Behind the Wheel at Work

• January 31: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency for the United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to COVID-19.
• March 11: The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic.
• March 13: The President of the United States declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency.
• March 13: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a nationwide emergency (Emergency Declaration No. 2020-002)
  • In doing so, FMCSA addressed the need for immediate transportation of essential supplies, equipment and persons, and provided necessary relief from the FMCSA regulations for motor carriers and drivers engaged in the transport of essential supplies, equipment, and persons.
    • FMCSA granted emergency relief from Parts 390 through 399 of the FMCSA regulations for the fifty States and the District of Columbia.
  • Because public health conditions continued, emergency declarations were extended by FMCSA and expanded on: March 18, April 8, May 13, July 13, August 11, and September 11. They are currently set to expire on December 31, 2020.
• March 19: The first statewide stay-at-home order went into effect, and 40 states followed. The number of motor vehicles on U.S. roads and number of miles driven were reduced, with more people staying at home.
• April 24: States began reopening (ongoing).

There have been several national and state reports highlighting reductions in miles driven and varying changes in the number and rate of crashes in the general public during the pandemic. Some findings include:

• Even though miles driven by Americans from January-July 2020 decreased, estimates from the National Safety Council (NSC) show that driving became more dangerous. The NSC reports that during July 2020, the number of roadway deaths increased by 11% and the fatality rate per miles driven increased by 26% compared to July 2019. This means that those who were on the road had a higher risk of dying in a crash.
• The NSC also reports that the estimated cost of these motor vehicle deaths, injuries, and property damage through May 2020 was $249.4 billion.
• States have conducted preliminary motor vehicle data analyses and have reported varying changes in motor vehicle travel patterns, crashes, and associated injuries.
  • In Virginia, fewer vehicles on the road during the COVID-19 crisis (mid-March to mid-May) led to a 45% decrease in all crashes compared to 2019, but the number of crash-related fatalities involving both speed and unrestrained travelers increased by 78%.
  • In California, during a period of time under the shelter-in-place order (March 21 to April 11), the number of overall crashes and fatal crashes were half those in the period prior to the order and half those during a similar period in 2019. However, there was a slight increase in average speeds (between 1 to 4 mph), primarily on urban highways.

Reports indicate that less-congested roads led to increases in risky driving behaviors.

• Emptier streets may have encouraged some drivers to ignore traffic safety laws, including speed limits. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reported that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a spike in speeding and reckless driving behaviors. Four states reported a surge in drivers with highway speeds over 100 miles per hour.
• Increases in crash severity were observed compared to the same time period in 2019, such as in Massachusetts.
• Law enforcement and state reports from several states highlight the importance of addressing speeding and seat belt use.

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic downturn on work-related motor vehicle safety remain to be seen. It is likely that some worker groups, such as essential workers, have been affected. Undoubtedly, we will find that there are impacts on driving behaviors and crashes at work. A few of the complex factors that may affect work-related road safety include:

• Personal and work-related stress, anxiety, alcohol and substance use, and other mental health issues arising during the pandemic.
• Work-related driving speeds, as compared to the general public. It is unknown if increases in speeding were primarily recreational, or if workers felt additional pressures at work that facilitated the need to speed.
• The impacts of workers opting out of local public transit, crew transport, and carpools to limit COVID-19 exposures and using personal vehicles for commutes.
• The impacts of delayed or suspended personal and commercial license renewals on work-related crashes.
• The impacts on essential workers who continued to commute to and from work throughout the pandemic despite personal stressors, long work hours, and fatigue.
• The impacts on essential workers who drive for a living (e.g., long-haul truck drivers) and faced closed facilities while on the road or encountered limited supplies at open facilities.

• Encourage workers to avoid carpooling to and from work, if possible.
• If carpooling using crew vans, company shuttles, or other shared vehicle spaces is a necessity for workers, use the following practices:
  • Limit the number of people per vehicle as much as possible. This may mean using more vehicles.
  • Encourage employees to maintain social distancing as much as possible.
  • Before you leave and upon arrival at your destination, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • If sharing a van or car space, wear a mask.

• Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces after each trip (e.g., door handles, handrails, seat belt buckles).
• If a third party must have access to the interior of a vehicle (e.g., mechanics, inspectors), request that the third party clean and disinfect the truck before turning it back over to you.
• Provide alcohol-based hand sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol, alcohol wipes for disinfecting surfaces, tissues, and small trash cans for vehicles.
• When using fuel pumps, parking meters, and pay stations, consider using alcohol wipes to disinfect surfaces or use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol after use. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as soon as it is possible.

• Encourage employees to cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue, throw the tissue away in a small trash bag in the vehicle, and use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Understand that the current environment could elevate stress levels among drivers. Provide resources to help manage stress.

• Avoid using the recirculated air option for the car’s ventilation during passenger transport; use the car’s vents to bring in fresh outside air and/or lower the vehicle windows.