Differences between occupational and non-occupational-related motor vehicle collisions in West Virginia: A cross-sectional and spatial analysis.
<h4>Background</h4>Motor vehicle collisions comprise the majority of occupational-related fatalities in the United States and West Virginia has one of the highest occupational-related fatality rates in the nation. The purpose of this study was to compare work and non-work-related collisi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2019-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0227388 |
| _version_ | 1819140807253295104 |
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| author | Toni Marie Rudisill Sreyas Menon Brian Hendricks Motao Zhu Gordon S Smith |
| author_facet | Toni Marie Rudisill Sreyas Menon Brian Hendricks Motao Zhu Gordon S Smith |
| author_sort | Toni Marie Rudisill |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4>Motor vehicle collisions comprise the majority of occupational-related fatalities in the United States and West Virginia has one of the highest occupational-related fatality rates in the nation. The purpose of this study was to compare work and non-work-related collisions, crash locations, and the characteristics of in-state and out-of-state drivers ≥18 years of age who were fatally injured in work-related collisions in West Virginia.<h4>Methodology</h4>Data were from the 2000-2017 Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Work and non-work-related crashes and characteristics in-state vs. out-of-state drivers were compared using binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Crash locations were compared via spatial analyses using kernel density estimations.<h4>Results</h4>Among the 5,835 individuals fatally injured in crashes, 209 were designated 'at work'. The odds of being a work-related crash were 85% lower [Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.15; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04, 0.49] among those testing positive for alcohol, but 2.5 times greater (OR = 2.56; 95% CI: 1.16, 5.65) among those holding a commercial driver's license. The odds of being an in-state driver were 75% lower (OR = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.12, 0.53) among those wearing a safety belt, but 2.7 times greater among workers testing drug positive (OR = 2.67; 95% CI: 1.10, 6.52). In-state drivers were also less likely to be driving a large truck or be involved in single vehicle collisions and less likely to experience crashes on weekends, nights, or on highways. Spatial patterns of crash locations varied slightly between workers and non-workers.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Work-related crashes differed greatly from non-work-related crashes in West Virginia. Stark differences existed between in-state and out-of-state workers and their crashes. Various avenues for workplace safety interventions exist, including seatbelt initiatives and drug testing policies for non-commercial drivers, which could help mitigate West Virginia's elevated, occupational-related, traffic fatality rate. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T11:44:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0364b48a2d2d47f4a118db53b23b81bf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T11:44:25Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-0364b48a2d2d47f4a118db53b23b81bf2022-12-21T18:27:10ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032019-01-011412e022738810.1371/journal.pone.0227388Differences between occupational and non-occupational-related motor vehicle collisions in West Virginia: A cross-sectional and spatial analysis.Toni Marie RudisillSreyas MenonBrian HendricksMotao ZhuGordon S Smith<h4>Background</h4>Motor vehicle collisions comprise the majority of occupational-related fatalities in the United States and West Virginia has one of the highest occupational-related fatality rates in the nation. The purpose of this study was to compare work and non-work-related collisions, crash locations, and the characteristics of in-state and out-of-state drivers ≥18 years of age who were fatally injured in work-related collisions in West Virginia.<h4>Methodology</h4>Data were from the 2000-2017 Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Work and non-work-related crashes and characteristics in-state vs. out-of-state drivers were compared using binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Crash locations were compared via spatial analyses using kernel density estimations.<h4>Results</h4>Among the 5,835 individuals fatally injured in crashes, 209 were designated 'at work'. The odds of being a work-related crash were 85% lower [Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.15; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04, 0.49] among those testing positive for alcohol, but 2.5 times greater (OR = 2.56; 95% CI: 1.16, 5.65) among those holding a commercial driver's license. The odds of being an in-state driver were 75% lower (OR = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.12, 0.53) among those wearing a safety belt, but 2.7 times greater among workers testing drug positive (OR = 2.67; 95% CI: 1.10, 6.52). In-state drivers were also less likely to be driving a large truck or be involved in single vehicle collisions and less likely to experience crashes on weekends, nights, or on highways. Spatial patterns of crash locations varied slightly between workers and non-workers.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Work-related crashes differed greatly from non-work-related crashes in West Virginia. Stark differences existed between in-state and out-of-state workers and their crashes. Various avenues for workplace safety interventions exist, including seatbelt initiatives and drug testing policies for non-commercial drivers, which could help mitigate West Virginia's elevated, occupational-related, traffic fatality rate.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0227388 |
| spellingShingle | Toni Marie Rudisill Sreyas Menon Brian Hendricks Motao Zhu Gordon S Smith Differences between occupational and non-occupational-related motor vehicle collisions in West Virginia: A cross-sectional and spatial analysis. PLoS ONE |
| title | Differences between occupational and non-occupational-related motor vehicle collisions in West Virginia: A cross-sectional and spatial analysis. |
| title_full | Differences between occupational and non-occupational-related motor vehicle collisions in West Virginia: A cross-sectional and spatial analysis. |
| title_fullStr | Differences between occupational and non-occupational-related motor vehicle collisions in West Virginia: A cross-sectional and spatial analysis. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Differences between occupational and non-occupational-related motor vehicle collisions in West Virginia: A cross-sectional and spatial analysis. |
| title_short | Differences between occupational and non-occupational-related motor vehicle collisions in West Virginia: A cross-sectional and spatial analysis. |
| title_sort | differences between occupational and non occupational related motor vehicle collisions in west virginia a cross sectional and spatial analysis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0227388 |
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