Federal Data: Trucking Remains One of the Deadliest Jobs

From Trucks.com:

Trucking continued to be one of the deadliest jobs in the U.S.

Truckers have the second most on-the-job deaths of any occupation, according to the latest federal data.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020 report on fatal occupational injuries by occupation found that 766 heavy-duty truck drivers die annually. That’s the latest year the government has data for. However, the number of trucker deaths fell in 2020 from 843 in 2019.

The 2020 trucker death tally was narrowly topped by the construction trade workers, who suffered 771 deaths in 2020, according to the report.

There are about 2 million heavy-duty truck drivers in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But there are about 5.5 million construction trade workers – those in non-management or supervisory roles – in the U.S., according to the agency.

Another 53 light truck drivers died while working in 2020 the government said.

One reason why truckers have more risk of dying on the job than other workers is that many don’t wear seatbelts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, another government agency.

A survey of truckers by the agency found that 14 percent said they don’t use a seatbelt on every trip.

The government said trucking is a major source of all traffic fatalities.

Other Deadliest Jobs

Altogether there were 4,764 fatal work injuries recorded in the U.S. in 2020, a 10.7 percent decrease from 5,333 in 2019. That was the lowest number since 2013. The fatal work injury rate was 3.4 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers.

Any type of driving presented the greatest risk. Transportation incidents remained the most frequent type of fatal event with 1,778 deaths, accounting for 37.3 percent of all work-related fatalities, the government said. Still, that was down 16.2  percent from the prior year.

The rate of work deaths for transportation workers was high but was not the worst industry. Fishing and hunting workers, loggers, roofers all had higher rates.

Women made up 8.1 percent of all fatalities but represented 16.3 percent of workplace homicides in 2020, the government said.