If you drive southwest of Milwaukee for about an hour, you will arrive in Clinton, Wisconsin. The small Rock County town was recently the site of a motor vehicle crash. Two men were killed when their Jeep slammed into a Union Pacific work truck parked along a road there.
According to a brief news account, two railroad workers were injured in the violent crash. Their work truck was legally parked at the time, the AP report noted.
The reporter did not mention if authorities know or suspect why the Jeep hit the work truck, nor did it mention the extent of the injuries to the workers. We wish them speedy and full recoveries.
A leading cause of job injuries
Transportation-involved events are one of the leading causes of occupational injuries, the National Safety Council says.
The NSC reports that there were 50,650 transportation-related on-the-job injuries in 2018 that resulted in days off of work.
Events/exposures with even greater injury numbers:
- Overexertion/bodily reaction: 282,860 injuries resulting in lost work days
- Falls, slips and trips: 240,160
- Contact with objects/equipment: 235,740
Transportation-related events that result in on-the-job injuries can include collisions between work vehicles; collisions between work and personal vehicles (as in Rock County); back-over accidents; and road maintenance/construction workers who are struck by a personal or work vehicle.
Other events and exposures
The NSC says other leading events/exposures that result in occupational injuries: violence by people or animals (44,000); exposure to harmful substances (40,130 injuries); and fire and explosions (1,480 injuries).
It’s important to remember that most people who suffer workplace injuries will qualify for Wisconsin workers’ compensation. If you are told you or your injury don’t qualify, you can reach out to legal professionals experienced in protecting worker rights and benefits.