Two of the Ten Most Dangerous Jobs Involve Driving
Every time you drive, you put yourself and your passengers in danger. The fact that people who are on the road for a living, those with the most experience, are at high risk of getting killed tells you how dangerous driving can be.
The Transportation Industry is One of the Most Dangerous You Can Work In
In 2022, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states US employers reported 2.3 million nonfatal job-related injuries, reports Industrial Safety & Hygiene News (ISHN). The BLS reports that year there were 5,486 fatal accidents at work that year.
According to the BLS:
- A worker was killed, on average, every 99 minutes from a job-related fatal injury in 2023
- Transportation accidents were the most common fatal event, accounting for 36.8% (1,942) of all job-related deaths
- Transportation accidents were the top cause of fatalities for Black (261) and Hispanic or Latino (390) workers in 2023
- Workers aged 55 to 64 had the top number of fatalities by age group in 2023, with 1,089 (or 20.6% of total fatalities). Transportation accidents were the most common cause of death for this group (401)
- The transportation and warehousing industry had the second most fatalities (930) behind construction (1,075)
- Transportation accidents accounted for 71.7% percent (667) of fatalities in this sector
The BLS stated fatalities were generally down in 2023 from 2022.
The Most Dangerous Jobs in the US
The top ten most dangerous industries in terms of deaths per 100,000 full-time workers, based on 2022 BLS data, are:
- Logging
- Roofing
- Fishing and hunting
- Construction trade helpers
- Aircraft piloting and flight engineering
- Trucking
- Refuse and recycling collection
- Iron and steel construction, demolition, and rehabilitation
- Mining
- Agricultural work
As measured by the number of work-related deaths, some jobs are more dangerous than others. ISHN found some of the most hazardous work in the US:
- Occurs outdoors
- Sometimes in bad weather
- Often when people worked alone or in isolated areas
- With job-specific heavy equipment
- Often involving transportation
- Often with little or no formal safety training
Some factors making transportation-related jobs so dangerous include the following:
- Delivery and truck drivers: Most hours worked are on the road, so the risk of vehicle crashes is far higher than other jobs
- Refuse and recyclable material collectors: Most of their work hours are spent on the road as well, increasing the chances of vehicle crashes, which are far greater than most other jobs. On-the-job safety training is typical, so workers are exposed to danger while they’re trying to learn to minimize it
ISHN reported that the compensation for most of those with the highest risk of death didn’t match the dangers they face. There is no bonus for risking death in most of these jobs:
- Salaries range from $34,790 (farm workers) to $189,620 (aircraft pilots and engineers)
- The average yearly blue-collar job salary in 2024 was $47,514.
- Three of the top ten most dangerous jobs have incomes at or below that national average
- Only two have average yearly salaries of more than $60,000
If you are injured on the job or a family member suffers a work-related death, you can file for workers’ compensation benefits from the employer. If that injury or death is caused by someone who’s not a co-worker, you may be able to file an insurance claim or lawsuit against that party. This compensation may be far more than what’s available through workers’ compensation.
Speak To a Kentucky Truck Accident Attorney Today
If you are injured, or a loved one is killed, in a work-related accident with a car or commercial truck in Kentucky, Satterley & Kelley PLLC can help you get the compensation you deserve. Put boots on the ground with our help.
To discuss your truck accident and how Satterley & Kelley, PLLC can help, call our office in Louisville at 502-589-5600 or toll-free at 855-385-9532. You may also complete our contact form for a free initial consultation.