivers around you to know where you are headed at an intersection. Make sure to use your turn signal if you are turning left, right or switching lanes as you approach an intersection.

Tips provided by the Federal Highway Administration

 

A 22-year-old Specialist assigned to Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas, died in a PMV-2 mishap 22 February 2025 in Killeen, Texas, at 1445 local. The Soldier was operating his motorcycle when he collided with a dump truck. Personal protective equipment use, training, speed and alcohol or drug involvement are currently unknown.

Since FY20, the Army has lost an average of 29 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 11th PMV-2 fatality of FY25 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety tip:

Motorcycle Speed and Safety:

1. Never exceed the speed limit or ride beyond your capabilities.
2. Always maintain an appropriate speed relative to the road conditions.
3. Wear protective gear such as helmets and proper clothing.
4. Obey traffic lights, signs, speed limits and lane markings.
5. Ride with the flow of traffic and leave plenty of room between your bike and other vehicles.
6. Always check behind you and signal before you change lanes.
7. Stay focused on the road.
8. Be aware of your surroundings.
9. Watch out for pedestrians on the road.
10. Maintain a safe distance from other vehicles.
11. Anticipate the actions of other drivers.
12. Use turn signals to alert other drivers of your movement.
13. Check your blind spots before changing lanes or making turns.

 

 

A 21-year-old Specialist assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, died in a PMV-4 mishap 24 February 2025 in Halifax, North Carolina, at 0222 local. The Soldier was driving his vehicle when it departed the roadway and struck a parked tow truck. First responders pronounced him dead at the scene. Seat belt use, speed and alcohol or drug involvement are currently unknown.

Since FY20, the Army has lost an average of 36 Soldiers a year to PMV-4 mishaps. This mishap was the 15th PMV-4 fatality of FY25 and below the number of PMV-4 fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety tip

Drowsy driving kills — but is preventable. Learn about three factors commonly associated with drowsy-driving crashes and pick up some helpful tips to avoid falling asleep at the wheel. In this section, you’ll also find several resources and learn what NHTSA is doing to help eliminate this risky behavior.

How To Avoid Driving Drowsy:

1. Getting adequate sleep on a daily basis is the only true way to protect yourself against the risks of driving when you’re drowsy. Experts urge consumers to make it a priority to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
2. Before the start of a long family car trip, get a good night’s sleep, or you could put your entire family and others at risk.
3. Avoid drinking any alcohol before driving. Consumption of alcohol interacts with sleepiness to increase drowsiness and impairment.
4. Always check your prescription and over-the-counter medication labels to see if drowsiness could result from their use.
5. If you take medications that could cause drowsiness as a side effect, use public transportation when possible.
6. If you drive, avoid driving during the peak sleepiness periods (midnight – 6 a.m. and late afternoon). If you must drive during the peak sleepiness periods, stay vigilant for signs of drowsiness, such as crossing over roadway lines or hitting a rumble strip, especially if you’re driving alone.

SHORT-TERM INTERVENTIONS

1. Drinking coffee or energy drinks alone is not always enough. They might help you feel more alert, but the effects last only a short time, and you might not be as alert as you think you are. If you drink coffee and are seriously sleep-deprived, you still may have “micro sleeps” or brief losses of consciousness that can last for four or five seconds. This means that at 55 miles per hour, you’ve traveled more than 100 yards down the road while asleep. That’s plenty of time to cause a crash.
2. If you start to get sleepy while you’re driving, drink one to two cups of coffee and pull over for a short 20-minute nap in a safe place, such as a lighted, designated rest stop. This has been shown to increase alertness in scientific studies, but only for short time periods.

 

 

A 23-year-old Private assigned to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, died in a PMV-2 mishap 15 February 2025 in Mililani, Hawaii, at 1000 local. Local paramedics responded to the mishap scene and transported the Soldier to Queens East Hospital. Personal protective equipment use, training, speed and alcohol or drug involvement are currently unknown.

Since FY20, the Army has lost an average of 29 Soldiers a year to PMV-2 mishaps. This mishap was the 10th PMV-2 fatality of FY25 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year.