LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
After a month without a motorcycle or car mishap, this week the Air Force sustained a fatality in a car accident. The driver was under the age of 25 and was travelling at a high rate of speed. More than half of personal motor vehicles fatalities involve drivers under the age of 25.
Training and mentoring (Wingmen take note!) is critical with this group as their inexperience and lack of appreciation for the risks involved with today's very capable machines can easily have tragic consequences. We need to convince our younger drivers that risks involved with excessive speed far outweigh any benefit from short term exhilaration or stress relief.
It was a busy week for Langley as far as traffic safety related mishaps, as detailed below. If everyone would pay attention while driving and be a little courteous we could prevent these type incidentsand close calls.
I don't want to forget to mention the weather. We've had some hot days and heavy downpours with wind and lightning. Please remind troops about slowing down when it rains and not to drive through deep standing water. Also, take cover and go inside when lightning is within five miles.
Langley Critical Days of Summer summary:
Fatalities: 0
DUIs: 4 total (1 from 1 CES boating, 2 from 1 SFS, and 1 from 1 OG/OGV).
Significant Events:
- A three car accident, where a the driver of the rear vehicle wasn't paying attention and slammed into the back of a government owned vehicle, pushing it into another car. All three vehicles were damaged.
- A driver of a car was making a left turn and didn't see a bicyclist traveling straight and hit one of them. The driver was cited for failure to yield.
- A pedestrian was almost hit in a crosswalk due to driver not paying attention. Please watch for pedestrians!
Air Force-wide:
Fatalities: 13. In one instance, an Airman 1st Class was operating a car at a high rate of
speed. The Airman lost control, hit two vehicles, left the roadway and was ejected. The Airman was killed in the accident.