7 Causes of Winter Injuries | Driver Injury Prevention

Most fleets train drivers on how to handle their vehicles in winter weather, but many don’t realize that drivers are actually more likely to slip on an icy sidewalk, trip on a curb hidden by snow or pull a muscle than collide with another vehicle.

These out-of-vehicle incidents typically cost employers $36,000 – $47,000+ per occurrence and cause drivers to miss an average of 13 days of work.

How much time do you spend training drivers to avoid overexertion, slips, trips and falls?

Download Our FREE Winter Driving Safety Resources for Fleets

Why Do Winter Injuries Happen?

Transportation jobs are the most dangerous in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Per capita, more drivers are injured than police officers or construction workers each year.

Rushing and distractions are the root cause of most incidents – a driver may jump out of the cab instead of climbing down carefully, or decide to carry a heavy package instead of using a hand truck. These “time-saving” shortcuts can lead to weeks away from work and even a chronic injury.

How Can Companies Promote Driver Injury Prevention?

Regular reminders about injury prevention can help you minimize incidents. Here are a few ways to keep safety top of mind for drivers:

• Put a decal on the cab and lift gate reminding drivers to use three points of contact when ascending or descending.
• Have supervisors observe loading activities (unannounced). Reward drivers who follow safety best practices, and assign remedial training to workers with bad habits.
• Share our winter injury prevention infographic in your driver portal and post it in your breakrooms.

If your company driver safety program doesn’t include injury prevention, you’re at risk for expensive, preventable incidents. Sharing winter driving tips is important, but the majority of incidents occur when drivers aren’t in their vehicle. 

Save yourself the headache of dealing with an insurance claim and finding someone to cover an injured driver’s route. Make sure drivers know how to stay safe in and out of the vehicle this winter. Establishing good injury prevention habits can also help your business save money on insurance claims and rate increases, not just this winter, but for years to come.

Get Our Free “Top 7 Causes of Winter-Related Injuries” Infographic

Our Winter Driving Safety Resources bundle includes a free infographic illustrating simple injury prevention tips every driver should know. Print a copy for your breakroom, include it in your next training program or share one tip per week as a driver safety message. You can explore this and other critical resources to help prioritize winder driving safety across your fleet by visiting the link below!