Occupational Motor Vehicle Fatalities in North Carolina, 1979-1988

You are here: Homepage > Search

Occupational Motor Vehicle Fatalities in North Carolina, 1979-1988

D. L. Armstrong / D. P. Loomis / C. W. Runyan / J. D. Butts

The frequency and characteristics of on the job motor vehicle related fatalities in North Carolina were studied using the statewide medical examiner system combined with detailed data from police crash investigations and population information from the U.S. Census. There were 644 occupational motor vehicle fatalities identified during 1979 to 1988; 97% of the victims were male. The accidents primarily involved people working as motor vehicle operators and truck drivers. Motor vehicle operators, forestry workers, material moving operators, and farm workers had the highest rates. There was no evidence that alcohol use played a major role in these deaths, and the crash events themselves were unremarkable. Prior to the crash most vehicles were travelling straight, then the driver lost control and collided with a vehicle or other object on the road, or crashed without a collision. Farm workers and agricultural machinery were also involved in a substantial proportion of the fatalities. The authors stress the need for more rigorous equipment standards for the safety of workers whose jobs entail large amounts of driving. The role of vehicle maintenance in occupational safety for workers exposed to motor vehicles should also be more thoroughly investigated.