FACTS
- Getting behind the wheel of your car the most dangerous thing you will do all day long.
- Although you cannot control the actions of other motorists, you have a great deal of control over how you operate your vehicle. That means you can increase your chances for a safe trip by taking necessary precautions.
- Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of accidental death in the United States.
- Motor vehicle accidents are the major cause of occupational deaths. Most vehicle accidents are the result of driver error or poor operating practices.
- Distracted driving and defensive driving are two ways a driver can make significant changes in driving habits. Distracted driving is defined as any non-driving activity a driver engages in that has the potential to distract them from the primary act of driving and increases the risk of crashing. Defensive driving is driving to save lives, time, and money, in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others.
- The leading cause of occupational fatalities is vehicle-related crashes.
- The number of large trucks registered, and large-truck miles driven are also increasing, as are overall large-truck crash rates based on miles driven.
STATS
- Every 12 minutes someone dies in a motor vehicle crash, every 10 seconds an injury occurs, and every 5 seconds a crash occurs. And many of these accidents occur during the workday or during the commute to and from work.
- Motor vehicle crashes cost employers $60 billion annually. The average crash costs $16,500, and when a worker has an on-the-job crash that results in an injury, the cost can go as high as $74,000. When a worker dies in a traffic accident, costs can exceed $500,000.
- Traffic crashes are the number one cause of on-the-job deaths in America. 2 of every 5 people killed at work die in a workplace vehicle accident. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics more than 1,766 deaths a year result from occupational transportation incidents.
- In 2017, 3% of large-truck drivers involved in fatal crashes had a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or more, compared to 21% of passenger-car drivers.
- Heavy- and tractor-trailer truck drivers have the highest numbers of pedestrian deaths of any occupation: 64 in 2017.
- Motor vehicle crashes cause over 50% of work-related deaths in the oil and gas extraction industry.
- Historically, the greatest numbers of oil & gas workers killed in crashes each year were in a pick-up truck. In 2017, large trucks became the most common type of vehicle.