Examining injury trends in parcel delivery drivers in the United States: Challenges and opportunities

Growth of e-commerce has caused a vast increase in parcel delivery, which raises concern for safety of drivers and other road users as more deliveries take place.

This project analyzes injury/illness and fatality trends among workers with delivery-related NAICS codes using three major sources of occupational hazard data in the United States: the Survey of Occupational Illnesses and Injuries, the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, and the Industrial Tracking Application. Descriptive statistics were employed to illustrate trends over time as well as to highlight opportunities for improved data collection and dissemination.

The number of injuries to drivers has risen sharply over the past decade. Some of this increase appears due to growth of this industry, but increasing overall rates suggest the industry is becoming more hazardous. While nonfatal injuries were typically caused by continuous workplace exposures (e.g., repetitive strain, contact with object/equipment), fatalities were almost exclusively caused by transportation incidents. Additionally, crucial aspects of these trends are difficult or impossible to analyze given the current data landscape.

Observed trends reinforce earlier calls for additional scrutiny of working conditions that threaten drivers. Injuries caused by transportation incidents are likely more severe than others and highlight the danger the transportation system poses to drivers and others. Current data collection and dissemination processes offer room to improve in terms of understanding how to prevent future injuries.