Preliminary Loss Reports (PLRs)

A 28-year-old Specialist assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, died in an automobile mishap 12 September 2026 in Pierce County, Washington, at 0230 local. The Soldier’s vehicle exited the roadway and struck a tree. Pierce County police, emergency medical services and the medical examiner responded to the scene, where the Soldier was pronounced dead. The use of seat belts, speed, and the involvement of alcohol or drugs are currently unknown. Additional information is unavailable at this time.

Since FY21, the Army has lost an average of 36 Soldiers a year to automobile mishaps. This mishap was the 32nd automobile fatality of FY26 and above the number of fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety Tips

This tragic loss underscores the persistent, deadly hazards associated with late-night driving, roadway departure dynamics and off-post motor vehicle travel. Every Soldier is essential to operational readiness and their unit’s mission. Mitigating automobile mishaps requires unwavering personal discipline and comprehensive pre-trip planning.

Combat Late-Night Driver Fatigue and Circadian Vulnerability

• Understand Circadian Vulnerability: The human body’s circadian clock experiences an acute biological low between 0200 and 0600, when micro sleeps, cognitive lag and involuntary lapses in vigilance peak.
• Plan High-Risk Departures: Plan high-risk departures during daylight or alert daytime hours. Never begin personal travel when operating in a sleep-deprived state.
• Pull Over and Rest: If feeling heavy eyelids, lane wandering or frequent yawning, pull over immediately at an illuminated rest area or safe public parking lot. Caffeine and open windows cannot replace physical sleep.

Prevent and Correct Roadway Departures Safely

• Avoid Panic Steering: If tires drift onto a soft, unpaved or drop-off shoulder, resist the instinct to violently yank the steering wheel back toward the asphalt.
• Stabilize and Control the Vehicle: Firmly stabilize the steering wheel, completely release the accelerator pedal and apply smooth, gradual braking pressure once directional control is secured.
• Re-enter Travel Lanes Safely: Re-enter the travel lane only after the vehicle’s speed is controlled and oncoming traffic is entirely clear.

Resources/Tools

• U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center (USACRC): The official hub for Army safety guidelines, regulations, safety tools and mishap reporting. Visit https://safety.army.mil.
• DoD Instruction 6055.04, DoD Motor Vehicle and Traffic Safety Program: Implements policy, assigns responsibilities and prescribes procedures for administering the DoD Motor Vehicle Safety Program to reduce deaths, injuries and property damage caused by vehicular mishaps. Visit https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD.
• Army Regulation 385-10, The Army Safety and Occupational Health Program: Prescribes policy, responsibilities and procedures for safeguarding Army personnel and property, including PMV safety requirements.
• Driver’s Training Toolbox: Provides comprehensive resources, publications and guidance on vehicle safety and mishap prevention. Visit https://safety.army.mil/ON-DUTY/Drivers-Training-Toolbox.
• Travel Risk Planning System (TRiPS): An online tool designed to help Soldiers plan travel routes, analyze driving risks and mitigate fatigue prior to leave or pass travel. Visit https://trips.safety.army.mil.

A 21-year-old Private First Class assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, died in a motorcycle mishap 27 September 2026 on the installation at 2138 local. The Soldier’s motorcycle collided with a passenger car at an intersection. The Kentucky State Police and emergency medical services responded to the scene, where the Soldier was pronounced dead. The use of personal protective equipment, training, speed, and the involvement of alcohol or drugs are currently unknown. Additional information is unavailable at this time.

Since FY21, the Army has lost an average of 31 Soldiers a year to motorcycle mishaps. This mishap was the 25th motorcycle fatality of FY26 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety Tips

Road safety is a shared, non-negotiable operational responsibility across the entire formation, requiring both motorcyclists and vehicle drivers to maintain active situational awareness and discipline. Preventing fatal mishaps, such as intersection collisions, demands disciplined defensive habits, proactive unit mentorship and immediate roadside trauma readiness.

Tips for Motorcycle Riders

• Master Intersections with SIPDE/SEE Disciplines: Treat every intersection as an active hazard zone by executing Search, Identify, Predict, Decide and Execute (SIPDE)/Search, Evaluate and Execute (SEE) protocols. Adjust your lane position early to maximize your sight lines and escape routes, always assuming oncoming or turning vehicles do not see you.
• Prioritize Low-Light ATGATT and Night Vigilance: Nighttime riding (such as late evening hours past 2100) drastically reduces contrast and reaction windows. Always ride in full protective gear (DOT/SNELL/ECE-certified helmet, abrasion-resistant jacket, pants, gloves, and sturdy, over-the-ankle footwear) augmented with retro-reflective or high-visibility outer layers.
• Engage the Progressive Motorcycle Program (PMP): Complete all mandatory progressive training tiers (Level I: Basic RiderCourse, Level II: Advanced RiderCourse, as applicable) and actively participate in your unit’s Motorcycle Safety Program through your unit-level Motorcycle Safety Program Coordinator (MSPC) for mentorship and pre-ride checks.

