With motorcycle rider fatalities now accounting for 11 percent of total fatalities, and dramatically affecting the overall highway fatality rate, the Directorate of Emergency Services, along with the Installation Safety Office has stepped up the enforcement of the Fort Belvoir Regulation [FB Reg 385-10 (1 Aug 00) and FB 190-5 (15 Feb 06)] and Department of Defense Instruction (DODI 6055.4 HSPG 3) pertaining to motorcycle safety.
Single motorcycle crashes account for about 45 percent of all motorcyclist fatalities. In the past ten years:
More than 38,000 motorcyclists have died in single-vehicle motorcycle crashes
There were a total of 11,038 fatal single-vehicle motorcycles crashes.
There were an estimated 294,000 non-fatal single-vehicle motorcycle crashes – 39,000 involved property damage only, and 255,000 involved injuries.
A study of linked death certificate information reveals that among fatally injured motorcycle riders, there is a direct correlation between a head injury and helmet use. While about 35 percent of helmeted motorcyclists involved in crashes had head injuries, about 51 percent of the un-helmeted motorcyclists had head injuries. Stepped-up enforcement will entail checking riders as they enter the Installation to ensure they are in compliance with the regulation. Police Officers will also be stopping violators to advise them of the proper safety equipment and issuing citations when appropriate.
The Directorate of Emergency Services’ utmost concern is the safety of all motorists driving on the Installation. By ensuring these safety measures are being observed will make the Installation roadways safer for all.
