A new report from the Department of Labor shows the shocking statistic that one in every six American workers killed on the job are truck drivers.
The report was released on August 17th and examines the different ways that life as a truck driver can be dangerous, saying “driving a truck is risky in ways you might not expect.”
According to the report, 761 truckers were killed on the job in 2014, which marks the fifth year in a row that the number of trucker fatalities has increased. It also notes that 78% of the deaths were caused by “transportation incidents.”
From the report, you might take away that being a truck driver is incredibly dangerous and that it’s getting more so all the time. While being a trucker can certainly be dangerous, the report is neglecting to mention some very important information. Most importantly, that there are a LOT of truckers.
Another important bit of information is that the number of deaths has increased in the past five years at a slower rate than the amount of freight being shipped has increased – meaning that the increase in deaths isn’t necessarily because the roads are getting less safe, and is likely in large part because there are more truckers spending more time on the road.
Indeed, as you can see in an excellent analysis by Kevin Jones over at Fleetowner, fatality rates in crashes have been falling consistently.
Additionally, while 761 truckers dying on the job in just one year is far too many, that’s 761 out of millions. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ calculations, a trucker has a .000247% chance of having a fatal work injury every year.
But of course, that’s not nothing. And not all devastating work injuries are fatal. The Department of Labor report also notes that truckers are much more likely than the average American worker to get injured on the job, and if they do their injuries prevent them from returning to work for twice as long as average.
So to all the truckers out there: Stay safe, keep your head on a swivel, and the shiny side up.
Source: DOL, gobytrucknews, fleetowner
Gee thanks for scaring the shit out of me with that creepy picture lol.
Death is an inenvitable part of life. Cant run or hide everywhere you go. There are steps you can take increase your chances of survival out there.
Statistics are an amazing thing.
Sometime, you can actually see your death coming, in the rear view mirror. It’s a freaking another 4-wheeler texting behind the wheel. Those are like DEER jumping at you in the middle of the night. Their moves are unpredictable. Looks like drunk drivers at least trying to drive straight. Texting 4-wheelers are hazards and MUST be banned from the roads forever.
I agree with you but I don’t think this article is talking about deaths by accidents. What they are talking about is health issues and with some of them you can drop dead and never feel a thing .
Incorrect. The article is specifically talking about traffic incidents.
Sorry, Mike, although traffic fatalities are mentioned, this article covers all American worker ‘on-the-job’ deaths. One out of six ‘on-the-job’ American deaths is a truck driver. So, health, accidents, whether caused by; cargo, reckless driving, falling from the trailer, run over, or self-igniting warm diesel, or murdered by parking police. All deaths.
I think they are talking about death in general. They didn’t break it down to the percent but their statement, “1 in 6 American workers are killed on the job are truckers.” means out of all American workers who are killed on the job.
Whats the statistic for drivers dying in their sleepers . How many of the drivers are tested for carbon monoxide exposure? Hor many of those drivers families are left struggling to get their loved ones home. How many are company drivers whose families will have to fight for comp survivor benefits only to be denied because they cannot afford expert Witnesses? So
Much more you could cover on this. Drivers need to stop just being a number .
One company I worked for had a driver die in the sleeper. Dead of summer , 90 degrees, and 3 days later they found him. Sanitized the inside,possibly changed the mattress, and sent it out within a week of getting the tractor back.
OMG this sounds kinda like my husband. you work for Knight Transportation. who is Julia illinoise he called and said feel that I need to go to the hospital the dispatcher told him to hang on I’ll get right back with them. he was in his truck for 3 days in their backyard when they found him. I accidentally sent me the toxic cleaning sheet they ordered with his things. now even after I won my case they’re still appealing. these trucker Owner’s need to be held accountable for how they treat their truck drivers I truly believe that a lot of them die from stress on the road.
Trucking companies will certainly cover their six…When it comes to paying families what’s owed them…Well you’d have better luck trying to kiss a rattle snake!! I don’t think there is a driver out there that hasn’t been screwed at least once by a trucking company, and yet we still do it!! If it weren’t for the freedom…It wouldn’t be worth it.
What freedom? Freedom to eat deep fried heart attacks in a bag? Freedom to live most of your life in cubicle smaller than a jail cell? Or would that be the freedom to miss every important event that happens in your child’s life?
The only freedom that there is as a truck driver is an illusion that you watch through your windshield much like the Disney cartoons you watched pouring out your television set.
I’m sitting here right now in dirt covered parking lot waiting for DOT’s one size fits all ten hour break to get done so I can drive another hour and park this truck so I can go home, spend 34 hours trying to reconnect with my teenage son and then it’s back to all that wonderful freedom!
Why are you driving OTR when you have a family anyway? You can’t get a job where you live? Why does it have to be trucking? Lastly why complain it’s not like you didn’t know it was going to be like this BEFORE you got into it. Nobody forced you to become a OTR truck driver.
