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

USAA, which provides insurance and other financial services to members of the military and their families, says the study found Army veterans have the highest rate of increase at 23 percent followed by Marines at 12.5 percent. Navy veterans' at-fault rate increased by 3 percent while Air Force veterans were at 2 percent.

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

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

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

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

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

USAA says that while the report does not capture the behavior that “contributed to the increase in at-fault accidents” it has worked with Professor Erica Stern of the University of Minnesota who has studied the driving experience of soldiers returning from deployments.

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Drive as far as possible from the road edge to avoid IEDs. At home, veterans drive in the middle of the road or straddle lanes.

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

• Always moving, never yielding the right of way and not stopping for traffic or people. At home, anxiety when stopped, rolls through traffic lights and stop signs. The driver does not yield right of way to other vehicles.

USAA says it has forwarding the findings with military branch's safety center commanders along with academics and traffic safety experts.