Tips for Passenger Vehicle Drivers

• Execute the “Look Twice” Scan at Intersections: Before executing left turns or pulling into traffic, make a deliberate secondary scan past your vehicle’s A-pillar and mirrors to identify single-track vehicles often masked in traffic.
• Account for Closing Speed Illusions: A motorcycle’s narrow profile and single headlight create a visual illusion that makes the bike appear smaller, farther away and moving slower than it actually is. Always yield and wait for a clear gap.
• Eliminate In-Cab Distractions and Expand Buffer Zones: Maintain an increased following distance of three to four seconds behind motorcycles, particularly during nighttime driving, giving both you and the rider sufficient reaction space for sudden stops or road hazards.

Lifesaving First Aid on the Road

• Do Not Remove the Downed Rider’s Helmet: Maintain strict spinal immobilization and leave the helmet in place unless the airway is fully obstructed and cannot be managed otherwise, as moving the head risks catastrophic cervical spine injury.
• Carry and Deploy an Approved Tourniquet: Severe extremity arterial hemorrhage is a leading cause of preventable roadside trauma death. Carry a tourniquet on your bike or in your vehicle and apply it high and tight immediately if severe bleeding is detected.
• Secure the Scene and Coordinate Rapid EMS: Prevent secondary collisions by positioning hazard lights and warning devices before approaching the casualty, immediately call 911/installation dispatch with precise location coordinates and monitor vitals without shifting the casualty’s torso.

Resources/Tools

• U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center (USACRC): The official hub for Army safety guidelines, regulations, safety tools and mishap reporting. Visit https://safety.army.mil.
• DoD Instruction 6055.04, DoD Motor Vehicle and Traffic Safety Program: Implements policy, assigns responsibilities and prescribes procedures for administering the DoD Motor Vehicle Safety Program to reduce deaths, injuries and property damage caused by vehicular mishaps. Visit https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD.
• Army Regulation 385-10, The Army Safety and Occupational Health Program: Prescribes policy, responsibilities and procedures for safeguarding Army personnel and property, including PMV safety requirements.
• Travel Risk Planning System (TRiPS): An online tool designed to help Soldiers plan travel routes, analyze driving risks and mitigate fatigue prior to leave or pass travel. Visit https://trips.safety.army.mil.
• Motorcycle Safety Foundation: Offers valuable resources, riding tips and safety curricula for motorcycle operators. Visit https://www.msf-usa.org.

A Major assigned to the U.S. Military Academy, New York, died in an on-duty Sports, Recreation and Physical Training mishap 26 September 2026 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, at 1450 local. The Soldier was participating in an Army-sponsored event to become a certified basic diver, training with the West Point SCUBA Team at Lake Hydra, when he failed to resurface after one hour. He was found unresponsive. Local emergency medical services responded to the scene, initiated CPR and transported the Soldier by ground ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg, where he was pronounced dead. Additional information is currently unavailable. The USACRC will conduct the mishap investigation.

Since FY21, the Army has lost an average of two Soldiers a year to on-duty Sports, Recreation and Physical Training mishaps. This mishap was the fourth on-duty Sports, Recreation and Physical Training fatality of FY26 and above the number of fatalities for this same time last year. This was also the first on-duty water-related fatality of FY26.

A 24-year-old Specialist assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, died in a motorcycle mishap 27 September 2026 on the installation at 0220 local. The Soldier was ejected from his motorcycle when he left the lane and stuck a cement wall. Local police and emergency medical services responded to the scene, where the Soldier was pronounced dead. The use of personal protective equipment, training, speed, and the involvement of alcohol or drugs are currently unknown. Additional information is unavailable at this time.

Since FY21, the Army has lost an average of 31 Soldiers a year to motorcycle mishaps. This mishap was the 24th motorcycle fatality of FY26 and below the number of fatalities for this same time last year.

Safety Tips

Motorcycle safety is an essential component of operational readiness and a shared responsibility across the entire formation to protect our service members and prevent tragic losses. Proactive leadership engagement, peer accountability, and disciplined adherence to riding fundamentals ensure that every rider returns safely from every trip.

