Kirtland AFB joins national campaign marking May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

  • Published
  • By John Cochran
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Kirtland Air Force Base, NM --  You might be surprised to learn that an Airman in the U.S. Air Force is 10 times more likely to be killed in a noncombat mishap than in combat.

In September 2009, Maj. Gen. Fred Roggero, Air Force chief of safety and commander of the Air Force Safety Center, provided that revealing statistic.

"Traffic safety is an issue that we have to deal with every day. Since 9/11, the Air Force has lost about 570 Airmen in off-duty ground mishaps, compared to about 55 Airmen in combat. Approximately 80 percent are due to traffic fatalities, both personal motor vehicles (four-wheel vehicles) and motorcycles (two-wheel). This is something we have to attack and fix for our people and our families," he said.

The Air Force Safety Center reported that in fiscal year 2008, the Air Force lost 20 Airmen in motorcycle incidents.

In an effort to save lives, Kirtland AFB is joining with other federal, state and local highway safety, law enforcement and motorcycle organizations in proclaiming May as "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month." The goal is for drivers of all vehicles to safely share the road, which means exercising the rights and meeting the responsibilities that come with a license to drive.

As part of the "Share the Road" campaign, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers the following tips to help people raise their awareness of motorcyclists:

-With riding season here, pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers of all vehicles, including SUVs, passenger cars and trucks, need to be extra attentive. Because motorcycles are some of the smallest vehicles on the roads, they can be hidden in the "blind spots" of other vehicles. Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians need to scan their surroundings before changing lanes and at intersections, looking for motorcyclists who might be obscured by other vehicles.

- Don't tailgate. Motorcycles can and do stop more quickly than cars. Allow four seconds of following distance when driving behind a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.

A local senior leader and long-time motorcyclist who mentors monthly trips for Kirtland AFB riders explained what it takes to share the road safely.

"We motorcyclists need to know and follow the rules of the road, be visible and alert to other drivers, never ride while distracted or impaired by fatigue or substances of any kind, and always wear protective gear," said Brig. Gen. Everett H. Thomas, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center commander.

"As an experienced rider, it's important to me to pass on to newer riders the lessons I've learned over the years. Wingmanship is a vital facet of the Air Force culture, and I believe in being a good wingman to my fellow riders. That concept and practice will be our focus during the upcoming Wingman Day, when we reaffirm our commitment to looking out for each other, day in and day out. Whether you're a newer rider who can benefit from mentoring or a veteran motorcyclist who can mentor others, join me on the group ride tomorrow and the second Saturday of each month during riding season, and we'll enjoy the trip together," he said.

In 2008, 5,290 motorcyclists were killed in the U.S. -- an increase of 2 percent over the 5,174 killed the previous year -- and 96,000 were injured. Motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than occupants of passenger vehicles. Per vehicle-mile traveled, motorcyclists are 37 times more likely than people in passenger cars to die in traffic crashes and nine times more likely to be injured.

Nationwide, fatalities among motorcycle drivers and their passengers in 2007 more than doubled since 1997. They reached 5,037 in 2007, accounting for 12 percent of total highway crash deaths. That is the highest number of motorcyclists killed in one year since NHTSA began collecting data on fatal motor vehicle crashes in 1975. In contrast, passenger-vehicle occupant deaths reached a record low in 2007.