Driving Risk: Trends in Motor Vehicle Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents are both dangerous and costly.
A recent article from NCCI reports that motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of fatalities at work, making up 40% of all work fatalities. These accidents are unique in that they have far greater destructive potential than typical workplace accidents and are far more likely to cause multiple injuries in a single incident. Many motor vehicle accidents resulting in workers’ compensation claims involve a third party. For this reason, 25% of lost-time claims from motor vehicle accidents involve a subrogation recovery. Despite this high potential for subrogation, the average motor vehicle accident costs over $100,000—70% more than the average lost-time claim, meaning that these accidents are the most costly type of claim in workers’ compensation. Although these accidents only account for 5% of workers’ compensation lost-time claims, they account for 10% of the cost of such claims.
The fact that motor vehicle accidents frequently result in multiple injuries means that the average incident is more complex and takes longer to treat. Half of same-occurrence claims result from motor vehicle accidents because one of these accidents is ten times more likely than the average workplace accident to injure multiple coworkers.
The trend in motor vehicle accident frequency has largely remained since 2012.
Apart from a decrease during the pandemic due to lockdowns and remote work becoming more common, there has been no significant decline in motor vehicle accident frequency since 2012. Recent data suggests that the flat trend seen pre-pandemic is resuming, highlighting the need for safety improvements. Distracted driving and cell phone use frequently cause motor vehicle accidents. Additionally, the combination of an influx of new, inexperienced drivers and an increase in the total number of miles driven has kept the trend in frequency of motor vehicle accidents flat, even as other types of workplace accidents and lost-time claims have declined.
Written by J.D. Candidate Phylicia D. Childs, reviewed by Marleigh A. Severe, Esq.
