Motor vehicle crashes among active duty U.S. Army personnel, 1999 to 2006

In the U.S. Army, motor vehicle crashes (MVCs), both privately owned and military, are a leading cause of injury and death. Few studies have described the distribution and trends of MVCs among Army personnel, which may have been impacted by current military missions. This descriptive study of risk factors and select outcomes is from safety report data maintained by the U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center on 11,469 active duty Army personnel involved in MVCs, 1999-2006. The majority (66%) of Soldiers in MVCs were in military vehicles within the continental United States (68%). The average age of individuals involved in MVCs was 27.7 years old. Males had a consistently higher MVC rate than females. The average cost per MVC related to property damage and injuries was $36,039 and $24,038, respectively. Results suggest a need for additional exploration of MVCs involving Army vehicles, which were the most common and among the most costly.