How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 153 severe cases involving noncollision roadway vehicle incidents over the past decade. Fractures are the most common injury type, accounting for 42% of these reported events, often requiring extensive surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
These accidents are dangerous because they often involve heavy equipment like trucks and industrial vehicles. Injuries frequently impact the brain, leading to complex medical needs that can permanently alter your ability to return to your previous job.
Common injuries
Most of these incidents involve trucks, which account for 52% of all reported sources. Common scenarios include vehicles rolling over on sloped shoulders, forklifts tipping when tires sink into soft ground, or you falling from moving trailers during site operations. These events often stem from unstable driving surfaces or equipment that is not suited for the terrain.
| Injury Type | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fractures | 61 |
| 2 | Traumatic injuries or exposures— unspecified | 27 |
| 3 | Intracranial Injuries | 25 |
| 4 | Amputations, avulsions, enucleations | 7 |
| 5 | Injuries to internal organs and major blood vessels | 6 |
| 6 | Cuts, lacerations, punctures without injury to internal structures | 4 |
| 7 | Severe wounds or internal injuries and other injuries | 3 |
| 8 | Bruises, contusions | 3 |
Where injuries happen most
Administrative services account for 27% of these incidents, often due to the movement of transport vehicles within large facility grounds. Construction follows closely at 25%, where the combination of heavy machinery and uneven, temporary road conditions creates a high risk for rollovers and loss of vehicle control.
Real cases like yours
Reports consistently show a pattern of vehicles overturning when transitioning from paved to unpaved surfaces or when you lose your balance while working on moving trailers. These incidents often result in severe fractures and intracranial injuries that require immediate hospitalization. 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 | TX | Construction | "An employee was using an excavator to unload concrete traffic barriers. The excavator swung, tipped over an existing barrier, and fell into a ravine/wetland. The employee sustained a fractured left shin requiring hospitalization and surgery." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "Two employees were driving a water truck pulling a trailer on the sloped shoulder within the barricade of a work zone when the truck and the trailer rolled over. One employee sustained a broken femur and was hospitalized. The second employee sustained contusions to the lower back left side and left forearm and was not hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "An employee was picking up traffic barrels while standing on a moving flatbed trailer. When the vehicle made a U-turn, the employee lost his balance and fell onto the freeway pavement. The employee sustained a fracture to the back of the skull and a brain bleed." | |
| 2025 | AR | Manufacturing | "An employee was operating a forklift on the roadway near a building. While backing up, the rear tires left the pavement and sank into the soft ground causing the forklift to flip onto its side. The employee s right leg and foot were trapped underneath the forklift resulting in multiple broken metatarsals." | |
| 2024 | TX | Manufacturing | "An employee was driving a utility vehicle and making rounds in the facility. While transitioning from the paved portion of the roadway to the uneven gravel portion, the vehicle overturned and the employee's left foot was caught between the vehicle and the ground. The employee sustained a dislocated left ankle." | |
| 2024 | OH | Construction | "On November 7, 2024, an employee slipped off the rear platform of a truck while moving temporary road signs. The employee was struck by the trailer that the truck was pulling and they sustained fractures to their left tibia and fibula." | |
| 2024 | TX | Utilities | "An employee was driving a telehandler (forklift) on a rural road with drainage ditches on both sides of the road. A tube of grease rolled near the operating pedals of the telehandler and when the operator bent over to grab the tube, the telehandler veered off the road. The tires of the telehandler slid on wet grass and went into a ditch. When the telehandler got to the bottom of the ditch (approximately 15 feet below), it tipped over onto the cab's passenger side. The employee was wearing a seatbelt and struck the interior structure of the telehandler cab and sustained a fractured right clavicle requiring hospitalization." | |
| 2024 | ID | Construction | "A crane operator was transitioning a crane from a slope to a flat surface when the crane began tipping over. The operator jumped from the cab of the crane and landed on the bridge deck as the crane overturned on the bridge. The employee was hospitalized with an injury to the left arm." | |
| 2024 | MS | Administrative Services | "An employee was riding on the back of a refuse vehicle while moving to another set of trash containers. Their foot slipped off the rear of the truck and they fell to the ground. The employee sustained a fractured right leg." | |
| 2024 | SD | Manufacturing | "An employee was driving a semi tractor pulling a tanker trailer that was applying calcium chloride to a gravel road. The truck was driving 11 miles per hour on a straight stretch of gravel road when it rolled to the edge of the road and rolled over onto its side in a ditch. The employee suffered bruises, a cut on the elbow, cracked ribs, fractured vertebrae, and a punctured lung. He was hospitalized." |
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, followed by intracranial injuries. These injuries often require surgery and significant time away from work to heal properly. An attorney can help you document these medical needs to ensure your claim reflects the full extent of your recovery.
Employers are responsible for maintaining safe driving surfaces and ensuring that equipment is operated within its design limits. If an accident was caused by poor site conditions or inadequate training, you may have a valid Workers' Compensation claim. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer failed to meet safety standards.
Workers' Compensation typically covers medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and a portion of lost wages while you are unable to work. In cases of permanent impairment, you may also be entitled to additional disability benefits. An attorney can help you verify that you are receiving the full range of benefits you are owed.
Even if an incident is reported to OSHA, the Workers' Compensation process is separate and can be complex to navigate alone. An attorney can help you ensure your medical records are accurately linked to the workplace event and advocate for your rights if the insurance company disputes your claim. An attorney can help you understand your specific situation.