How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 32 severe cases involving roadway collisions with objects over the last decade. Fractures are the most common nature of injury, accounting for 32 percent of these reported incidents, often resulting in complex medical needs and extended recovery periods.
These collisions frequently cause severe trauma, leaving you with life-altering injuries. The high frequency of fractures and internal organ damage highlights the extreme physical force involved when a vehicle strikes a stationary object in your workplace.
Common injuries
These injuries typically occur when you are operating or riding on trucks, which account for 55 percent of all reported sources in these incidents. Common scenarios include vehicles sliding on ice into poles, equipment beds striking overhead structures, or you being caught between a moving vehicle and a fixed object like a bollard or tree.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fractures | 9 |
| 2 | Traumatic injuries or exposures— unspecified | 4 |
| 3 | Injuries to internal organs and major blood vessels | 3 |
| 4 | Intracranial Injuries | 2 |
| 5 | Cuts, lacerations, punctures without injury to internal structures | 2 |
| 6 | Amputations, avulsions, enucleations | 2 |
| 7 | Effects of electric current | 2 |
| 8 | Severe wounds or internal injuries and other injuries | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Administrative services account for 34 percent of these incidents, largely due to the frequent use of garbage trucks and collection vehicles in residential areas. You face high risks in this sector when riding on rear steps or navigating tight spaces where vehicles can easily strike roadside obstacles.
Real cases like yours
Many reported incidents involve you being pinned between vehicles and fixed structures or suffering severe trauma when a vehicle strikes an object while you are positioned on the exterior. These patterns often point to failures in vehicle safety protocols or inadequate training for navigating tight routes. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | PA | Education | "An employee was driving a vehicle through a tunnel on a campus road to the dumpsters. The bed was elevated and contacted the tunnel structure. The employee sustained a lacerated pancreas and a dislocated shoulder. " | |
| 2024 | NY | Administrative Services | "An employee was standing on the back step of a residential garbage truck when the truck slid on ice and the employee was pinned between the truck and a telephone pole. The employee sustained a crushed pelvis." | |
| 2024 | PA | Administrative Services | "An employee was getting onto the rear of a garbage truck. The employee's right leg was caught between the truck's rear riding step and a bollard as it started moving. The employee was hospitalized and their leg was amputated at the knee." | |
| 2024 | MO | Agriculture | "An employee was backing up a bobtail propane truck when it struck stored propane tanks, resulting in a fire. The employee suffered burns to the back, head, and left arm." | |
| 2023 | NJ | Administrative Services | "An employee was riding the rear step of a garbage truck while the truck was traveling to the next house along the collection route. The vehicle struck against a roadside tree. The employee sustained multiple fractures." | |
| 2023 | PA | Administrative Services | "An employee was riding on the back of a trash truck when they were pinched between the truck and a utility pole. The employee sustained a fractured right hip." | |
| 2023 | GA | Manufacturing | "An employee was moving a manlift away from a truck when it struck a power line. The employee sustained electric shock." | |
| 2023 | PA | Administrative Services | "An employee was riding on the back of a garbage truck when a low tree limb approximately 10.5 feet off the ground and 12-18 inches in diameter hit the top of the truck. The tree limb broke off the tree and struck the employee's leg, resulting in a broken leg." | |
| 2023 | MO | Manufacturing | "An employee was driving a concrete pump truck when it made contact with overhead power lines. The employee was shocked and was hospitalized." | |
| 2021 | NH | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was driving a vehicle down a dirt road when a windstorm caused tree branches to come down all over the road. A branch struck a mirror bracket and glass broke. A piece of glass got into the employee's eye and lacerated the retina." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Fractures are the most frequent injury, occurring in 32 percent of reported cases. You may also suffer from internal organ damage, intracranial injuries, and severe lacerations due to the high impact force. An attorney can help you document these injuries to ensure your medical records accurately reflect the severity of your claim.
Yes, Workers' Compensation is designed to cover injuries you sustain during the course of your employment, regardless of whether you were driving or riding on the exterior of the vehicle. These claims often involve complex liability issues regarding employer safety policies. A qualified attorney can help you navigate the process to ensure your benefits are properly calculated.
Employers have a legal obligation to provide safe equipment and adequate training for all vehicle operations. If a lack of training or improper safety protocols contributed to your injury, you may have grounds for a claim beyond standard Workers' Compensation. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer violated safety standards that led to your accident.
Severe injuries like fractures or amputations often require extensive rehabilitation and long-term medical support. It is critical to ensure that your Workers' Compensation claim accounts for these future costs rather than just immediate emergency care. An attorney can help you evaluate your long-term needs and advocate for the full benefits you are entitled to receive.