ALCOAST 449/09
COMDTNOTE 5100
SUBJ: THE STATE OF MOTORCYCLE USE IN THE U.S. COAST GUARD
A. SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH MANUAL, COMDTINST M5100.47
(SERIES)
B. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC R242108 JUL 09 /ALCOAST 433/09
1. AT A MEETING ON 16 MARCH 2009, THE JOINT SERVICE SAFETY
COUNCIL, COMPRISED OF THE FIVE MILITARY SERVICE SAFETY CHIEFS,
DECLARED MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AS THE NUMBER ONE NON-COMBAT SAFETY
CONCERN ACROSS THE SERVICES. NATIONALLY, MOTORCYCLE USE IS ON THE
RISE. HOWEVER, THERE IS ONE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE U.S.
CIVILIAN AND MILITARY RIDER POPULATIONS - RIDERSHIP NATIONWIDE IS
ESTIMATED AT 4 PERCENT, WHEREAS THE MILITARY SERVICES RIDERSHIP IS
ESTIMATED TO BE MORE THAN 10 PERCENT. SPORT BIKES POSE THE LARGEST
CONCERN AS THEIR LIGHT WEIGHT, HIGH HORSEPOWER AND RACING STYLE
DESIGN ALLOW THE BIKE TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY AND OPERATE AT HIGH
SPEEDS. THESE TYPES OF BIKES ACCOUNT FOR 80 PERCENT OF ALL MILITARY
MOTORCYCLE FATALITIES. THE SERVICE SAFETY CHIEFS DO NOT INTEND TO
CURTAIL MOTORCYCLE RIDING, BUT RIDERS NEED TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO
ENSURE THEY RIDE SUCCESSFULLY.
2. DURING FY 2008, MOTORCYCLES ACCOUNTED FOR 50 PERCENT OF ALL
CG MOTOR VEHICLE FATALITIES, YET ONLY ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF OUR
MEMBERS RIDE. THAT MEANS THAT THE COAST GUARD MOTORCYCLE FATALITY
RATE IS 10 TIMES THAT OF FOUR-WHEELED MOTOR VEHICLES. ALTHOUGH MOST
MISHAPS INVOLVE MEN, AGE 34 AND UNDER, THE RECENT LOSS OF A SENIOR
ENLISTED MEMBER IN A MOTORCYCLE MISHAP PROVES THAT IT IS NOT ONLY
OUR YOUNGER OR LESS EXPERIENCED RIDERS WHO ARE AT RISK.3. WE APPEAR TO BE MAKING PROGRESS, HOWEVER, WITH CURRENT AND
PROJECTED MOTORCYCLE FATALITY RATES AT THEIR LOWEST LEVEL SINCE
2004. THIS DECLINE IS DUE TO THE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS OF EXPERIENCED
RIDERS ACTING AS MOTORCYCLE MENTORS, INCREASED ACCESS TO MOTORCYCLE
TRAINING, ENFORCEMENT OF POLICIES AND LAWS, BETTER EDUCATION AND
AWARENESS, AND FOCUSED SUPPORT FROM LEADERSHIP AND THE SAFETY
COMMUNITY. YET, WE CANNOT BECOME COMPLACENT AND MUST CONTINUE OUR
SUCCESS AS GUARDIANS. WE CAN DO THIS BY ENSURING OUR PERSONNEL ARE
TRAINED, LICENSED AND FULLY UNDERSTAND THE ADDITIONAL RISKS
INHERENT TO MOTORCYCLE RIDING.
4. TO BE SUCCESSFUL, RIDERS MUST FOLLOW ALL MOTORCYCLE SAFETY
REQUIREMENTS IN REF A, CHAPTER 10, SECTION 9, IN ADDITION TO
EMBRACING THE COMMANDANT OF THE COAST GUARDS GENERAL ORDER ISSUED
24 JULY 2009 (REF B). THE GENERAL ORDER REQUIRES EVERY MILITARY
MEMBER OPERATING OR RIDING AS A PASSENGER ON A MOTORCYCLE TO WEAR A
CERTIFIED PROTECTIVE HELMET. THIS ORDER APPLIES WHETHER THE MEMBER
IS ON OR OFF-DUTY AND REGARDLESS OF ANY LESS RESTRICTIVE CIVIL
JURISDICTION REQUIREMENTS. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS GENERAL
ORDER MAY RESULT IN ADMINISTRATIVE AND/OR OTHER ACTION UNDER THE
UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE. COMMANDING OFFICERS/OFFICERS-IN-
CHARGE SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MEMBERS IN THEIR COMMAND ARE AWARE OF
THE GENERAL ORDER AND SHALL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
5. MOTORCYCLE SAFETY ACTIONS TO DATE. TO COUNTER OUR HIGH
OFF-DUTY MOTOR VEHICLE AND MOTORCYCLE FATALITY RATES, I DIRECTED
THE CG SAFETY COMMUNITY TO CONDUCT THE FOLLOWING: CONVENE MISHAP
ANALYSIS BOARDS ABOVE THE UNIT LEVEL FOR ALL CLASS A MISHAPS,
SPONSOR A CG MOTORCYCLE SAFETY SUMMIT, CONDUCT A MOTORCYCLE SAFETY
CENSUS, HOLD MULTIPLE FOCUS GROUPS, AND ENGAGE HEAVILY IN JOINT
SERVICE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY EFFORTS. TO DATE, CG MISHAP BOARDS HAVE
ANALYZED 21 MOTOR VEHICLE MISHAPS. THIRTEEN MISHAPS INVOLVED
MOTORCYCLES, MOPEDS, OR SCOOTERS, WITH 11 RESULTING IN FATAL
INJURIES AND ONE THAT RESULTED IN COMPLETE PARALYSIS.
