Differences between occupational and non-occupational-related motor vehicle collisions in West Virginia: A cross-sectional and spatial analysis.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227388
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Summary
This study investigates the differences between occupational and non-occupational motor vehicle collisions in West Virginia, a state with one of the highest rates of work-related fatalities in the United States. Motivated by the high prevalence of transportation-related deaths among workers in Appalachia, the research aimed to compare crash characteristics, driver demographics, and spatial patterns between work-related and non-work-related incidents. Additionally, the study sought to distinguish between in-state and out-of-state drivers involved in fatal work-related crashes, hypothesizing that out-of-state drivers might face unique risks due to unfamiliarity with local geography and road systems. The researchers utilized data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for the period between 2000 and 2017, focusing on individuals aged 18 and older fatally injured in crashes within West Virginia. The final dataset included 5,835 fatalities, of which 209 were designated as occurring while the individual was "at work." The study employed binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses to compare work versus non-work crashes and in-state versus out-of-state workers. Spatial analysis was conducted using kernel density estimation to map crash locations. Variables examined included driver demographics, vehicle type, safety belt usage, substance use (alcohol and drugs), and crash circumstances such as time of day and road conditions. Key findings revealed stark contrasts between occupational and non-occupational crashes. Workers were significantly more likely to hold a commercial driver’s license (70% vs. 10.8%) and drive large trucks (62.2% vs. 0.2%). Conversely, work-related crashes were 85% less likely to involve alcohol-positive drivers compared to non-work crashes. However, workers were 2.7 times more likely to test positive for drugs than non-workers. When comparing in-state and out-of-state workers, in-state drivers were 75% less likely to be wearing a safety belt but were also less likely to be driving large trucks or involved in single-vehicle collisions. In-state workers were further less likely to crash on weekends, at night, or on highways. Spatial analysis indicated slight variations in crash location patterns between workers and non-workers. The study concludes that work-related crashes in West Virginia differ fundamentally from non-work-related incidents in terms of driver behavior, vehicle type, and substance involvement. The elevated risk of drug use among workers and lower seatbelt usage among in-state workers highlight specific targets for intervention. The authors suggest that workplace safety initiatives, including seatbelt enforcement and drug testing policies for non-commercial drivers, could help mitigate the state’s high rate of occupational traffic fatalities. These findings provide evidence-based insights for public safety programs and employer safety protocols aimed at reducing preventable deaths in high-risk occupational sectors.
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| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | DOAJ | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-19 |
| archive | success | unpaywall | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
| extract | success | cached | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-26 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-19 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-19 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 1 | 2026-06-19 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-19 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 6 | 2026-06-19 |
| verify | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.
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- Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes, observational prevalence