FORT CARSON, Colo. -- For Soldiers, motorcycle safety is not a one-time class that they take at the beginning of their riding experience and then forget.
While requirements vary from state to state, the Army requires Soldiers to take a basic riding course, advanced riding courses and continuing education classes a minimum of every five years.
In addition, Soldiers returning from deployments of more than six months are required to take a refresher course.
"You don't just take the first class, and then you're done. You have to take follow-on, continuing education classes," said Susan George, acting safety director, 4th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Carson Safety Office.
One mistake Soldiers often make is thinking that the requirements don't apply to them if they don't ride a motorcycle on post.
"The requirements pertain whether you are on duty or off duty," she said.
Not only do the education requirements differ from state law, but the personal protection equipment required for Soldiers to ride is different from state law.
Helmets are not required in the state of Colorado, but all Soldiers -- whether on or off duty and on or off post -- are required to wear a helmet at all times when riding.
The current emphasis on motorcycle safety is necessary because of a trend in accidents, George said.
"That's our No. 1 concern for our Service members," she said. "They're more likely to die in a private motor vehicle accident than on duty."
This year's Summer Safety campaign will focus on motorcycle safety training for everyone, not just motorcyclists.
Last fiscal year, 75 percent of motorcycle accidents were caused by other drivers striking or running a motorcycle off the road, George said.
"The motorcycle safety focus isn't just for riders. It's for non-riders (too). They need to know that motorcyclists are sometimes hard to see because of their size," she said. "Your perception of a motorcycle's speed is skewed because a motorcycle is much smaller than a car. So you may think that the motorcycle is traveling much slower but, in actuality, it's moving much faster."
The best advice for drivers is to look twice to avoid motorcycles, George said.
There are also a lot of questions regarding how to sign up for motorcycle training. The first step is for Soldiers to see their unit Motorcycle Safety Program coordinator.
Registration for the classes, which are free, can be done online at https://imc.army.mil/airs on a government computer. The website requires a Common Access Card (CAC).
If Soldiers don't know who their coordinator is, they can contact Staff Sgt. Andres Hinostroza Jr. at 524-6239 or andres.hinostroza.mil@mail.mil or Sgt. 1st Class James Sweeney at 503-0035 or james.m.sweeney18.mil@mail.mil.
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