That’s why I was a company driver for about 6 months. Been an owner op for the past 15 years and spend about 2 or maybe 3 nights a week in that shack in the back..
Use chose it…. no one held a gun to your head and forced you to do this….. if you don’t like it then…. but if you choose to keep going then pull up your big boy panties and quit crying
It’s not worth it. I drove for 12 years. Some of the best years of my life life wasted. My kids grew up not knowing me, my grandkids cried when I’d come in the room, cause they didn’t know me. I gained so much weight, blood pressure went so high, and cholesterol level says I have diesel for blood. I couldn’t pass the Medical. Best thing that ever happened. I have a regular job now, I see my family, go to doctors visits, sleep in my own bed and make about the same money. F*#k all those companys, even the good ones screw you out of money, time and your life.
The number of deaths have increased in the last five years so I read. I wonder why that is , and the answer is E logs of course.
Making people drive 11 hours straight, racing against the clock.
I’d would say DEF, but that’s me
Rookies training rookies?
I’d add that to the list.
HOS rules could be taken into account here I would suspect. When I have to take a 30, and my clock is still ticking… I’m left with the option of running out of hours if I take another break and not making my planned eta or possibly getting fatigued and not reacting appropriately to conditions. Where is that fn study?!
This doesn’t mean anything .How many truck drivers are put in prison every year? How many of them later go on to be murdered in prison? How does that number compare with the number of trucking company executives who should be murdered in prison? I think your death rate stats. are like every other stat. That is, totalB.S.
That number doesn’t include the drivers that expire either behind the wheel or in their sleep.
I just want to shout out stop this BS , Everytime you read about the dangers of trucking or an accident involving a truck you hear the it’s them damm four wheelers . I drive a truck and what I see are truck drivers driving their trucks like they are four wheelers.The tail gating,the speeding and aggressive driving all so they can get somewhere to set and wait for 6 hours to get unloaded.real smart ,no wonder drivers get no respect.
Dead right.
Agree.
I couldn’t agree with you more on your observations. Lane ends due to construction, merge ahead. In the past, it was the 4–Wheeler I had to worry about speeding up to ensure they took pole position. Not so much now. It’s the trucker with thin skin & an ego to uphold. Same thing occurs when I go to make a left lane pass because the trucker I’m behind is to busy multitasking & has slowed. He sees me coming up & he’ll start gouging on it. I’m like most of the other drivers out here. Trying to do my job & doing it as safely as I can. I also miss how truckers were a brotherhood out here & looked out for each other. Didn’t matter about your race, ethnicity or religion. We all had a common goal. Ahhhhhh well, wishful thinking I guess.
Hello. I have a speed limiter, the next best pencil pusher regulation to become effective. I will soon be shot to death by a four wheeler I have left lane blocked while turtling past a slower big truck. I should invest in a dash cam so they can watch him drive away.
Driver fatigue and stress from Heat stroke ,& a heart attack are the most common causes . Prairie Material (Redi mix truck) had a driver die because of no air conditioning in his truck in the summer heat. Many other drivers met the same fate while driving without AC in the summer heat . But by far , drivers just driving exhausted they say is the most common cause of driver fatallities . Companies just don’t care about their drivers ..They work you to death … Sad. Very sad ..
It’s silly to report a raw-number stat like that without providing any per-capita information. On the flip side, logging (trees…not electronic) is notoriously dangerous and probably accounts for a sizable chunk of those driver deaths.
Electronic logging is dangerous too, as the commenter above correctly pointed out. Ditto for speed limiters…the vast majority of four-wheelers have no clue about them and probably think we slow-pass by choice.
Here are the statistics (Page 19):
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Total fatal injuries: 761
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals: 22
Transportation incidents: 596
Fires and explosions: 5
Falls, slips, trips: 38
Exposure to harmful substances or environments: 29
Contact with objects and equipment: 66
http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cftb0290.pdf
I was told many years ago that drivers are a dime a dozen when I asked for a raise. Pissed me off so much I gave him a dime and said go buy 12 I quit.
This just proved to me that we are just ass in the seat and this will never be any loyalty or respect for drivers.
I’d rather die on the road than in a convalescent home. I just don’t want to take anyone with me when I go.
Anybody that 1) drinks a lot of caffeine 2) smokes 3) does little to no exercise 4) deals with a LOT of stress every day & 5) gets very little sleep is probably going to die sooner rather than later
Arby, you hit the nail on the head. I love to drive and that’s why I became a truck driver but I see just as many truck drivers pulling some pretty stupid crap too. It’s not just the 4-wheelers causing accidents but the truckers who feel and act like they own the road. True, we do get a bad rap sometimes but stop blaming everyone else for what might be your fault. Own up!
Wow, this information is crazy.