Work Truck Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

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.

May 16, 2017
Crashes Account for 41% of Work-Related Accidental Deaths

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

2 min to read


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.

Ad Loading...

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

Futuristic image of tractor trailer and sensors detecting a car it is approaching at dusk.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseApril 24, 2026

Freightliner Expands Detroit Assurance Safety Features for Cascadia

Detroit Assurance with Active Break Assist 6 (ABA6) will be standard on Freightliner Cascadias built starting in December 2026 and will feature Cross Traffic Assist and Active Side Guard Assist 2 with left turn protection.

Read More →
Side view of a man in a truck cab with overlay of logo for LightMetrics.
Safetyby Wayne ParhamApril 22, 2026

LightMetrics Introduces ΦFP AI Layer Filter for Safety Alerts

LightMetrics has launched ΦFP, a new cloud AI layer that filters every driver safety alert before it reaches a fleet manager, eliminating the false alarms.

Read More →
A group of Atwell employees gather indoors for a team photo, standing together
Safetyby Lauren FletcherApril 21, 2026

What Fleets Can Learn from Listening to Drivers

What happens when drivers help shape specs, safety, and fleet programs? Atwell’s Crystal Zile shares how feedback led to smarter fleet decisions.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Man talking in front of a blue tinted background image of a large truck with logos for Truck Chat and Work Truck and yellow headline Detroit Assurance & Upfitting.
Safetyby Wayne ParhamApril 15, 2026

How Detroit Assurance Adapts to Unique Upfits

Mike Young, of Daimler Truck North America, will walk us through how Detroit Assurance safety systems can adapt to work around upfits that could block the radar or cameras.

Read More →
Pavement background with double yellow lines and large text that says Recall, April, and Work Truck logo.
Safetyby Wayne ParhamApril 9, 2026

Recalls You Need to Know About in April 2026

If you have Altec, Braun, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Hino, Mack Trucks, Mitsubishi Fuso, Orange EV, Terex, Toyota, or Volvo Trucks vehicles in your fleet, you should check these important recalls issued by the National Highway Safety Administration.

Read More →
Computer screenshot showing two graphics and an image of a man.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseApril 8, 2026

Samsara Launches New AI Coaching Features to Transform Fleet Safety at Scale

Now, drivers have holistic coverage provided by Samsara Coach before, during, and after their shift. This includes start-of-the-day audio briefings to help predict road risk, on-the-road support through two-way audio coaching, and post-trip support through AI Avatar.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Background image of a rainy windshield and brake lights with logos for Truck Chat and Work Truck and a headline How Lytx Prepares Fleets for Severe Weather.
Safetyby Wayne ParhamApril 8, 2026

How Lytx Prepares Fleets for Severe Weather

Let’s learn more about how Lytx uses Dynamic Risk to provide real-time alerts, coaching, and operational support for fleets facing severe weather driving conditions. Brendon Hill, senior vice president of product at Lytx, walks us through how it all works.

Read More →
Darkened background image of congested traffic with large Nauto logo in front.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseApril 2, 2026

Nauto Available as Order Now Partner on Geotab Marketplace

Nauto's AI-powered dash cam solutions are accessible via the Geotab Marketplace, enabling fleets to easily deploy its AI-enabled safety platform directly through Geotab.

Read More →
SponsoredApril 1, 2026

Future-Proofing Fleet Tech with Modular Mounting

Technology cycles move faster than vehicle rotations. Discover how modular mounting infrastructure protects your investment and reduces fleet-wide downtime.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
SponsoredMarch 30, 2026

Improving Jobsite Safety and Uptime with Advanced Driver-Assist Technology

Safer crews. Fewer incidents. Better uptime. Learn how driver-assist technology is changing the way vocational fleets operate.

Read More →