6. RESULTS OF THE MISHAP ANALYSES INDICATE THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS
FACTORS LEADING TO THESE MISHAPS - "OPERATOR-ERROR" AND "LOSS OF
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS" ARE NO LONGER SUFFICIENT CAUSAL FACTORS AS
TO WHY A MEMBER WRAPPED HIS/HER MOTOR VEHICLE AROUND A TREE. MISHAP
ANALYSES MUST NOW ADDRESS:
A. PRE-CONDITIONS (E.G., ENVIRONMENTAL AND INDIVIDUAL FACTORS),
B. SUPERVISION (E.G., A SUPERVISOR FAILING TO CORRECT A KNOWN
PROBLEM), AND
C. ORGANIZATIONAL INFLUENCES/CLIMATE.
7. UNDERLYING CONTRIBUTING AND CAUSAL FACTORS IDENTIFIED THROUGH
OUR HIGHER LEVEL ANALYSIS BOARDS INCLUDE:
A. INCONSISTENT COMMAND ENFORCEMENT OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICIES,
B. SUPERVISOR FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE AND CORRECT RISKY BEHAVIORS OF
HIS/HER PERSONNEL (E.G., IGNORING SIGNS OF ALCOHOL ABUSE),
C. MEMBER FATIGUE/INADEQUATE REST (E.G., SOMETIMES DUE TO
OPERATIONAL OR WATCH SCHEDULES),
D. LACK OF TEAMWORK (E.G., GUARDIAN ETHOS NOT UPHELD),
E. FAILURE TO PERFORM A RISK ASSESSMENT EITHER BEFORE OR DURING
OPERATION OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE (E.G., DECIDED TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE
EVEN AFTER CONSUMING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES), AND
F. LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE BIKE (E.G., THE MOST COMMON FACTOR,
USUALLY TAKING A TURN AT TOO HIGH A SPEED, COMBINED WITH LACK OF
EXPERIENCE).
8. COAST GUARD MOTORCYCLE SAFETY SUMMIT INFORMATION, WHICH INCLUDES
AN OVERVIEW OF THE MOTORCYCLE CENSUS RESULTS, CAN BE VIEWED AT:
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HQ/CG1/CG1...MOTORCYCLESUMMIT.ASP.
9. NEXT STEPS. BE THE GUARDIAN, PRACTICE INTRUSIVE LEADERSHIP AT
ALL LEVELS IN THE ORGANIZATION. MAKE SURE OUR RIDERS ATTEND THE
TRAINING THEY NEED. HOLD MEMBERS AND SUPERVISORS ACCOUNTABLE FOR
UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST MOTORCYCLE SAFETY STANDARDS. THE GUARDIAN
ETHOS IS A 24-7 STATE OF MIND.
10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. MEMBERS AND COMMANDS CAN ACCESS COAST
GUARD RIDER REQUIREMENTS IN CHAPTER 10 OF REF A. MORE INFORMATION
ON TRAINING AND LINKS TO KEY MOTOR VEHICLE AND MOTORCYCLE WEB
SITES CAN BE FOUND AT THE COMDT (CG-1132) INTERNET SITE:
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HQ/CG1/CG113/CG1132/DEFAULT.ASP.
11. POCS: COMDT (CG-1132): MR. MICHAEL SMITH (MICHAEL.L.SMITH4(AT)
USCG.MIL) AND HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WORK-LIFE SUPPORT ACTIVITY (HSWL
SUPACT): MR. JOHN KUMMERS (JOHN.J.KUMMERS(AT)USCG.MIL) OR DCC RICK
VIEL (RICK.J.VIEL(AT)USCG.MIL).
12. RADM MARK J. TEDESCO, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND WORK-
LIFE, SENDS.
13. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.
