NU Online News Service, April 24, 3:24 p.m.EDT

Military personnel have an increased risk of at-fault autoaccidents within six months of returning from overseas duty, areport from USAA says.

The San Antonio, Texas-based insurer conducted a study over athree year period from January 2007 through February 2010 examiningthe personal driving experience of USAA-member militarypersonnel.

The study found that the at-fault accident rate for troopsreturning from deployments from the war-zone increased by 13percent within the first six months of return compared to the sixmonths prior to their deployment.

Broken down by rank, enlisted personnel had a 22 percent higherrate of at-fault accident. Non-commissioned officers were 10percent higher. Officers rate of at-fault accident was 3.5 percenthigher.

USAA, which provides insurance and other financial services tomembers of the military and their families, says the study foundArmy veterans have the highest rate of increase at 23 percentfollowed by Marines at 12.5 percent. Navy veterans' at-fault rateincreased by 3 percent while Air Force veterans were at 2percent.

USAA says most accidents were caused by “losing control” of thevehicle, according to drivers.

The insurer says accidents attributed to “objects in the road”increased the most after deployment than for any other causetracked by the study.

Younger drivers experienced the greatest at-fault increase.Drivers younger than 22 experienced a 25 percent increase inat-fault accidents. Drivers older than 29 saw a 7.5 percentincrease.

The study also found that drivers with three or more deploymentshad 36 percent more at-fault accidents. Drivers with twodeployments saw 27 percent at-fault accidents. Those drivers withonly one deployment experienced an increase of 12 percent.

The report also says that individuals with longer deploymentswere more likely to be involved in at-fault accidents.

USAA says that while the report does not capture the behaviorthat “contributed to the increase in at-fault accidents” it hasworked with Professor Erica Stern of the University of Minnesotawho has studied the driving experience of soldiers returning fromdeployments.

The culprit is “carryover” driving behaviorsthat while it can save lives overseas in the war zone results inincreased risky driving behavior back in the states.

“Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line whenthey deploy in service of this country, but they can face newthreats to their safety when they come home and get behind thewheel,” says retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner, presidentof USAA Property and Casualty Insurance Group in a statement. “….wehope this study can help shine a light on this challenge and bringpeople together so we can understand the risks returning warriorsface and work toward solutions.”

He adds that there are no easy solutions to this behavior, buthe encourages a dialogue about it.

George Drew, assistant vice president of underwriting in USAA'sP&C company told National Underwriter that there is no “silverbullet” solution to reducing this exposure that veterans have facedfor decades. However, “awareness is the first part of the journey”and this gives professionals in the miltary more information towork to help returning veterans.

He adds that part of USAA's safety program involves sendingpolicyholders a welcome home message upon their return andinjecting a safety message before returning to the road.

Among some of the driving behavior learned in combat that causesproblems back home:

• Drive as far as possible from the road edge to avoid IEDs. Athome, veterans drive in the middle of the road or straddlelanes.

• Change direction and lanes unexpectedly, especially at tunnelsor underpasses where insurgents might be waiting. At home, weavethrough traffic and fails to use turn signals. Veterans avoid orchange lanes to avoid tunnels or underpasses.

• Always moving, never yielding the right of way and notstopping for traffic or people. At home, anxiety when stopped,rolls through traffic lights and stop signs. The driver does notyield right of way to other vehicles.

USAA says it has forwarding the findings with military branch'ssafety center commanders along with academics and traffic safetyexperts.