Farm Services Driver Killed in Highway Crash—Kentucky

The following report is the product of our Cooperative State partner and is presented here in its original unedited form from the state. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the individual Cooperative State partner and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

SUMMARY

At 12:34 p.m., September 5, 2022, a 49-year-old farm services employee was killed when the light-duty pickup truck he was driving was struck by another vehicle. The driver was following his co-worker, who was driving a much larger truck. The larger truck became inoperable and had to stop in the right lane of the highway. The pickup truck was positioned behind the larger truck when it was struck from the rear.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Key contributing factors identified in this investigation include:

• Vehicle position
• Lack of safe work procedures
• Need for emergency warning devices
• Noncommercial operator licensing
• Lack of seatbelt use
• Workplace substance use

RECOMMENDATIONS
Kentucky investigators concluded that, to help prevent similar occurrences, employers should:

• Ensure that drivers position vehicles so as to shield them from oncoming traffic,
• Develop and implement written safe work procedures for drivers,
• Provide and require the use of portable emergency warning devices when vehicles become stranded in the roadway or are stopped on the shoulder.

Farm Services Driver Killed in Highway Crash—Kentucky [PDF – 1 MB]