Crashes Account for 41% of Work-Related Accidental Deaths
Overall, the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. is poisonings -- including drug overdoses -- according to a new report from the National Safety Council.

Transportation-related accidents accounted for 41% of work-related fatalities in the U.S. in 2015, according to the National Safety Council's latest report.
Photo: Bobit
Transportation-related accidents accounted for 41% of work-related fatalities in the U.S. in 2015, according to a new report from the National Safety Council. That same year, an estimated 478,000 injuries in the workplace likely involved fatigue or sleep problems.
The findings are included in the National Safety Council’s 2017 edition of Injury Facts, an annual publication that analyzes the most recent available data on preventable injuries and deaths in the U.S.
Overall, preventable deaths in the U.S. reached an all-time high in 2015, researchers concluded. More than 146,500 Americans died from such causes as drug overdoses, motor vehicle crashes, falls, choking and drowning.
“Approximately 58,000 fewer people would have died in 2015 if the preventable death rate had kept pace with the improving overall fatality rate,” the National Safety Council said in a summary of the report. Preventable incidents as a cause of death trailed only heart disease, cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease. Accidental deaths outpaced fatalities caused by strokes, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
Poisonings were the leading cause of accidental deaths in 24 states and Washington, D.C. These poisonings included prescription opioid overdoses. The drug overdose epidemic has directly driven the overall rise in preventable deaths, the National Safety Council said. An American’s lifetime odds of dying from a poisoning are one in 96. The lifetime odds of dying in a motor vehicle crash are one in 114.
The annual societal cost of preventable injuries is $886.4 billion — the equivalent of 52 cents for every dollar an American spends on food, according to researchers. The National Safety Council hopes the data in the 2017 edition of Injury Facts will help future prevention efforts.
“Good data help us make good decisions, and Injury Facts gives us a roadmap for eliminating preventable deaths in our lifetime,” said Ken Kolosh, statistics manager and Injury Facts author at the National Safety Council. “We hope government officials, business leaders, safety professionals and anyone working to make the world a safer place will use Injury Facts to shape decision making and inform injury prevention efforts.”
More Safety

Managing Road Risk at Scale: Why Fleet Safety Needs a Data-Driven Framework
Insights from the FIA Road and Driver Safety Indexes reveal how to manage road risk on a larger scale.
Read More →
Stellantis Recalls 1.3 Million Jeep Vehicles Worldwide Over Fire Risk
Stellantis is recalling more than 1.3 million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models worldwide over a fire risk linked to power steering pump wiring.
Read More →
Coaching Is Not Training, Even When AI Is Doing It
AI-powered safety platforms can detect risky behaviors and deliver immediate feedback. But effective driver development still requires a foundation of training followed by coaching that reinforces those skills.
Read More →
How Emotions Behind the Wheel Can Affect Fleet Safety
During National Safety Month, fleets are encouraged to look beyond distracted driving and recognize how stress, fatigue, and emotional well-being influence driver performance and crash risk.
Read More →
Nominations Open for 2026 Fleet Safety Award
Nominations have officially opened for the 2026 Fleet Safety Award Winner.
Read More →
Turning Connected Vehicle Data Into Decisions That Matter
Fleet leaders have more data than ever, but turning that data into clear, actionable decisions remains a challenge. This white paper shows how leading organizations are using connected vehicle data to improve safety, reduce costs, and optimize fleet performance. Learn how to turn insight into action across your fleet.
Read More →
Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-time Prevention
Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Learn more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab.
Read More →
NAFA Fleet Safety Symposium to Collocate With 2026 Fleet Forward Conference
The daylong certificate program will precede the Fleet Forward Conference at the Gaylord National Harbor in Maryland.
Read More →
The Distractions You Can’t Turn Off: What Drivers Face Outside the Vehicle
Fleet drivers face constant visual, cognitive, and environmental interruptions the moment they hit the road. From roadside chaos to mental fatigue and digital overload, today’s biggest driving risks often come from outside the vehicle itself.
Read More →
FLASH Weather AI Launches First Deep-Learning Hail Prediction Model With High-Resolution Forecasting
FLASH Weather AI has launched a first-of-its-kind hail prediction model capable of forecasting hail size and arrival time at 1-kilometer resolution up to 55 minutes ahead, giving fleets and insurers critical time to prepare for severe storms.
Read More →
