NIOSH Center for 

Motor Vehicle Safety 

Employers, Safety Professionals, and Workers: 

Crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths in the 

United States.1

 To address these deaths, the National Institute 

for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Center for Motor 

Vehicle Safety (CMVS) conducts research and develops strategies 

to prevent work-related motor vehicle crashes and injuries. This 

flyer contains information about the CMVS and how our research 

and resources contribute to keeping workers safe on the road.

What is the NIOSH CMVS?

NIOSH is the only part of the U.S. federal government whose 

mission includes preventing crashes and resulting injuries 

for all workers, not just a specific worker group. 

CMVS research prioritizes the following workers:

• Truck drivers

• Drivers in other high-risk jobs

(EMS, law enforcement, 

oil and gas extraction)

• Light-vehicle drivers 

(real estate, sales, health care)

 The goal of the CMVS is to make 

sure that those who work in or 

near vehicles come home safely

at the end of their workday.

Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health

Crash 

Facts

Motor vehicle crashes are the

1st or 2nd

leading cause of death in 

every major industry group.1

From 2003-2016 there were

25,000+

work-related motor vehicle 

deaths in the U.S.1

In 2013 alone, work-related 

crashes cost employers 

$25 billion.2

• $65,000 per nonfatal injury

• $671,000 per death

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018

2 Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, 2015
NIOSH Center for 

Motor Vehicle Safety 

How does the NIOSH CMVS make an impact? 

The CMVS conducts research, works with partners, promotes 

effective policies and practices, and communicates prevention 

recommendations to improve workplace motor vehicle safety. 

Research includes:

• Identifying crash risk factors

• Evaluating technology-based and 

management interventions

• Developing and evaluating engineering 

controls and technology

Who works with the NIOSH CMVS? 

CMVS researchers collaborate with partners across all sectors:

Industry Labor Professional and 

Trade Associations 

Non-profits Government 

Agencies

Academia

 

Learn how to keep workers safe on the road:

www.cdc.gov/niosh/motorvehicle

 @NIOSH_MVSafety

 Behind the Wheel at Work eNewsletter

Highlights

Analyzed worker 

fatality data matched 

with data from police 

crash reports to create 

the most complete picture 

of work-related fatal 

crashes to date.

Published a study showing 

that in-vehicle warning lights 

along with coaching effectively

reduced risky 

driving behaviors 

in fleet drivers.

Published 

a fact sheet on 

safe workplace 

driving for 

young drivers.

Mention of any company or product does 

not constitute endorsement by the National 

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2018–177 • 

https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2018177 • August 2018

Young workers – those age 16-24 – are developing their driving skills and gaining experience. Due to 

inexperience they may be less likely than older drivers to recognize and respond to traffic risks. Young 

drivers have the highest crash rate, based on miles driven, in the general population. 

Employers and parents/guardians can play an important role in keeping young drivers safe on the road. 

This fact sheet gives information on workplace driving laws that are important to follow so that young drivers 

may gain work experience under the safest conditions possible. It also provides recommendations on how to 

promote safe driving and prevent motor vehicle crashes among young workers who drive as part of their job.* 

Parents: Learn how to have 

a positive influence on your 

young driver’s behavior on 

and off the job.

Young Drivers in the Workplace: How Employers 

and Parents Can Help Keep Them Safe on the Road

page 1

*Labor laws do not restrict driving by agricultural workers age 16 or older.

** For more information, see 49 CFR §391.11 (https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=1&ty=HTML&h=L&mc=true&=PART&n=pt49.5.391#se49.5.391_111) and 49 

United States Code (USC) 31132 (https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2015-title49/html/USCODE-2015-title49-subtitleVI-partB-chap311-subchapIII-sec31132.htm).

***Data source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries query system (http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/dsrv?fw). 

How can you keep young drivers safe at work?

Workers age 

and under

16

in non-agricultural jobs 

 

may not drive for work.

<16

Generally, workers 18 to 24 

are allowed to drive on the job, 

but those under age 21 may 

not drive a commercial motor 

vehicle across state lines.**

18-24

Young workers’ driving restrictions on the job vary by age.

–

Employers: Use recommended 

strategies to develop programs 

and policies that follow safe-driving 

laws for young workers.

From 2011-2015, 470 workers ages 16 to 24 died in motor vehicle crashes at 

work, accounting for 26% of all work-related deaths in this age group.***

NIOSH

@NIOSH_MVSafety

17

Workers age

may drive in 

17

non-agricultural jobs, 

but are limited by 

time and task.