For those who operate vehicles as a main part of their work regulations, are not only well versed with time constraints with their work, but also the importance to be a defensive driver. In 2013 alone, motor vehicle crashes claimed 35,500 lives; some of these fatalities involved people who drive for a living. The three biggest causes of fatalities on the road include:
1 Alcohol (30.8%)
2 Speeding (30%)
Millions of people drive as part of their jobs. Some are professionally trained drivers – many are not. If a job does not primarily involve driving, the employee often does not receive the same kind of safety management or engagement in driving safety that others may get.
It’s important as these risks continue to grow that employers need to manage the safety of their employees on the roads, just as they manage other risks in the workplace – start with an understanding of keeping employees safe.
Off the job crashes account for 80% of employer crash-related health benefit costs, and half of crash-related injuries cause employees to miss work. According to Injury Facts, the average economic cost due to a crash was more than $1 million per death and more than $78,000 per nonfatal disabling injury. Employers pay significant costs associated with off-the-job crashes, including decreases in employee health, well-being, and productivity, and increases in lost time from work and insurance costs. All the more reason as we head into 2016 to make employee safety on the roads a much more prominent fixture in the workplace.
When a serious car accident impacts your life, or takes the life of your loved one, contact our lawyers. We offer a free, one-hour consultation to discuss the particulars of your accident and how we can help maximize your compensation.