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As the traditional summer period of increased injuries and fatalities across the Air Force winds down this weekend, U.S. Air Forces in Europe leaders from Gen. William T. Hobbins, commander, down to first-level supervisors are stressing the importance of staying focused and not letting complacency result in a possible mishap.
The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is designated as the “101 Critical Days of Summer” due to the historically sharp rise in accidents, both on and off duty. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for USAFE Airmen.
For the past two summers, all of USAFE’s fatalities were vehicle-related – two this year and three in 2006. This summer there were two vehicle-related deaths in USAFE, one at Aviano and one at Ramstein.
“Driving a car or motorcycle can be one of the most dangerous things that anybody can do in Europe,” said General Hobbins. “Motorists need to be careful and realize that one wrong choice can end a life in the blink of an eye.”
Overall, 12 Air Force members have died this summer as a result of vehicle accidents, according to Lt. Col Eric Brenkert, USAFE’s deputy director of safety. Four of those were motorcycle accidents.
Colonel Brenkert emphasized six important precautions when driving to avoid becoming a statistic over this three-day weekend:
• Don’t drink and drive;
• Focus on the task at hand (don’t talk or text on cell phones);
• Adjust speed for road conditions
• Ensure you are well rested
• See and be seen (motorcyclists should avoid vehicle blind spots and wear visible clothing)
• Motorcyclists should wear the proper personal protective gear
“We’ve made a much bigger push this year with awareness to motor vehicle accidents and motorcycle safety,” said Colonel Brenkert, citing the recent change in motorcycle helmets. “The helmet-wear requirement for Europe changed and half-helmets are no longer in compliance with the law.”
The focus on vehicle safety has seen the number of injuries related to vehicle accidents significantly drop from 11 last summer to five this summer, he said.
Another safety push this summer was the Safety Road Show, where officials visited seven installations within the command and spoke to more than 11,500 people about safety issues, concerns and precautions.
In addition to vehicle safety, the other two primary focus areas are on-duty accidents and sports and recreation. When adding those categories into the mix, the Air Force has lost 17 members this summer.
Although USAFE does not have any on-duty or sports and recreation-related fatalities this summer, there have been numerous injuries – 18 and 21, respectively.
“Accidents affect more than just the people involved,” said General Hobbins. “They affect friends, family and coworkers. We need to remember that our safety focus does not end after Labor Day. We must continue to remain vigilant to ensure the safety of everyone and cannot afford to get complacent. There is too much at stake, both personally and professionally.” (Courtesy of USAFE Public Affairs)
