The number of claims and deaths for the Safety Group due to motor vehicle crashes declined very significantly during 2020 compared to 2019. The costs incurred in claims decreased by 80 percent. In 2020 the costs of motor vehicle crashes accounted for about 25 percent of the top ten causes of injury compared to about 50 percent in 2019.

It is believed that the COVID-19 virus reduced activity in oil and gas operations and contributed to fewer driving incidents.

Even with less activity, these improvements are very encouraging.  Motor vehicle crashes, however, have been historically a top cause of fatalities and serious injuries for the Safety Group.

Employers are encouraged to continue emphasizing driving safety in employee outreach and safety programs. Among bad driving behaviors, speeding is the strongest predictor of crashes. Other behaviors that contribute to motor vehicle crashes include speeding, hard braking, hard acceleration and hard cornering.