August 27, 2025

Crushing by vehicle injuries and single vehicle accidents

As a service to our policyholders, Texas Mutual shares serious workplace injury trends based on catastrophic injuries and fatalities reported to our claims department. Not all of these reported injuries are covered by workers’ compensation insurance, but our goal is to help you ensure these types of incidents do not happen in your workplace. Find safety tips below to help keep your employees safe on the job.

You can contact our safety services support center with any questions at 844-WORKSAFE (967-5723) or safety@texasmutual.com.

In this alert:

• Crushing by vehicle injuries
• Single vehicle accidents

Crushing by vehicle injuries

While an employee was inspecting the underside of an 18-wheeler, the truck was accidentally put in reverse. A tragic accident occurred when the employee was crushed by the truck.

Vehicles have many energy sources, such as moving parts and electrical systems. These sources can start unexpectedly and cause serious harm. This case highlights the importance of using proper lockout/tagout procedures when working with vehicles, not just equipment. Following these procedures helps protect employees from hazardous energy during servicing, inspections and maintenance.

• Always remove the ignition key before working on or under a vehicle.
• Disconnect battery cables when working near electrical or moving components.
• Use lockout/tagout devices, such as padlocks and tags, to prevent accidental startup.
• Confirm the vehicle cannot be started or moved before beginning work.
• Follow facility-specific procedures for secure vehicle maintenance. 

Single vehicle accidents

An employee lost their life in a head-on collision while driving a company vehicle to work. Another fatal accident happened when an employee transporting gravel crashed on the way to a jobsite.

Single vehicle accidents can have life-changing consequences for both employees and businesses. These examples highlight how work-related driving exposes employees to serious dangers every day. Defensive driving skills and safe habits are essential to help prevent accidents. By making safety a priority and taking advantage of available training, you can better protect yourself on the road.

• Attend defensive driving courses to improve awareness and reaction skills.
• Never drive while tired, distracted or under the influence of any substances.
• Always wear a seatbelt and check that all equipment is secure before driving.
• Obey speed limits and adjust your driving for road and weather conditions.
• Report any vehicle issues so repairs can be made promptly.

Get free safety resources

Texas Mutual policyholders have access to thousands of free training materials in our multimedia safety resource center, including our safety catalog with up-to-date resources.

To access the free materials, log in to your texasmutual.com account and select Safety. If you need help accessing safety resources or you have a safety question, call us toll-free at 844-WORKSAFE (967-5723).

Download a PDF (696 KB) version of the August Safety Alert.