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Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 2016-2020


Background

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. Most tractor-trailer drivers are long-haul drivers and operate trucks with a total weight exceeding 26,000 pounds for the vehicle, passengers, and cargo. These drivers deliver goods over intercity routes that sometimes span several states.

As of May 2020, there were 1,797,710 people employed in this occupation. The average hourly wage was $23.42, and the average annual wage was $48,710.

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

In private industry for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, there were 43,500 nonfatal injury and illness cases involving days away from work in 2020. The incidence rate per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 259.7.



Table 1. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by selected case characteristics, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, private industry, 2020
Case characteristic[1]Number of cases

Nature of injury or illness

Sprains, strains, tears

15,520

Soreness, pain

9,810

All other natures

6,660

Fractures

4,700

Bruises, contusions

2,970

Part of body affected

Back

6,680

Shoulder

5,070

Multiple body parts

4,760

Knee

4,360

Hand

3,020

Source of injury or illness

Vehicles

14,970

Worker motion or position

6,240

Parts and materials

6,050

Floors, walkways, ground surfaces

5,600

Containers

4,550

Event or exposure leading to injury or illness

Fall to lower level

5,560

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles

5,190

Fall on same level

5,170

Struck by object or equipment

4,020

Overexertion in lifting or lowering

2,720

[1] Data shown correspond to Nature, Part, Source, and Event codes based on the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System 2.01 developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

Fatal occupational injuries

Fatal work injuries totaled 766 for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers during 2020, compared to 843 during 2019.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, all United States, 2016-2020
Event or exposure[1][2]20162017201820192020

Total fatal injuries (number)

786840831843766

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

23322444--

Transportation incidents

632661649656590

Fires and explosions

66--9--

Falls, slips, trips

41383036--

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

3845553850

Contact with objects and equipment

46576760--

[1] CFOI data by event are only provided if there are fatal case counts in three or more of the six event categories.

[2] Data shown correspond to Event codes based on the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System 2.01 developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Note: Dashes indicate data do not meet BLS publication guidelines.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

Sources

Wage and employment estimates come from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program. Injury and illness information come from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). For more information on SOII program concepts, see the definitions page and the SOII Handbook of Methods. For more information on CFOI program concepts, see the definitions page and the CFOI Handbook of Methods.

 

Last Modified Date: February 11, 2022