• 14
  • October
    2011

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs are concerned about the high incidence of serious car accidents suffered by veterans. Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are 75% more likely to die in a fatal car accident than non-veterans. The problem is not a new one, but government officials are hoping to increase awareness and address the issues that cause soldiers to get into accidents.

Perhaps the most common cause of car accidents among returning soldiers is risky and aggressive driving. Young men are a high risk demographic in terms of dangerous driving. The lessons veterans learn in Iraq and Afghanistan only compound the problems. Veterans may feel invincible on the roads, having survived so much already. In some situations, the soldiers feel anxious or distracted by approaching vehicles. They are trained to consider other vehicles a potential threat in a war zone and it is not easy to let that go once they are home.

Another possible cause is one that is gaining national attention: undiagnosed brain injuries. Head trauma and post traumatic stress disorder can cause blackouts, memory loss and erratic behavior. Veterans who suffer from these conditions may have no idea that they are driving unsafely. The Department of Defense has teamed up with the VA and DOT in using simulators to identify dangerous driving habits and help re-train veterans to drive.

The death of a soldier at war is a terrible loss. It is no less of a tragedy to lose one in a fatal car accident when they return home. The danger is well-documented, and for the safety of veterans and for all of us who share the roads with them, proper steps should be taken to ensure safe driving practices.

Source: AOL, "Tragedy On Wheels: Why Returning Vets Are In Frequent Car Crashes," Sharon Silke Carty, 13 October 2011