Driver inattention and distraction was the main contributing factor of work-related commercial motor vehicle crashes.
A new report from the NH Occupational Health Surveillance Program (OHSP) called, Characteristics of Commercial Motor Vehicle Crashes Reported in the New Hampshire State Police Commercial Crash Dataset for Years 2015 through 2017, explores the New Hampshire (NH) State Police crash dataset of commercial vehicle crashes to better understand the contributing factors and actions/ events that increase risk of motor vehicle crashes and resulting injuries. The report also provides recommendations on how employers and drivers can reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes.
Other major findings from the report include:
- Most crashes occurred in the southeast area of New Hampshire, during the week and daylight hours, during no adverse weather conditions, involving a collision with another moving vehicle, dry road surface, and on a two-way undivided road.
- The highest percent of crashes occurred in the age group 46-55.
- When there are poor road and weather conditions, the main contributing factor was unsafe speed.
- Injuries occurred more often in crashes involving vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds.
“Workers’ safety while driving is a responsibility shared by many, including employers, workers, policy makers, vehicle manufacturers, and the research community. The efforts of all these stakeholders are critical if we are to make meaningful progress in reducing the burden of work-related crashes,” explains Dr. Karla Armenti, Director of NH OHSP. “Safe-driving policies implemented in the workplace can promote safer driving for workers and family members away from work.”
The New Hampshire Occupational Health Surveillance Project provides meaningful statistics to identify priority occupational safety and health issues in the state. This includes reports on a variety of core occupational health indicators based on measures of health (work-related disease, injury, or disability) or factors associated with health, such as workplace exposures, hazards or interventions. It is a project at the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire. For more information visit: www.nhohsp.unh.edu.
