Solution Offered to Prevent Deaths in Armored Vehicles

The military's new armored vehicles might save personnel from insurgent ambushes and terrorist attacks, but will the drivers be trained well enough to save the passengers from accidents?

Blackwater is concerned and is offering a solution. The company built itself as a training provider, and now that the military has opted not to buy its new line of armored vehicles, Blackwater is using the personnel carriers to train drivers about to be deployed.

"Thousands of the MRAP vehicles are being used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their hard shell and design protect occupants; the trucks sit high on a raised chassis and have V-shaped bottoms to shield their underbellies. But they have one drawback: the MRAP vehicles aren't as agile as Humvees," the Virginian-Pilot reports.

"The military has warned troops to be careful behind the wheel after five deaths where connected to vehicle rollovers. The military has also logged dozens of other accidents.
'Overseas, a lot of traffic accidents are happening because the guys aren't used to the characteristics of the vehicles,'" says Jim Sierawski, Blackwater Vice President for Training.