RTTUZYUW RUEWMCS0000 1851556-UUUU--RUCRNAD
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R 031556Z JUL 08
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N00//
TO NAVADMIN
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UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 182/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/JUL//
SUBJ/REVISED NAVY TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAM// 
REF/A/DOC/CNO/7MAR2008// AMPN/REF A IS OPNAVINST 5100.12H, NAVY TRAFFIC 
SAFETY PROGRAM// 
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  IT IS A WELL-KNOWN, AND LONG PROVEN FACT, THAT 
TRAFFIC SAFETY AFFECTS MISSION READINESS.  WE HAVE CONTINUED TO 
EXPERIENCE A RISE IN TRAFFIC SAFETY MISHAP RATES AND WE MUST REVERSE 
THIS TREND.  NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT IN OUR NAVY THAN SAILORS & 
THEIR SAFETY, AND THAT OF THEIR FAMILIES.  TRAFFIC SAFETY EDUCATION IS 
A VITAL PART OF REDUCING OUR MISHAP RATES.  THE REVISED NAVY TRAFFIC 
SAFETY PROGRAM (REF A), WAS PROMULGATED IN MARCH 2008.  THIS REVISION 
CONTAINS MAJOR CHANGES GEARED TOWARDS REDUCING THE NUMBER OF MISHAPS 
OUR SAILORS AND NAVY CIVILIANS ARE HAVING IN 2-WHEELED AND 4-WHEELED 
MOTOR VEHICLES, AS OPERATORS AND PASSENGERS.  
2.  NAVY LEADERSHIP IS COMMITTED TO REDUCING TRAFFIC SAFETY MISHAPS.  
I EXPECT LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS TO THOROUGHLY REVIEW REF A, AND ENSURE 
OUR SAILORS KNOW AND FOLLOW ITS PROVISIONS.  ACTIONS THAT MAKE A 
DIFFERENCE INCLUDE THE CONSISTENT USE OF SEATBELTS IN MOTOR VEHICLES 
AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) ON MOTORCYCLES.
3.  SEATBELTS HAVE BEEN STANDARD EQUIPMENT IN MOTOR VEHICLES SINCE THE 
EARLY 1970S.  IT SHOULD BE SECOND NATURE TO BUCKLE UP AS SOON AS YOU 
GET IN A MOTOR VEHICLE.  UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS NOT THE CASE.  WITH 
DISTURBING FREQUENCY, I READ ABOUT SAILORS AND CIVILIANS WHO DIE OR DO 
IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES, AND OUR NAVY, SIMPLY 
BECAUSE THEY DID NOT BUCKLE UP.
4.  ADDITIONALLY, THE POPULARITY OF MOTORCYCLES IS RISING.  SOME RIDE 
MOTORCYCLES BECAUSE OF THE INCREASES IN THE PRICE OF GASOLINE.  SOME 
RIDE BECAUSE THEY ENJOY A SENSE OF FREEDOM.  SOME RIDE BECAUSE THEY ARE 
UNDER THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION THAT MOTORCYCLES, SPORT BIKES IN 
PARTICULAR, ARE EASY TO OPERATE AND MANEUVER.  WHATEVER THE MOTIVATION, 
IF YOU CHOOSE TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE, YOU MUST REALIZE THAT THERE IS 
LITTLE PROTECTION BETWEEN YOU AND WHAT YOU HIT.  AN ACCIDENT MAY NOT 
EVEN BE YOUR FAULT.  YOU MAY BE HIT BY ANOTHER MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE 
OBEYING ALL TRAFFIC LAWS.  IF YOU DO NOT WEAR A HELMET AND ALL OF THE 
PRESCRIBED PPE EVERY TIME YOU RIDE, YOU ARE CARELESSLY PUTTING YOURSELF 
AT RISK. 
5.  EVERY TRAFFIC-RELATED MISHAP REPORT THAT CROSSES MY DESK CONCERNS 
ME BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE DAMAGE SUFFERED BY OUR PEOPLE IN MOST OF 
THOSE ACCIDENTS WOULD BE MINIMIZED IF THEY HAD ONLY DONE WHAT THE LAW, 
POLICY, AND COMMON SENSE REQUIRED.  STATE LAWS MAY VARY, BUT REF A 
APPLIES TO EACH OF YOU ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, EVERYWHERE.  IF REF A CALLS 
FOR PPE BUT THE STATE YOU ARE RIDING THROUGH DOES NOT, YOU ARE STILL 
REQUIRED TO WEAR THE PPE.
6.  FOR NAVY LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS, REF A GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO 
ENFORCE COMPLIANCE.  IT CALLS FOR IDENTIFYING YOUR HIGH-RISK DRIVERS 
AND MOTORCYCLE OWNERS.  IT SETS OUT THE REQUIRED, REPEAT, REQUIRED, 
TRAINING REGIME FOR OUR PERSONNEL TO SAFELY OPERATE MOTORCYCLES, AND IT 
REQUIRES YOU TO KNOW YOUR PEOPLE AND DO EVERYTHING WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW 
TO HELP THEM BE SAFE ON THE ROAD.  CONSISTENCY IN SEAT BELT AND PPE USE 
WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR MISHAP-REDUCTION EFFORTS.  BE SMART.  
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES, YOUR FAMILIES, AND YOUR SHIPMATES.  ALWAYS 
TRAVEL SAFE.
7.  RELEASED BY ADMIRAL G. ROUGHEAD, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.// 
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