Truck driving among the most dangerous jobs in America

On Behalf of | Jul 24, 2018 | Workers' Compensation

There were 918 truck driver and sales drivers killed on the job in 2016 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The death toll was higher than any other occupation in the United States in that time period. Farmers and agricultural managers had the second most dangerous job in the country during that year as that sector recorded 260 deaths. Overall, 5,190 people died in Pennsylvania and throughout the country while at work in 2016.

That was a 7 percent increase from 2015, and it was the highest total since 2008. There were 2,083 fatalities that occurred because of collisions with other vehicles or other incidents taking place while transporting objects. For those who drove a truck as their primary job, 80 percent of workers who died were killed in transportation-related incidents. In most other industries, the primary cause of injuries and death were slips and falls.

According to the Large Truck Crash Causation Study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 88 percent of truck crashes are caused by human error. There are likely to be more trucks on the road because of the rise of online shopping. However, some of these trucks may be of the self-driving or autonomous variety at some point in the future.

An motor vehicle accident could result in a back injury or broken bones. These and other injuries may keep a person out of work for weeks or months at a time. Those who are hurt in such an accident at work could be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. This may help an injured worker pay medical expenses and recoup a portion of his or her salary. An attorney may be able to assist an individual in filling out paperwork or appealing an application that has been denied.

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