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BLS report says truck transportation is the deadliest industry

On Behalf of | Oct 26, 2020 | Motor Vehicle Accidents |

Workers in Pennsylvania may be interested in learning about the most dangerous industries overall in the U.S. Using workplace fatality data from 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has come out with a report that may prove to be enlightening for many. It turns out that truck transportation is the deadliest industry with a fatality rate of 28 per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers.

Other deadly occupations

After trucking, the deadliest industry was agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, which had 23 deaths per 100,000 FTE workers. Mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction came in third with 14 deaths per 100,000 FTE workers. The BLS also ranked fatality rates by occupation. Loggers in particular run a high risk with 97.5 deaths per 100,000 FTE workers. There was an error margin of 26.8, though.

It should be remembered that there are far fewer loggers than there are truckers. There are 1.5 million people who work in the trucking industry and some 3.6 million truck drivers and driver/sales workers, around half of whom drive tractor-trailers.

Why trucking is so dangerous

Truckers work long hours and often drive through the night. The resulting drowsiness, exacerbated by alcohol or illness, only puts them at a high risk for a crash. Another factor is the increasing age among truckers. The industry has no mandatory retirement age.

Filing for workers’ compensation benefits

If you were injured while on the job, a workers’ compensation lawyer may guide you through the process of filing a claim and even help you mount an appeal should your employer deny payment. A successful claim could cover your medical expenses and a percentage of your lost wages.