Crashes Account for 41% of Work-Related Accidental Deaths
Overall, the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. is poisonings -- including drug overdoses -- according to a new report from the National Safety Council.

Transportation-related accidents accounted for 41% of work-related fatalities in the U.S. in 2015, according to the National Safety Council's latest report.
Photo: Bobit
Transportation-related accidents accounted for 41% of work-related fatalities in the U.S. in 2015, according to a new report from the National Safety Council. That same year, an estimated 478,000 injuries in the workplace likely involved fatigue or sleep problems.
The findings are included in the National Safety Council’s 2017 edition of Injury Facts, an annual publication that analyzes the most recent available data on preventable injuries and deaths in the U.S.
Overall, preventable deaths in the U.S. reached an all-time high in 2015, researchers concluded. More than 146,500 Americans died from such causes as drug overdoses, motor vehicle crashes, falls, choking and drowning.
“Approximately 58,000 fewer people would have died in 2015 if the preventable death rate had kept pace with the improving overall fatality rate,” the National Safety Council said in a summary of the report. Preventable incidents as a cause of death trailed only heart disease, cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease. Accidental deaths outpaced fatalities caused by strokes, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
Poisonings were the leading cause of accidental deaths in 24 states and Washington, D.C. These poisonings included prescription opioid overdoses. The drug overdose epidemic has directly driven the overall rise in preventable deaths, the National Safety Council said. An American’s lifetime odds of dying from a poisoning are one in 96. The lifetime odds of dying in a motor vehicle crash are one in 114.
The annual societal cost of preventable injuries is $886.4 billion — the equivalent of 52 cents for every dollar an American spends on food, according to researchers. The National Safety Council hopes the data in the 2017 edition of Injury Facts will help future prevention efforts.
“Good data help us make good decisions, and Injury Facts gives us a roadmap for eliminating preventable deaths in our lifetime,” said Ken Kolosh, statistics manager and Injury Facts author at the National Safety Council. “We hope government officials, business leaders, safety professionals and anyone working to make the world a safer place will use Injury Facts to shape decision making and inform injury prevention efforts.”
Originally posted on Automotive Fleet
More Safety & Compliance

Navigating the Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Work Truck Fleets
Discover how daylight saving time impacts work truck fleets and get essential tips for fleet managers and drivers to navigate the "fall back" transition.
Read More →
How Halloween Changes the Job for Work Truck Drivers
Truck traffic doesn’t take the same Halloween break as other drivers. What fleet managers should know about timing, neighborhood stops, and braking data.
Read More →
Tips for Driving Safely on Halloween Night
This video features a reminder from the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, urging drivers to prioritize safety this Halloween.
Read More →From Our Partners

Re-rating Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings (GVWR): Why and How it's Done
Sometimes, it is not in a fleet’s best interests to have a vehicle at a given GVWR. Changing the GVWR to a special value can be done, but the process is complicated.
Read More →
When a Work Truck Gets Stolen, the Real Loss Is Time
A stolen work truck can take more than a vehicle off the road. From tools and access cards to crew downtime, here’s how fleets can prepare for theft before it disrupts the entire workday.
Read More →
Volvo Trucks Marks 25 Years as Exclusive Sponsor of America's Road Team
Volvo Trucks North America will serve as the exclusive sponsor of the American Trucking Associations' America's Road Team, marking 25 years of Volvo sponsorship. The group of professional drivers promotes safety and the industry as they travel the country.
Read More →
Streamlight’s High-Output Scene Light Recognized with Occupational Safety Award
Streamlight’s Portable Scene Light III (PSL III) won the 2026 Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) New Product of the Year Award in the Lighting category.
Read More →
Fleetworthy Expands Expedited Inspection to 5 States
Following its industry-first launch in Nevada, Fleetworthy’s automated inspection technology is now live in California, Michigan, Vermont, and Maine.
Read More →
Crossing State Lines in a Light-Duty Work Truck? Check These Rules First
Crossing state lines in a lighter work truck? J.J. Keller's Kathy Close explains when IRP registration, trip permits, and towing rules come into play.
Read More →
Simple Tire Checks That Help Keep Your Business Fleet Moving
A survey found that nearly one in every 10 passenger vehicles has at least one bald tire. What's more, 27% -- more than one in four -- of vehicles are driven with one or more severely under-inflated tires.
Read More →