Master Curve Negotiation and Lane Discipline

• Look Through the Turn: Maintain an elevated visual horizon and scan continuously through the entire arc of travel. A motorcycle travels where the rider focuses their eyes. Avoiding target fixation on roadside hazards or barriers is essential.
• Control Entry Speed: Complete all braking, throttle reduction, and downshifting prior to setting lean angle into a curve. Trail braking or sudden braking while leaning significantly reduces tire traction reserves.
• Countersteer Decisively: Apply consistent forward pressure on the inside handgrip (press left to turn left, press right to turn right) to initiate lean and hold exact lane tracking.

Mitigate High-Risk Operational Windows (Fatigue and Low-Light)

• Avoid High-Risk Hours (2200–0500): Visual acuity, depth perception, and peripheral recognition degrade substantially in darkness, complicating corner recognition and surface hazard detection.
• Recognize Fatigue and Zero-Tolerance Impairment: Balance, fine-motor coordination, and reaction times deteriorate rapidly with fatigue or substance use. Never operate two-wheeled vehicles under degraded physical conditions.
• Establish Peer Support and Alternate Transport: Implement active battle-buddy check-ins and ensure rideshare or designated driver alternatives are coordinated prior to late night departures.

Enforce ATGATT (All The Gear, All The Time)

• Helmet and Eye Protection: DOT/ECE /Snell-certified full-face helmet with eye protection.
• Impact-Rated Armor: Impact-rated armor at shoulders, elbows, back, hips, and knees.
• Protective Jacket and Trousers: High-denier textile or abrasion-rated leather protective jacket and trousers.
• Reinforced Gloves: Reinforced gloves featuring palm sliders and knuckle guards.
• Riding Boots: Over-the-ankle sturdy riding boots with crush-resistant soles.

Enforce Progressive Training Currency

• Progressive Training Courses: Complete required progressive training courses, including the Level I Basic RiderCourse (BRC) and Level II Advanced RiderCourse (ARC).

Safety Context and Hazard Mitigation

• Single-Vehicle Run-Off-Road Collisions: Especially involving fixed infrastructure such as concrete barriers, curbs, and guardrails account for a high proportion of severe motorcycle fatalities. Under conditions of reduced visibility, inadequate lighting, or excessive entry speed, improper lane positioning can rapidly lead to catastrophic impacts and secondary traffic exposure.

Unit Action Plan and Next Steps

• Rider Tracking Verification: Audit unit rosters to ensure all motorcycle operators are entered in the unit safety tracking system with current training records.
• Safety Briefings and Mentorship: Conduct pre-weekend safety stand-downs emphasizing night-riding risk factors and speed management.
• T-CLOCS Pre-Ride Inspections: Emphasize strict pre-ride inspections (Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil/Fluids, Chassis, Stands) prior to every ride.

Resources/Tools

• U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center (USACRC): The official hub for Army safety guidelines, regulations, safety tools and mishap reporting. Visit https://safety.army.mil.
• DoD Instruction 6055.04, DoD Motorcycle Vehicle and Traffic Safety Program: Implements policy, assigns responsibilities, and prescribes procedures for administering the DoD Motor Vehicle Safety Program to reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage caused by vehicular mishaps. Visit https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD.
• Army Regulation 385-10, The Army Safety and Occupational Health Program: Prescribes policy, responsibilities and procedures for safeguarding Army personnel and property, including PMV safety requirements.
• Travel Risk Planning System (TRiPS): An online tool designed to help Soldiers plan travel routes, analyze driving risks and mitigate fatigue prior to leave or pass travel. Visit https://trips.safety.army.mil.
• Motorcycle Safety Foundation: Offers valuable resources, riding tips and safety curricula for motorcycle operators. Visit https://www.msf-usa.org.

A Specialist assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, died in an on-duty Sports, Recreation and Physical Training mishap 24 September 2026 on the installation at 0726 local. The Soldier was completing the 2-mile run portion of the Army Fitness Test and collapsed. On-site medics began CPR while notifying emergency medical services (EMS). Upon arrival, EMS administered advanced cardiac life support protocols, including defibrillation, and evacuated the Soldier to a local emergency room. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the Soldier was pronounced dead. Additional information is currently unavailable.

Since FY21, the Army has lost an average of two Soldiers a year to on-duty Sports, Recreation and Physical Training mishaps. This mishap was the third on-duty Sports, Recreation and Physical Training fatality of FY26 and equal to the number of fatalities for this same time last year.