101 Critical Days of Summer: Born to be wild Published July 3, 2013 By Steve Serrette 72nd Air Base Wing Safety Office Tinker Public Affairs -- Motorcyclists will agree: the thrill of riding far outweighs the perils. To get the most out of each and every ride, each operator must apply the tenets of risk management to mitigate as many hazards as possible. (see http://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_se/publication/afpam90-803/afpam90-803.pdf for the up-to-date risk management information). Last year during the Critical Days of Summer months, the Air Force lost nine Airmen to motorcycle mishaps. Additionally, there were 95 reported Class C mishaps involving a motorcycle that resulted in lost duty time. Any one of those had the potential to be a fatality; fortunately a link in the mishap chain was broken. There is a deadly factor growing in numbers that is causal in not only motorcycle fatalities, but in all fatalities -- alcohol. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration website, "Statistics show that the percentage of intoxicated motorcycle riders in fatal crashes is greater than the percentage of intoxicated drivers on our roads. This is why NHTSA urges all motorcycle riders to always ride smart and sober." There are sources for you to check out (U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics and Analysis, personal communications, June 7, 2012) that includes current statistical data: Here are some more resources for you: (high-resolution versions of print products are available on the Ground Safety CoP: https://afkm.wpafb.af.mil/ ASPs/DocMan/DOCMain.asp?Filter=OO-SE-AF-18&FolderID=OO-SE-AF-18-79-3&Tab=0) Also available on the CoP are two videos: one featuring Gen. Breedlove and Terry Yonkers and one chronicling a "True Summer Story." Other resources are: · http://online2.msf-usa.org/ msf/broadcast · http://www.msf-usa.org/ downloads/T-CLOCS_Inspection_ Checklist_2012.pdf · http://www.afsec.af.mil/ airforcerider/index.asp · http://www.defense.gov/home/ features/2012/0412_militaryrider/ · http://www.dvidshub.net/video/ 147257/true-summer-story-motorcycle-safety · http://www.coloradodot.info/ programs/live-to-ride · http://www.robins.af.mil/library/ factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=13379 Airman-to-Airman Safety Advisory Council members Staff Sgt. Dwayne Hopkins and Senior Airman David Steele experienced a motorcycle mishap. To see their story and others like it or to contact an A2A member, visit www.af.mil/specials/Airmanto Airman/index.html or contact your major command A2A POC, which can be found on the A2A site under "Contact Us".