Truck drivers see more fatalities than any other industry

According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released in December 2017, there were 5,190 work fatalities in the U.S. in 2016. This represents a 7 percent increase from 2015. As for which industries were the most hazardous, the Bureau found that the trucking industry saw the most fatalities: 918 in all that year. The second highest number was in the farming industry with 260 reported deaths. South Carolina residents may want to know about the other figures that are included in the report.

Transportation accidents, as in previous years, were the number one cause of work fatalities, accounting for about 40 percent of deaths in 2016. In total, 2,083 fatalities were due to collisions with vehicles as well as other unspecified roadway incidents. The construction industry in particular saw 991 fatal accidents involving the drivers of trucks or tractor-trailers. However, the logging industry was the most dangerous in the sense that it had the highest fatal work injury rate.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in a separate study, discovered that 88 percent of all crashes are caused by human error. Recent changes in the trucking industry, such as the advance of automated vehicle technology and the rising number of small packages being delivered due to increased online shopping, can also negatively affect it.

When workers die on the job, their family or other dependents may be eligible to file a workers compensation claim. Death benefits are paid out in such cases, typically including a percentage of the decedent’s weekly wage for a period of 500 weeks. Funeral and burial expenses may also be covered. Dependents may want to consult with a lawyer and make sure they have valid grounds for a claim. They must file before the two-year statute of limitations runs out. If the claim is denied, the lawyer might help mount an appeal.