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Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities

Light truck drivers, 2016-2020


Background

Light truck drivers operate vehicles, such as trucks or vans, with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 26,000 pounds or less. These workers pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver them, and they may also load and unload the vehicle.

As of May 2020, there were 929,470 people employed in this occupation. The average hourly wage was $19.74, and the average annual wage was $41,050.

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

In private industry for light truck drivers, there were 21,610 nonfatal injury and illness cases involving days away from work in 2020. The incidence rate per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 248.9.



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

Nature of injury or illness

Sprains, strains, tears

9,580

Soreness, pain

3,720

All other natures

3,450

Bruises, contusions

1,840

Fractures

1,520

Part of body affected

Back

4,650

Knee

2,480

Ankle

2,060

Shoulder

1,750

Multiple body parts

1,710

Source of injury or illness

Vehicles

5,550

Worker motion or position

4,550

Containers

4,280

Floors, walkways, ground surfaces

2,750

All other sources

2,300

Event or exposure leading to injury or illness

Overexertion in lifting or lowering

2,930

Fall on same level

2,420

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles

2,260

Struck by object or equipment

2,000

Fall to lower level

1,460

[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 53 for light truck drivers during 2020, compared to 79 during 2019.


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